Portrait of revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata, photographed by Hugo Brehme.
The Mexican Revolution was the 20th Century’s first modern social revolution. The war profoundly changed Mexican society and the nation’s economy. It inspired intellectuals, artists and struggling people all over the world with ideals of economic justice. The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was the first in the world to recognize social guarantees and collective labor rights.
At the same time, the trauma of Civil war created chaos, displacement and grave social wounds. More than 890,000 legal Mexican immigrants came to the United States seeking refuge between 1910 and 1920. By 1920 Mexicans were the largest immigrant group in Los Angeles.
Links:
- A brief history of the Mexican Revolution.
- More about the history of the US-Mexican Border.