Born August 8, 1879
Anenecuilco, Morelos, Mexico
Died April 10, 1919
Hacienda Chinameca, Morelos, Mexico

Rebel leader and land reform advocate

The actions of Emiliano Zapata were driven by one powerful desire: to see lands, stolen from peasant farmers by wealthy agriculturalists, returned to their rightful owners. To that end, Zapata first sought relief through legal channels. When that failed he resorted to taking up arms.

With a guerrilla army that varied in size from fifteen hundred to twenty thousand men, Zapata waged a nine-year-long war against a series of corrupt Mexican government leaders. Zapata seized plantation lands and turned them over to peasants. At the height of his power, Zapata controlled about one-third of Mexico. Zapata remains a folk hero among Mexico’s agricultural laborers.

Experiences loss of family’s lands

Although there is some uncertainty as to Emiliano Zapata’s exact birth date (estimates range...