The same spirit of liberty that led British colonists
to declare their independence in 1776 inspired Spanish colonists
to assert their independence in the early 1800s. On the morning of
September 16, 1810, a priest named Miguel Hidalgo made a fiery speech
in the town of Dolores in New Spain. His words set off a long and
bloody war to make New Spain an independent country.
During most of the war for Mexican independence, California
remained uninvolved and unaffected. The only direct contact with
the war came in 1818 when two "revolutionary" ships sacked
and burned several settlements along the California coast. Three
more years of fighting, all to the south of California, were necessary
before Mexico achieved its independence in 1821.
When news of Mexican independence reached California
the following year, the old red and gold imperial flag of Spain was
lowered over the presidio at Monterey. A crisp new flag, bearing
an eagle and a snake, rose in its place. As the flag unfolded in
the breeze, the assembled soldiers shouted: "Viva la independencia
Mexicana!"
