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Hipólito Yrigoyen

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Hipólito Yrigoyen was a very important leader in Argentina.

Hist1893hyrigoyen
Hist1893hyrigoyen

He was born on July 12, 1852. His father, Martín, was an immigrant from the Basque region. Yrigoyen grew up with four siblings named Roque, Martín, Amalia, and Marcelina. As a young boy, he went to the San José school. He was not a standout student in his early years. He was a quiet person who spent much time thinking. Later, he decided to study law instead of becoming a priest.

Leandro N. Alem c.1890 (cropped)
Leandro N. Alem c.1890 (cropped)

Before he was a famous leader, Yrigoyen worked many jobs. At age fifteen, he stopped studying to help his father. His father owned a fleet of trolleys at the port. Yrigoyen also worked for a short time in a store. In 1867, he worked in a judicial office. His uncle, Leandro N. Alem, was a very important person in politics. Yrigoyen even worked as a police commissioner in Balvanera. He later became a teacher at a school for teachers. He taught history, philosophy, and civic instruction for twenty-four years.

Hipólito Yrigoyen - Dibujo de Demócrito (Eduardo Sojo) - Don Quijote - 13AG1893 - AGN
Hipólito Yrigoyen - Dibujo de Demócrito (Eduardo Sojo) - Don Quijote - 13AG1893 - AGN

During the 1880s, Yrigoyen became a wealthy man through farming.

Las Flores Estancia
Las Flores Estancia

He owned large pieces of land called estancias. These farms were in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and San Luis. He raised cattle to sell to big businesses. He owned places like Estancia El Trigo and El Quemado. Yrigoyen was a kind boss to his workers. He worked in the fields right alongside them. He paid them higher wages than most people did. He even gave them extra clothes and helped them save money. He used his millions of pesos to fund his political work.

Yrigoyen fought to change how the government worked in Argentina. He joined the Radical Civic Union, also called the UCR. This group wanted fairer rules for everyone. He worked hard to pass the Sáenz Peña Law in 1912. This law was a huge change for the country. It made voting mandatory for men. It also made sure that voting was done with a secret ballot. This meant no one could see who a person voted for. Because of this law, Yrigoyen was elected president in 1916.

Elecciones de 1916, Argentina 01
Elecciones de 1916, Argentina 01

As president, Yrigoyen helped many different people. People called him "the father of the poor" because of his work. He helped the working class have a better life. He helped pass rules to improve factory conditions. He also helped regulate working hours and created pensions. He wanted a public education system that everyone could use. Yrigoyen also wanted Argentina to be a strong, independent nation. He believed the country should control its own oil, energy, and transport. He served as president until 1922, and again until 1930.

Estación Constitucion (ca 1920) AGN
Estación Constitucion (ca 1920) AGN
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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Estación Constitucion (ca 1920) AGN.jpg
Estación Constitucion (ca 1920) AGN.jpg
File:Hist1893hyrigoyen.jpg
Hist1893hyrigoyen.jpg
File:Las Flores Estancia.jpg
Las Flores Estancia.jpg
File:Solar donde vivió Hipólito Yrigoyen.JPG
Solar donde vivió Hipólito Yrigoyen.JPG
File:Hipólito Yrigoyen - Dibujo de Demócrito (Eduardo Sojo) - Don Quijote - 13AG1893 - AGN.jpg
Hipólito Yrigoyen - Dibujo de Demócrito...
File:Ejército Revolucionario Radical (1893).jpg
Ejército Revolucionario Radical (1893).jpg
File:Leandro N. Alem c.1890 (cropped).jpg
Leandro N. Alem c.1890 (cropped).jpg
File:Comisaría 27a.-RevoluciónRadical1905.jpg
Comisaría 27a.-RevoluciónRadical1905.jpg
File:Elecciones presidenciales de Argentina de 1916.png
Elecciones presidenciales de Argentina de 1916.png
File:Elecciones de 1916, Argentina 01.jpg
Elecciones de 1916, Argentina 01.jpg
File:"Retrato_del_Presidente_Hipolito_Yrigoyen"_(cropped).jpg
"Retrato_del_Presidente_Hipolito_Yrigoyen"...
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