The holiday, El Cinco de Mayo, the 5 of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at the Battle of Puebla. WHY? ¿POR QUÉ?

The holiday, El Cinco de Mayo, the 5 of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at the Battle of Puebla.

WHY?

¿POR QUÉ?

What happened with the French?

¿Qué pasó con los franceses?

• Mexico owed France, Spain and England a lot of money.

• France wanted to add to its empire and used the debt issue to try and take over Mexico without the support of Spain and England.

• When Mexico stopped making loan payments, France tried installing Archduke Maximilian of Austria as ruler.

Presidente Benito Juárez

commandedGeneral Ignacio Zaragoza

to block the advance of the French Army

The poorly armed Mexican militia of 4,500 men were able to stop and defeat the well outfitted French army of 7,000 soldiers.

The Mexicans won the battle at Puebla, but not the war.

The President of France, Napoleon III, sent 30,000 troops to invade Mexico again.

The French took Mexico City over and installed Maximilian as the ruler of Mexico.

The U.S then provided political and military assistance to Mexico.

The French were expelled and Maximilian was executed

Despite the French invasion of Mexico City,

honors the bravery and victory of General Zaragoza’s small, outnumbered army at the Battle of Puebla.

• El Cinco de Mayo is a holiday celebrated in the U.S. by Mexican-Americans, mostly in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

• The holiday is recognized throughout Mexico, but it’s nothing like the celebration found in Puebla.

WORKS CITED

1)http://www.mexonline.com/cinco.htm

2)http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/spa5may.htm

3)http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm

Susan Ging Lent Production