The Mexican Revolution (Revolución Mexicana) was a major armed struggle that started in 1910 with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero (Francisco Ignacio Madero González) against longtime Mexican president, the autocratic General Porfirio Diaz (José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori). Madero succeeded Díaz, taking office in 1911. Madero established a liberal democracy and received support from the United States and popular leaders such as Orozco, Villa, and Zapata. Unfortunately Madero's time as president was short lived. Ultimately Madero was forced to resign, signing the resignation on 19 February 1913. General Victoriano Huerta (José Victoriano Huerta Márquez) had commanded the armed forces under President Madero, however Huerta conspired with U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Henry Lane Wilson, former Mexican general Bernardo Reyes, and Félix Díaz, Porfirio Díaz's nephew, to overthrow Madero. This back room deal was known as el Pacto de la Embajada, The Embassy Pact. Huerta assumed the presidency on 20 February 1913, late that night Madero and vice president José María Pino Suárez were both assassinated. The murdered Madero became honored as a martyr of the revolution. This episode in Mexican history is known as La decena trágica.

When Huerta gained power and became president, most world powers acknowledged him as Mexico's lawful leader. However, incoming president of the United States Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize Huerta's government. Henry Lane Wilson was withdrawn as U.S. Ambassador. President Wilson, and many Mexicans considered Huerta as an illegal usurper of presidential power in violation of the Constitution of Mexico.

Venustiano Carranza, a politician and rancher from Coahuila, was lead the opposition against Huerta, Carranza called his forces the Constitutionalists. Carranza received secret support of the United States. On March 26, 1913, Carranza issued his Plan de Guadalupe, which was a refusal to recognize Huerta as president and called for a declaration of war between the two factions. Leaders such as Villa, Zapata, Carranza, and Álvaro Obregón led the fighting against Huerta.

Francisco Pancho Villa (José Doroteo Arango Arámbula) became commander of the División del Norte (Division of the North), Ejército Constitucionalista (Constitutionalist Army). Two of Villa's revolutionary generals, General Calixto Contreras Espinoza and his deputy, General Severino Ceniceros were instrumental in the production of the Muera Huerta 1914 silver pesos at Cuencamé, Durango.

Unlike portrait coins which promote rulers and potentially revolutionaries, the Muera Huerta peso sent a message, Kill Huerta! President Victoriano Huerta was so enraged by the insolence of Villa, he commanded that any person found with a Muera Huerta peso be summarily executed.

In April 1914, U.S. opposition to Huerta had reached its peak when American forces seized and occupied the port of Veracruz, cutting off arms and money supplies from Germany. In late July, this situation worsened for Huerta. He vacated his office and fled to Puerto México. Huerta died in El Paso, Texas, in early 1916. He had been kept there under house arrest by the United States government.

And the Muera Huerta peso? It has become most famous and a favorite coin of Mexican numismatics.