The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940 Page: 273

Book Reviews

The aims of the revolution were at the beginning confined to
disavowing Santa Anna's authority and to convening a constituent
congress. Reformist groups arose and Ignacio Comonfort supplied
the customary plan and assisted in the preparation of an indict-
ment against Santa Anna and a program of much needed reforms.
The document took its name from the litle town of Ayutla where
it was proclaimed. Originating as a rebellion of a few disgrun-
tled politicians, the revolution of Ayutla, because of popular sup-
port, soon assumed national proportions. It produced, after a
bloody military struggle, a government able and willing to pro-
tect a liberal constituent assembly. Socially it indicated that the
mestizo was destined to dominate Mexico for the next few decades.
Intellectually it marked the beginning of a successful reaction
against the stifling influence of an established church. All this
may be summed up in Professor Johnson's words, ". .. it left
a valuable residuum of constructive reform, intellectual freedom,
and advanced social consciousness." (p. 114)
Dr. Johnson's study is based on the rich archival material in
the Garcia Collection of The University of Texas combined with
the letters, documents, and related materials in the various
archives and libraries in Mexico City. A bibliography of seven
pages lists the sources and the general works and publications
used. The index is adequate. This reviewer considers the study
a substantial contribution to the history of Mexico and an invalu-
able aid to those who would understand the turbulent political
history of that country during its first century of independence.
The Board of Directors of Augustana College and Theological
Seminary has, with the publication of this study, added a sig-
nificant monograph to its series of Augustana Library Publi-
cations.
OHLAND MORTON.
Edinburg Junior College.
Pajarito Plateau and Its Ancient People. By Edgar L. Hewett.
(Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1938. Pp.
191. $4.00. Illustrations.)
In this book, Dr. Edgar L. Hewett has given us in beautiful
poetic prose the results of forty years of exploration and excava-
tion. The area treated lies for the most part between the Rio

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