What led most directly to Mexico declaring independence?

Mexico declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1821. There were many factors that led up to Mexico securing independence, but the main causes were economic discontent and political grievances.

* Economic discontent: Mexico was a colony of Spain and was subject to high taxes and trade restrictions that hurt people's businesses and made the cost of living high.

* Political grievances: Spanish-born people (Peninsulares) held most of the power in the Mexican government, while people born in Mexico (Creoles) were often excluded from important positions. Additionally, the Spanish government often ignored the needs of the Mexican people and made decisions that were not in their best interests.

* The Napoleonic Wars: During the Peninsular War, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain in 1808 and captured the Spanish king. This created a power vacuum in Mexico and other colonies, leading to increased calls for independence.

These grievances boiled over in 1810 when a parish priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla led a group of rebels in revolt. The revolt was eventually defeated by the Spanish, but it inspired other rebel leaders such as José María Morelos and Agustín de Iturbide to continue fighting for independence. In 1821, Iturbide led the Army of the Three Guarantees to victory in the Mexican War of Independence, and Mexico declared its independence from Spain.