Cardenas, Lazaro

1895 – He was born on the 21st of May of this year into a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family (including his mother and 7 younger siblings) from age 16 on after the death of his father.

1913 - By the age of 18, he had worked as a tax collector, a printer's devil, and a jailkeeper. Although he left school at the age of eleven, he used every opportunity to educate himself and read widely throughout his life, especially works of history.

1928 - He backed Plutarco Elías Calles, and after Calles became president, Cárdenas became governor of Michoacán in this year.

1934 – He became the president of Mexico from on 1st day of December of this year until November 30, 1940.

1936 - Cárdenas had Calles and dozens of his corrupt associates arrested or deported to the United States, a decision that was greeted with great enthusiasm by the majority of the Mexican public.

1940 - In this year’s election, Cardenas on principle refused to make an outright endorsement of the PRM nominee Manuel Avila Camacho against Camacho's opponent, Juan Andreu Almazan, insisting on open debate and free elections.

1945 - After his presidential term, Cárdenas served as Mexico's secretary of defense through 1945.

1955 - Lázaro Cárdenas was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize in this year.

1970 – He passed away at age 75 on the 19th day of October of this year in Mexico.