Final answer:
The statement is true; Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla initiated the Mexican War of Independence with his speech, the Grito de Dolores, in 1810.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is true. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest, indeed started Mexico's War of Independence from Spain by delivering a famous sermon known as the Grito de Dolores, or the Cry of Dolores, on September 16, 1810. This sermon was a call to arms against the Spanish colonial rule and was motivated by a desire for social and political reform, including the abolition of slavery, the redistribution of land, and improved conditions for the poor. The Grito de Dolores is remembered as the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence and is celebrated annually as Mexico's Independence Day.
Despite his ultimate defeat, imprisonment, and execution, Hidalgo's initial uprising mobilized the indigenous and mestizo populations and led to continued efforts for independence by others, such as José María Morelos. Hidalgo is recognized as the father of Mexican independence and remains a national hero to this day.