Benito Juarez Research Paper

Words: 974
Pages: 4

Benito Juarez's historical significance can be viewed through his inspirational indigenous background, reforms during governance, and upbringing as one of Mexico's presidents. Born in Guelatao, Oaxaca, Mexico in 1806 to indigenous Zapotec parents; later on becoming an orphan. Benito Juarez grew up poor, in a village of only 100 people. Only able to speak his native Zapotec language, working in the fields up until the age of 12, when he had finally started school. Later on, Juarez had moved to the city of Oaxaca to work with his sister who had moved the year prior, taking up a job to work as a servant for Antonio Maza. There he began to learn the Spanish language at the age of 13 with the help of Sr Mata. He had a close friend of his named Antonio Salanueva …show more content…
In an article on Napoleon.org it is stated that Antonio Salanueva had appointed him to attend a seminary school in Oaxaca in hopes of being a priest. During his time in the seminary Juarez learned about his passion for justice and equality, leading him to enroll in Oaxacas Institute of Sciences and Arts to study law in 1829. While Benito attended school, he became familiar with liberal ideas which would shape his political views later on. As said before, Juarez was a full blooded Mesoamerican, coming from poverty and building his way up into getting an education he began to think about those from a lower social ranking background; as an indigenous person in a European dominated society he understood first hand the injustices and disadvantages that indigenous people face. Thus, this awareness leads to a lifetime dedication to fighting for rights for ALL Mexicans, regardless of their background or social status. In 1831 Benito Juarez had fully entered political society on the Oaxacan council, serving in the state legislature. As he gained experience, his liberalism strengthened, gaining the goal to fight for equality before the