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Content: After coming to power in 1855, the liberals fought for their program
          through a decade of civil war and foreign intervention (1857-1867). Major reform
        measures established equality before the law (LEY JUAREZ, 1855); prohibited
        civil and ecclesiastical corporate ownership or administration of real
        estate (LEY LERDO, 1856), and nationalized virtually all other church
        wealth; regulated parish fees (LEY IGLESIAS); suppressed religious orders; separated church and state; established marriage as a civil contract; placed cemeteries and vital statistics under civil control; proclaimed
        freedom
        of religion, speech, and the press; and secularized schools and charities.