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Front: Venustiano Carranza (1859-1920), Mexican political leader

Carranza joined Francisco I. Madero in the revolution against Porfirio Díaz in 1910. He joined other insurgents notably Álvaro Obregón, Francisco Villa and Emiliano Zapata, fought against Victoriano Huerta when the latter overthrown President Madero in 1913. Huerta was finally forced to resign and Carranza assumed the executive powers in 1914. Villa and Zapata refused to recognize Carranza's authority and plunged the country into another civil war. Carranza, aided by Obregón, emerged supreme by 1915. In 1920, Carranza attempted to prevent Obregón from succeeding him as president, and Obregón revolted. Carranza fled Mexico City, and was ambushed and murdered by a local chieftain in Tlaxcalantongo.

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Front: Francisco I. Madero (1873-1913), President of Mexico

Madero studied commerce and economics in France and agriculture in the U.S. He ran for president of Mexico against Diaz. He was arrested and then released after Diaz had been declared President. Jumped bail and fled to the U.S. In 1910, he led a revolt against the Diaz administration. He was successful in forcing Diaz into exile in 1911. Elected president in 1911. Many groups became disenchanted with Madero's handling of Mexico's problems and revolted against him. Madero was overthrown and killed in 1913.

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Front: Lázaro Cárdenas (1895-1970), President of Mexico

Cárdenas was born of lower middle-class background and had only six years of formal education. In 1913, he joined the staff of General Guillermo García Aragón, one of the military leaders fighting to oust Huerta. García's forces were defeated in their first engagement and Cárdenas was forced to go into hiding. In 1915, by now a lieutenant colonel, he joined the forces of another future president, General Plutarco Elias Calles. In 1920 Calles joined Obregón in a successful rising against Carranza. Obregón became president, Calles his heir apparent, and Cárdenas was named a general at the tender age of 25. In 1934, at age 39, Cárdenas became one of Mexico's youngest presidents.

Back: Coyolxauhqui stone carving

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Front: Don Andrés Quintana Roo (1787-1851), politician

He was a lawyer, a poet and a politician. A member of the Congress of Chilpancingo, presided over the Constituent Assembly that drafted the declaration of Independence (1813). He was a deputy, senator, several times Secretary of State, magistrate of the Supreme Court, and member of the tripartite government in 1829.

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Front: Benito Juarez (1806-1872), President of Mexico

Benito Juarez was largely self-educated. He became a lawyer, a judge, Minister of Justice, and served two terms as President of Mexico.

Back: A monument to Benito Juarez, "Hemiciclo A Juarez"