The municipality is located east of the state capital in the Middle Zone, and it has the following coordinates: 99 ° 39 'W and 22 ° 00' north, with a height of 1.200 m above sea level.

It is bordered to the north by Alaquines, to the east by Tamasopo, to the south by Rayon, and to the west by Río Verde, and it is 200 km away from the city of San Luis Potosí.

The population grew, the Rasconcito and Colonia Americana neighbourhoods were founded, and the economy was stimulated as a result of the influx of many families who came from Alaquines, Rayón, Lagunillas and other more distant locations.

By the beginning of the year 1911, Cárdenas experienced one of the first revolutionary outbreaks led by Higinio Olivo, a native of La Labor and Juan Torres Pérez, who took up arms in El Corito.

In 1912 brothers Cedillo, Magdaleno, Saturnino, and Cleofas and began a series of violent acts in open rebellion against President Francisco I. Madero.

The square was defended by a garrison commanded by Colonel Fidel Garza and the first captains Ramón Hernández and Margarito Negrete when he was violently attacked by Cedillista forces.

According to the Integrated System and Geographic Information Statistics INEGI, 2000, the total area of the municipality is 384.26 km2 and accounts for 0.63% of the state territory.