Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Hello, my name is Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. I was born a very long time ago, on May 8th, 1753, in a place called New Spain. Today, you know this land as the country of Mexico. For many years, I was a priest in a small town called Dolores. I loved my community, and my favorite thing to do was help the people who lived there. I wanted them to have better lives, so I spent my time teaching them new skills. I showed them how to grow juicy grapes in their gardens and how to shape clay into beautiful pottery they could sell.

In those days, our country was not free. A king far away in Spain ruled over our land, and many people in New Spain were not happy or treated fairly. I believed it was time for a change. So, on the morning of September 16th, 1810, I decided to do something brave. I went to my church and began ringing the bells loudly. The sound echoed through the town, and soon, everyone gathered to see what was happening. I stood before them and gave a famous speech that is now called the 'Grito de Dolores,' which means the 'Cry of Dolores.' In my speech, I asked everyone to join me and fight for our freedom.

My words filled the people with hope. After my speech, thousands of people decided to join our cause. Farmers, workers, and even whole families became part of our army for independence. We all wanted a free country where we could make our own rules and live happily. I was not alone in leading this group. My good friend, a brave soldier named Ignacio Allende, was by my side, and he helped me lead our army. Our fight for a new, free Mexico was very hard, but we were all filled with hope for the future.

My part in the struggle ended the next year, in 1811, but the fight for freedom did not stop. The people of New Spain continued working for many more years to build a new nation. I lived to be 58 years old. Eventually, their bravery paid off, and Mexico won its independence. Today, I am remembered as the 'Father of the Nation.' Every year on September 16th, the people of Mexico celebrate Independence Day. They honor our fight by shouting '¡Viva México!' to remember the day our journey to freedom began.