From Colonial Missions to Republican Schools

Educational Institutions in the North of Mexico, 1767-1835

Abstract

In 1821 Mexico became independent from Spain and three years later a Federal Republic was established. It was the duty of every state in the Federation to promote public schools in all the towns. After six years the government of the state of Chihuahua reported that they had founded schools in 60 towns. I discovered that in 43 of these towns some type of educational facility had already existed during Colonial rule. This article discusses the historical context, the educational work of the Franciscan and Jesuit missions in the territories of Indian nomads, the effects of the Bourbon Reforms and the expulsion of the Jesuits on education, the educational policies of the Mexican State, and schooling during the early years of the Federal Republic in the north of Mexico, taking stock of the state of formal education before and after independence.