om this era of the city�s history include the Plaza de Armas, The Casa de Ecala, the Casa de los Septi�n, the Cassa de los Samaniego, the Casa de los Fern�ndez de J�uregui, the Palacio de la Corregidur�a de Legres de Quer�taro as well as the Congregaci�n and San Antonio churches. However, the most important structure from the time is the Aqueduct. Much of the evangelization efforts in the Sierra Gorda area was done by Jun�pero Serra. These efforts left behind a number of missions which exist to this day in Jalpan de Serra, Tancoyol, Conc�, Tilaco and Landa de Matamoros.
This development made the city wealthy for the rest of the colonial period. Quer�taro reached its height of the colonial period during the 18th century due to its strategic position with the northern territories and because of its livestock production. There was also a significant textile industry for local and regional markets. Quer�taro was the first major producer of wool cloth in New Spain. At the end of the century, The Real Fabrica de Tabaco (Royal Tobacco Factory) was established, the second most important of its type in New Spain. There was also some mineral production, especially silver in an area called El Doctor.
The city of Quer�taro was strategic in the development of events just before the start of the Mexican War of Independence. It was the site of the conspiracy among Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Ignacio Allende, Josefa Ortiz de Dom�nguez and her husband the Corregidor of Quer�taro Miguel Dom�nguez. The plot was uncovered when another conspirator, Epigmenio Gonz�lez was caught with a stockpile of weapons to start the war. Ortiz de Dominguez sent word to Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in Dolores, Guanajuato that the plot was discovered. At that point, Hidalgo decided to begin the revolt against colonial rule in on 15 September, rather than in December as planned. Gonzalez was imprisoned in the Philippines from 1810 to 1838 for his role. The Corregidor and his wife were caught
