Antonio López de Santa Anna and other leaders issued the Plan of Casa Mata calling for a new constituent congress after Emperor Agustín de Iturbide dissolved the legislature. The movement spread quickly and helped push Mexico away from monarchy toward a republican system.
Mexico’s constituent congress promulgated the Acta Constitutiva de la Federación Mexicana, a foundational legal step toward a representative, federal republic. It affirmed a division of powers (executive, legislative, judicial) and set the stage for a full national constitution later in 1824.
Congress passed the General Colonization Law to attract settlers and develop sparsely populated regions, including the northern frontier. It delegated significant control to state-level rules while placing limits near borders and coasts, shaping settlement patterns that later became politically sensitive.
Mexico enacted its first national constitution as an independent country, creating a federal republic known as the United Mexican States. The constitution defined national institutions and the relationship between the central government and the states, aiming to give the new country stable rules after years of upheaval.
Guadalupe Victoria assumed office as Mexico’s first president under the new constitutional order. His presidency became an early test of whether the federal system could work in practice amid strong rival factions and regional pressures.
The federal government created a Federal District centered on Mexico City to serve as the national capital area. This separated the seat of national power from any single state, a design meant to reduce rivalry over the capital.
The Spanish garrison at the fortress of San Juan de Ulúa surrendered to Mexican forces, ending Spain’s last major military foothold in the former viceroyalty. The event strengthened Mexico’s claim to full independence and reduced a major security threat near Veracruz.
Vice President Nicolás Bravo backed the Plan de Montaño, a pronunciamiento (military-political declaration) that challenged the Victoria administration and demanded major political changes. The revolt failed, but it showed how quickly armed uprisings could threaten constitutional rule.
Mexico issued the Law of April 6, 1830 to slow immigration from the United States and tighten control over settlement in Texas and other northern areas. The law reflected fears of losing territory and became a major source of conflict between settlers and the Mexican government.
The Plan of Cuernavaca opposed liberal reforms associated with Valentín Gómez Farías and helped rally conservative forces around Antonio López de Santa Anna. Its victory led to the repeal of reform measures and a sharp turn toward stronger central authority.
Mexico’s leadership formalized the Siete Leyes (Seven Laws), which replaced the federal arrangement associated with the 1824 Constitution. States lost autonomy and were reorganized more like centrally governed departments, marking the shift toward a Centralist Republic.
The Seven Laws were enacted in 1836, completing the legal transition away from the federal system established in 1824. This change closed the 1824–1835 federal-republic phase and set the political framework for new conflicts, including resistance in several regions.
Establishment of the Federal Republic and the Constitution of 1824 (1824–1835)