José María Morelos y Pavón was a priest and military leader who became one of the most important figures of the Mexican independence movement after Hidalgo. He organized the insurgency, led successful campaigns, and helped give the movement a clearer political vision.

Morelos is especially remembered for the document Sentimientos de la Nación, which called for independence, equality, and limits on social privilege. For exam preparation, he matters because he connected the fight for independence with ideas about sovereignty, justice, and a new Mexican nation.