Editing History of Mexico (section)

===First Mexican Empire===
{{Main|First Mexican Empire}}
[[File:Agustín de Iturbide print.jpg|thumb|left|Agustín de Iturbide the first [[Emperor of Mexico]] in 1822 after leading the Mexican War of Independence against Spain, but his reign was short-lived, lasting only until 1823 when he abdicated, and Mexico transitioned to a republic.]]

When Mexico achieved its independence, the southern portion of New Spain became independent as well, as a result of the Treaty of Córdoba, so Central America, present-day [[Costa Rica]], [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], [[Honduras]], [[Nicaragua]], and part of [[Chiapas]] were [[Central America under Mexican rule|incorporated into the Mexican Empire]]. Although Mexico now had its own government, there was no revolutionary social or economic change. The formal, legal [[casta|racial distinctions]] were abolished, but power remained in the hands of white elites. The power vacuum left by the viceroyalty was filled by the military and the Catholic Church. Both the army and the church lost personnel while establishing the new regime. An index of the fall in the economy was the decrease in revenues to the church via the tithe, a tax on agricultural output. Mining, especially, was hard hit. It had been the motor of the colonial economy, but there was considerable fighting during the war of independence in Zacatecas and Guanajuato, the two most important silver mining sites.<ref>Bazant, Jan. "From Independence to the Liberal Republic, 1821–1867" in ''Mexico Since Independence''. Leslie Bethell, ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1991, pp. 2–4.</ref> Despite Viceroy O'Donojú's signing the Treaty of Córdoba giving Mexico independence, the Spanish government did not recognize it as legitimate and claimed sovereignty over Mexico.

With Spain's rejection of the treaty and no European royal taking up the offer of being Mexico's monarch, many Creoles decided that having a Mexican as its monarch was acceptable. A local army garrison proclaimed Iturbide emperor. Since the church refused to crown him, the president of the constituent Congress did so on 21 July 1822. His long-term rule was doomed. He did not have the respect of the Mexican nobility. Republicans sought that form of government rather than a monarchy. The emperor set up all the trappings of a monarchy with a court. Iturbide became increasingly dictatorial and shut down Congress. Worried that a young colonel, [[Antonio López de Santa Anna]], would raise a rebellion, the emperor relieved him of his command. Rather than obeying the order, Santa Anna proclaimed a republic and hastily called for the reconvening of Congress. Four days later, he walked back to his republicanism and called for the removal of the emperor in the [[Plan of Casa Mata]]. Santa Anna secured the support of insurgent general [[Guadalupe Victoria]]. The army signed on to the plan, and the emperor surrendered on March 19, 1823.<ref>Bazant,  "From Independence to the Liberal Republic, 1821–1867", pp. 4–8</ref>