In 1803, at the age of 50, Miguel Hidalgo arrived at the Mexican city of Dolores, Guanajuato. He was serving as a professor for the parish. He was impressed by the high quality soil in the area and he tried to raise locals out of poverty by teaching them how to be self reliant through growing their own food and other economic activities. This was prohibited because it interfered with Spanish imports. On the 16th of September 1810, at mass, he gave a speech known as the Shout of Dolores where he asked the people to rebel against the government.