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The History of Cinco de Mayo and How It’s Celebrated
There is more to this celebration of Mexican heritage than beer, mariachi bands and wild parties.
By Ilaria Parogni
More than being an excuse to treat oneself to nachos , tacos , mezcal and margaritas , Cinco de Mayo has a history that runs deep and continues to serve as a vehicle conveying Mexican culture, pride and values.
Here are a few things to know about the day:
What’s the significance of Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s unexpected victory over France in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The conflict between the two countries had begun in 1861, after Benito Juárez, then the president of Mexico, suspended the nation’s foreign debt payments, and Napoleon III responded by sending French troops to invade.
The victory in Puebla galvanized the Mexican forces but turned out to be short-lived, and France later occupied the country, installing Maximilian I as emperor. Not until 1867 did the new Mexican Republic finally expel the French, execute Maximilian I and regain control of the country.
When and where is Cinco de Mayo celebrated?
Cinco de Mayo literally means “May 5” in Spanish, which is when this celebration of Mexican heritage falls each year. The day, mostly commemorated by Mexican Americans north of the U.S. border, is also celebrated in Puebla, the town and region southeast of Mexico City , where the holiday originated.
Is Cinco de Mayo Mexico’s Independence Day?
No. Cinco de Mayo is often mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day in the United States, but Mexican independence is actually celebrated on Sept. 16. On that day, in 1810, a priest named Miguel Hidalgo called upon the Mexican people to revolt against the rule of Spain, eventually leading to the War for Independence, which ended in 1821.
How did the holiday come to be celebrated in the United States?
Jessica Lavariega Monforti, the vice provost at California State University, Channel Islands, said that Cinco de Mayo had been celebrated in California every year since its inception in 1863. In that first year, Mexicans and Americans in the state came together to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla and use it to raise money and recruit men to aid those still fighting under the leadership of Juárez against the French.
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The real history of cinco de mayo.
The first frozen margarita machine in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Cinco de Mayo isn’t the same as Mexico’s Independence Day. (That’s Sept. 16.) The holiday celebrates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862.
A year prior, Mexican President Benito Juarez suspended payment of all foreign debts. In response, France invaded Mexico. Mexican soldiers were outnumbered two to one by the better-equipped French army, but in the town of Puebla, the Mexican force prevailed. The victory boosted the Mexican army’s morale and national pride.
The French went on to capture Mexico City and install Emperor Maximillian I as the ruler. In 1866, with political and military assistance from the U.S., the Mexican army expelled the French and captured and executed Maximilian I.
Juarez reassumed the presidency and declared that May 5, the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, would be a national holiday.
The first Cinco de Mayo celebrations didn’t include margaritas—those weren’t invented until the 1940s. And consistently frosty beverages wouldn’t come until the invention of the frozen margarita machine .
Frozen margaritas, blended with ice, became popular in the 1950s, and by the 1970s, the margarita surpassed the martini as the most popular American cocktail.
At Mariano's Mexican Cuisine, a Dallas restaurant, the blenders couldn’t keep up. In 1971, inspired by the 7-Eleven Slurpee machine, owner Mariano Martinez and his friend Frank Adams adapted a soft-serve ice-cream machine to make margarita “slush.” After 34 years of service, the first one was retired to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History .
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What is Cinco de Mayo? The holiday's origin and why it's celebrated in Mexico, US
Cinco de mayo has long been misunderstood by many americans, partly because it's easy to say and american classrooms often include little celebrating the history of people of color..
Cinco de Mayo marks Mexico's against-all-odds victory against invading French troops in 1862.
But to some Americans, it's simply Cinco de Drinko, an excuse to party with little to no understanding of what the Mexican holiday celebrates. Many who think they know what Cinco de Mayo is about wrongly assume it's Mexico's Independence Day. (It's not.)
"Everyone thinks that it's just party time, it's Corona time," said Mario García, a Chicanx historian from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
"It's OK for people to go out and have a good time on a holiday like Cinco de Mayo -- at least they have some sense that it's some kind of a Mexican holiday," García said. "But we should go beyond that. We should have Cinco de Mayo events that go beyond partying and drinking, where we call attention to what the history is."
So what does Cinco de Mayo celebrate?
Mexican Independence Day, or Día de la Independencia, came on Sept. 16, 1810, when the country broke free of Spanish rule.
Cinco de Mayo came more than 50 years later when French Emperor Napoleon III wanted to claim Mexico for himself.
The French sent troops to force Mexico's President Benito Juárez and the government out of Veracruz. On May 5, 1862, in a small town in east-central Mexico called Puebla, 2,000 Mexican soldiers faced 6,000 French troops at daybreak. Incredibly, Mexico claimed victory by the evening, and Juárez declared May 5 a national holiday.
The battle also played a role in the American Civil War. With the French defeated and leaving North America, the Confederacy wasn't able to use them as an ally to win the war.
So why are so many Americans still confused?
Part of the confusion among many Americans about what Cinco de Mayo celebrates is likely because it's much catchier-sounding and easier for English speakers to say than the day of Mexico's independence (Diez y seis de Septiembre), García said.
But also a huge problem is that not enough American classrooms teach the importance of Chicanx history and its people's contributions to the U.S.
"When you study the history of Chicanos and Latinos, of course, they've been history makers," García said. "They've been involved in all aspects of American history, not to mention the wars ... In World War II alone, almost half a million Latinos – mostly Mexican Americans – fought in the war. And they won a disproportionate number of congressional Medals of Honor."
Why is Cinco de Mayo more popular in the U.S. than Mexico?
While there are Cinco De Mayo celebrations throughout Mexico, notably in the city of Puebla, the event doesn't compare to the celebrations of Día de la Independencia, García said.
Meanwhile in the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has become an annual celebration of Mexican American culture.
The celebration of Cinco de Mayo began as a form of resistance to the effects of the Mexican-American War in the late 19th century. The holiday gained popularity during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
"It becomes a Chicano holiday, in many ways, linked to the Chicano movement, because we discover Mexicans resisting a foreign invader," García said. "They link the struggle of the Chicano movement to Cinco de Mayo."
By the 1980s, companies began commercializing the holiday, especially by beer companies and restaurants that will offer Cinco de Mayo specials and cocktails. García jokingly refers to the day as "Corona Day."
This Cinco de Mayo, García hopes everyone enjoys their Coronas, but perhaps with a little history lesson to wash it down.
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Jordan Mendoza and Maria Jimenez Moya contributed to this report.
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The victorious origins of Cinco de Mayo
Behind modern Cinco de Mayo celebrations is the 1862 Battle of Puebla, a Mexican triumph over French colonial forces.
Parades, brightly colored dresses, sizzling street food, festive music, and laughter fills the streets every May 5, a date circled in revolutionary red on any Mexican calendar. On May 5, 1862, a ragtag Mexican army defeated the better-equipped hosts of the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla. The battle itself did not decide the war—the French returned to capture Puebla and Mexico City in 1863. France controlled Mexico until 1867, when Mexican troops overthrew their government and returned to being an independent republic.
Over time, the Battle of Puebla grew in national significance. The victory strengthened the morale of a very young Mexico and became the rallying cry of resistance to foreign domination. In commemoration of this day, Cinco de Mayo began as a celebration of the French defeat, but the holiday has grown and changed with time. For Mexicans in Puebla, as well as Mexican-Americans in the United States, it has become a complex symbol of Mexican culture, resilience, and character.
A popular part of Mexican Cinco de Mayo celebrations is a reenactment of the Battle of Puebla. In Mexico City, residents dressed as Zacapoaxtla Indians and French soldiers re-create the Mexican victory.
Fractured Foundations
To understand the Battle of Puebla, it is necessary to understand the roots of Mexico itself, going back to the 16th century. After Spain defeated the Aztec Empire in 1521, a new, blended society arose in Mexico, bringing together several different cultures. Finding a balance between its pre-Hispanic roots and new European identity proved challenging.
For three centuries after Cortés’s invasion, España Nueva (New Spain) was the most important overseas province of the Spanish Empire. It was ruled by a viceroyalty made up of many indigenous aristocratic families who had sought an alliance with the Spanish in order to defeat the Aztec Empire. Even so, resentment and tensions between Mexican natives, the Spanish, and the criollos —those of European origin who had been born in America—continued to grow, creating a shaky basis for the colony.
In 1808 Spain was invaded by the Napoleonic armies, which weakened Spanish control of New Spain. Many of the colonists wanted independence, and like many other colonies in the New World, they seized their moment and rebelled. On September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest and political leader in the central Mexican town of Dolores, exhorted Mexicans to rise up in a fiery speech delivered from his pulpit—the “Cry of Dolores.” War followed, ending with Mexico’s defeat of Spain in 1821. Hidalgo became the father of his country, and September 16 is celebrated as Mexico’s Independence Day.
Path to Puebla
In January 1862 European forces disembarked at Veracruz. Despite the diplomatic triumph at La Soledad, after which Spanish and British troops decided to withdraw, French forces seemed poised to march on Mexico City. On March 6, with Mexican commander Ignacio Zaragoza already facing a vastly superior foe, disaster struck. A huge arms dump on the outskirts of San Andrés Chalchicomula was accidently detonated, killing hundreds of soldiers and civilians and depleting Zaragoza’s reserves of munitions. Meanwhile, General Lorencez, the French commander, advanced across the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains at the Cumbres de Acultzingo, was met by General Zaragoza on April 28, who, despite admirable resistance, was forced to retreat under the intensity of the French attack. The French swept relentlessly on, aiming for the interior. The next major obstacle was Puebla, which they reached on May 5.
Even though the colonists had been united in a desire to be free, Mexicans were divided over the direction of their new nation. For the next 40 years, internal tensions wracked the country. Liberals, conservatives, and centralists all clashed as they sought to define Mexico’s future.
Internal upheaval and economic fragility were compounded by war with the United States in the 1840s. Disputes over control of Texas drew Mexico into a two-year conflict with its northern neighbor in 1846. In a humiliating surrender, Mexico ceded to the United States its claims to Texas, Utah, Nevada, and California, along with swaths of what are now Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Wyoming in 1848.
Reeling from the defeat, political tensions increased. The liberal faction favored the separation of church and state and freedom of religion, while the conservatives wanted to maintain ties between Mexico’s government and the Catholic Church. Another internal conflict ensued, later known as the Reform War, which ended in 1860 with a liberal victory. The next year, Benito Juárez became president. Born to Mesoamerican parents, Juárez would soon become a crucial player in the Cinco de Mayo story.
Following the liberal resumption of power, disaffected conservatives approached France’s Napoleon III to intervene. The French ruler was only too keen to move into the space left by the crumbling Spanish Empire, as well as provide a check on the expansion of the United States. Napoleon III also had a perfect excuse to invade: an 80-million-peso debt Mexico owed to European nations, including France.
The Square of the Three Cultures in Mexico City embodies the many different ethnicities that shaped the nation. It is dominated by the Church of Santiago de Tlatelolco (right), built in the 16th century over the still visible ruins of Aztec-era temples. Nearby, a plaque describes the toppling of the Aztec Empire by Spain in 1521: “Neither a victory nor a defeat, but the painful moment of birth of the Mexico of today, a race of Mestizos."
To War Again
The Mexican-American War and the Reform War devastated Mexico’s economy. The nation had taken loans from the United Kingdom, Spain, and France to finance these war efforts, but now Mexico was hard-pressed to pay them back. In the summer of 1861, in an attempt to stabilize Mexico’s war-torn finances, Juárez announced that payment would stop for two years. In a short-lived alliance, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France sent a joint military expedition to force Mexico to honor the debt. By January 1862, 6,000 Spanish soldiers, 3,000 French troops, and 700 British soldiers disembarked in the Mexican port of Veracruz.
Before the forces moved toward Mexico City, the country’s capital, Juárez sent an ambassador to negotiate with the European powers. A meeting was organized in a hacienda near Veracruz named La Soledad on February 19, 1862. There, the Mexican foreign minister, Manuel Doblado, met with the British and the Spanish representatives, who eventually agreed to the Mexican requests to defer payment of the debt. The parties agreed not to advance out of agreed zones near Veracruz while negotiation of the debt was being resolved. The French, however, had their own agenda. Days after talks began at La Soledad, more French troops disembarked, commanded by French general Charles Ferdinand Latrille, Comte de Lorencez.
French intentions were now evident to all, and clearly had little to do with a default on a loan. Napoleon III wanted to topple the Juárez government to access Mexico’s resources and, in particular, to take advantage of the instability in the United States, then embroiled in its own civil war and unable to stop a French advance.
Heroes and Villains
A Tale of Two Armies
Juárez acted quickly and created a new battalion known as the Army of the East, commanded by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza. The president ordered the fortification of the city of Puebla, anticipating a French march on Mexico City. As predicted, the French troops were advancing on Puebla by late April 1862—on the way to the coveted capital.
The differences between the two armies were glaring. The French army regarded itself as the best in the world, having remained undefeated since the Battle of Waterloo, nearly half a century before. The well-dressed French soldiers were also well armed with pistols, carbines, bayonets, and cannons, and had the invaluable support of the Zouaves, elite French military troops feared all over Europe for their ferocity, The Mexican side, meanwhile, was hampered by lack of combat experience. The few weapons they had were old, and their troops were underfed. To make matters worse, the country was polarized, with the conservative faction preferring a foreign intervention to being an independent republic.
A Zouave soldier is depicted fighting in the Crimean War (1853-56) in an illustration from 1858. Brave, disciplined, and experts in close combat, the Zouaves were regarded as ideal for Napoleon III’s plan to invade Mexico. Men from the Zwawa tribe from Algeria first formed this elite group in the 1830s, but over time its ranks grew to include men of European descent. They fought successfully in the Crimean War (1853-56)—in which General Lorencez also fought. Their role in the Battle of Puebla was exemplary. They spearheaded the French attack, yet though they fought fiercely against the defenders, their commander’s errors cost them the battle.
A great deal, therefore, was at stake, and, at first, the Mexicans looked doomed. On April 28, the Sixth Battalion of the National Guard of the State of Puebla, formed by 4,000 precariously armed Mexicans, had their first encounter against superior French troops at the Cumbres de Acultzingo. After his resounding victory there, General Lorencez boasted: “We are so superior to the Mexicans in organization, race . . . and refinement of manners, that I am pleased to announce to His Imperial Majesty, Napoleon III, that from this moment on, as the leader of my 6,000 brave soldiers, I can consider myself the owner of Mexico.”
On the night of May 3, General Zaragoza arrived in Puebla. Sources vary on the exact number of men under his command, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 men. Because he was outnumbered and outgunned, it was crucial that Zaragoza formulate a strong defense to hold the city. Puebla was surrounded by several stone forts, most notably Loreto and Guadalupe, which both stood atop a hill on the northern side of the city. The soldiers fortified Puebla by digging trenches, building breastworks, and repairing the forts as best they could.
Zaragoza then placed his men in strategic points throughout Puebla. Roughly a thousand would defend the northern side and its forts, with the remaining troops kept in reserve to counterattack any direct assault. The plan was set, and now all Zaragoza and his men had to do was wait for the French to arrive.
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Bells of puebla.
Just after 9 a.m. on May 5, the Mexican forces spotted the French enemy on the horizon. Zaragoza and his men sat tight, while Lorencez began his attack. The French plan was to bomb the forts first in order to weaken the enemy’s defences and then charge in an all-out assault.
The plan may have seemed sound on paper, but in practice it failed to make much impact. The French began shelling Fort Guadalupe at 11:45 a.m., but the old stone walls held true. Discouraged, Lorencez moved his artillery closer, but the angle of the new position made targeting more difficult. By midday more than half their ammunition was gone, with little impact on the forts. It was time to change tactics.
A 19th-century engraving of Puebla shows the locations of the Loreto and Guadalupe forts.
Lorencez ordered his soldiers to attack. The brilliant defenses set up by Zaragoza kept the French at bay. As the soldiers advanced, Mexican guns in the forts fired on them from above. On the ground the ragtag fighters held true, some armed only with machetes and metal-tipped wooden spears. Three times, Lorencez sent in waves of his soldiers, and three times they were turned back. Around 2 p.m. a hard rain began to fall, soaking the battlefield. It was as if Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain, was displaying his fury against the French soldiers.
With the ground made slick by rain and mounting casualties, Lorencez was forced to retreat. Zaragoza and his men had won the day. The bells of Puebla rang out, and that night the victorious Mexican forces celebrated by singing “La Marseillaise,” the song of the French revolution (and now France’s national anthem), which was banned at the time by Napoleon III.
There is no denying that the Mexicans fought with courage, but it is equally obvious that Lorencez made costly mistakes, a point made by Zaragoza in the telegram he sent to Juárez immediately after the battle: “The French troops showed their valor in combat and their leader his arrogance, foolishness, and clumsiness.”
Lorencez made two major misjudgments: First, he concentrated his attack on the city’s well-defended forts, instead of making for the city, which was more vulnerable. The other miscalculation was to position his cannons over a mile from the fortifications, much too far away for the projectiles to strike with full force. When Napoleon III heard of his incompetence, he immediately relieved him of his command.
A 19th-century engraving by Frederick Catherwood shows Veracruz where European forces disembarked.
Dispatches from the Front
While the battle raged in Puebla, in Mexico City the Juárez government waited desperately for news. Zaragoza’s silence made the president fear the annihilation of his forces. But just after 4 p.m. Zaragoza sent a laconic telegram informing that “the enemy has showered us with grenades. Their columns attacking the Loreto and Guadalupe hills have been repelled and we were probably attacked by four thousand men. All their push was towards the hill. Then their columns retreated and our forces advanced towards them. A heavy storm then started.”
He said nothing, however, of the final result. Zaragoza’s next telegram, arriving just before 6 p.m., clarified the outcome. Just before 8 p.m. Juárez received the best possible news: “Mr. President. I am very happy with the behavior of my generals and soldiers. They have all performed well . . . Let this be for good, Mr. President. I wish that our dear homeland, now so despondent, is one day happy and respected by all Nations.”
The joy was, however, short-lived, and only delayed the inevitable. The Mexicans had tasted victory in this battle, but the French took Puebla two years later, and Juárez’s government was defeated. With the support of Mexico’s conservatives, Napoleon III imposed the Austrian-Habsburg Maximilian as Mexico’s puppet king. Only in 1867, after the United States funded the anti-Maximilian resistance, was Juárez restored as president, and Maximilian executed.
Death of an Emperor
Édouard Manet’s “Execution of Emperor Maximilian” (Kunsthalle Mannheim, Germany) is an unsettling, ambiguous depiction of the violent conclusion of French interference in Mexico in 1867. There is pity for the condemned man, and perhaps criticism for the manner in which Napoleon III had sacrificed this puppet king to his ignominious death. In any case, with this execution, European colonial activity in Mexico—which had begun in 1519—was now at an end.
Victory Celebration
Ignacio Zaragoza would never live to see the French expelled from Mexico. At only age 33, he died of typhus four months after the famous victory. To honor his memory, Juárez decided to join his name to the city that had brought him fame, renaming it Puebla de Zaragoza. In June 1867, after returning to power, Juárez also commemorated the battle itself by declaring May 5 a national holiday.
Since then, Mexican celebrations of Cinco de Mayo have traditionally been held in Puebla. Visitors flock to the city in May for parades and a reenactment of the famous battle. In the United States holiday observances have grown larger and more widespread. From Los Angeles to New York City, Mexican-American communities celebrate not only a military victory but also a proud Mexican heritage with parades, colorful dancers, traditional music, and delicious food.
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The Roots of Cinco de Mayo: The Battle of Puebla
May 5, 2022
Posted by: Neely Tucker
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This is a guest post by Maria Peña, a public relations strategist in the Library’s Office of Communications.
A batch of 36 Mexican letters recently acquired by the Library not only offers a vivid description of the last months of the Second French Intervention in Mexico, including the Battle of Puebla (Cinco de Mayo) in 1862, but also the complex alliances of global powers jousting for influence in the Americas against the backdrop of the U.S. Civil War.
The letters, obtained from a rare books dealer, offer a reminder that Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration of Mexican independence, as is often assumed in the U.S., but rather an unexpected victory over French invaders that also helped sound a death knell for the Confederates in the Civil War.
“The United States was divided in civil war at the same time, with concurrent definitive battles in Arizona and New Mexico — all part of the area ceded to the United States by Mexico just 14 years earlier,” said Suzanne Schadl, head of the Latin American, Caribbean and European Division. “These letters offer researchers an opportunity to examine another piece of a complex puzzle during the mid-1800s in North America.”
The new collection of letters by Mexican historical figures, still to be digitized, includes descriptions of complex military planning, weapon inventory and movement, and even how to deal with deserters.
Cinco de Mayo has its roots in an 1861 decision by Mexican President Benito Juárez . Facing a nation in financial ruin after two years of civil war, he suspended payment of foreign debts to the United Kingdom, Spain and France. All three nations sent warships to Mexico to seize payment, landing in Veracruz, on the Gulf Coast. The first two soon cut deals for repayment and withdrew. The French, led by Emperor Napoleon III , had more on their minds, planning to conquer the nation and establish a pro-French monarchy to rule it.
An elite French military force headed for Mexico City was stopped on May 5, 1862, at Puebla, a city about 80 miles southeast of the capital city. The Mexican forces were led by Texas-born general Ignacio Zaragoza . Working with a ragtag army, he defeated the superior French forces. The French withdrew and were forced to await reinforcements, which took nearly a year. The victory only delayed the eventual French victory (that government lasted until 1867, when it was overthrown) but it was a significant morale boost for a beleaguered nation.
One of these letters from the Library’s recent acquisition was written by President Juárez while Puebla was still under Mexican control. He fired off a letter on March 18, 1863, to his minister of war, Col. Miguel Blanco, asking that a local leader, Feliciano Chavarría, be named political and military chief.
The letter — brief, handwritten — is now fragile and yellowed with age. In it, Juárez orders Blanco to take care of the issue because “what is convenient is that this matter be dealt with briefly,” according to a Spanish-language transcription. It’s the only one penned by Juárez in the collection.
But in the United States, the victory at Puebla played an important role by delaying French rule in Mexico. France had not recognized the Confederacy — no nation ever did — but was considering it. According to Clark Crook-Castan, a historian, former U.S. diplomat and vice president of the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, the victory at Puebla delayed French consideration of a plan that might have helped the Confederates.
“The French hoped to circumvent the Union naval blockade by shipping long-range artillery overland to Texas and on to the Confederate armies in the east,” he said.
By the time the French gained control of the Mexican border with Texas in the summer of 1863, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had already won the Battle of Vicksburg, cutting off the Confederates’ access to weapons from the west.
The subsequent Cinco de Mayo celebrations in California and elsewhere in the Southwest were fitting because California Latinos were strong Union supporters and had helped finance Juarez’s army.
Some of the earliest American celebrations of Cinco de Mayo date back to 1866, when the Mexican Patriotic Club in Virginia City, Nevada, held a party with “grand success,” according to the Gold Hill Daily News . As the Mexican flag waved on the club’s flagstaff, the party stretched into the afternoon with celebratory gunfire, a live music band “and a good social time.”
In 1867, leaders from Mexico and the Mexican American community celebrated Cinco de Mayo at a fancy hall in California, where political speeches in English and Spanish filled the air, while “tastefully attired” ladies, mostly young and “slowing with ardent sentiment,” made up a third of the audience, according to the Daily Alta California .
In 1870, a wire-service roundup of news from San Francisco published a one line item: “The Mexicans are celebrating the anniversary of the defeat of the French at Puebla, by salutes, to-day.”
Other articles in the Library’s Chronicling America, an online directory of American newspapers published between 1836 and 1922 , detail celebrations over the ensuing decades in places like San Francisco , Santa Fe, New Mexico, and San Antonio, Texas.
A 1936 celebration on both sides of the Arizona-Mexico border made front page news in the Nogales International, while another Arizona newpaper, El Sol, published a lengthy profiles of Zaragoza in 1942, calling him a “hero” and highlighting his Texas roots.
So as you gather with friends for the 160th anniversary of Cinco de Mayo, you might have to remind some that is is not Mexican Independence Day (that’s Sept. 16). But now, as you sip a beer and munch tortilla chips dipped in guacamole, you can share a story about how, as Crook-Castan, the retired American diplomat puts it, the French defeat at Puebla had a profound impact on the Civil War and “it may well have saved the Union.”
Comments (8)
This is a side note, but Chronicling America has newspapers from 1777-1963.
When were these new documents uncluding the Benito Juarez letter acquired?
A research librarian can answer that and you can reach one, just the same as if you walked up to the reference desk, at our Ask a Librarian service: https://ask.loc.gov/
All best, Neely
I find it hilarious that the Russian and Mexican have had such a helping hand in American history and now they are disparaged and demonized by many.
America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests! – Henry Kissenger
Wow I did not know that the Cinco de Mayo has its roots in an 1861 decision by Mexican President Benito Juárez.
How can I learn more about accessing online information about 1861 newspapers in New Mexico?
Try our Chronicling America resource, or ask a reference librarian for help at ask.loc.gov.
Hope that helps, Neely
If the letters include “descriptions of complex military planning, weapon inventory and movement” should we still be referring to the Puebla fighters as “ragtag”?
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Continuing Coverage
Cinco de Mayo 2024: History, meaning and why we celebrate it
On cinco de mayo, take some time to learn about the history and meaning of this day of remembrance — and how and where it’s celebrated now, by nbc staff • published may 3, 2024.
Sunday marks the 162nd anniversary of Cinco de Mayo. While it's a relatively minor holiday in Mexico , the annual fiesta is an excuse in the United States to indulge in margaritas, cervezas (beer), guacamole and tacos.
But what exactly does Cinco de Mayo celebrate? Brush up on its rich history and modern traditions below.
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Is Cinco de Mayo the same as Mexican Independence Day?
Many people tend to confuse Cinco de Mayo with “Día de la Independencia,” or Mexico’s Independence Day. That holiday, also known as “El Grito de la Independencia,” is actually observed on Sept. 16, when Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain.
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Why Is Cinco de Mayo celebrated?
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration but a day of remembrance, commemorating Mexico’s victory over the French during the 1862 Battle of Puebla. An outnumbered Mexican army — led by Ignacio Zaragoza, a 33-year-old Texan from Goliad — defeated the invading French forces at the small town of Puebla de Los Angeles during the Franco-Mexico War.
The retreat of the French troops represented a great victory for the people of Mexico, symbolizing the country’s ability to defend its sovereignty against a powerful foreign nation.
What is the history behind Cinco de Mayo?
The first American Cinco de Mayo celebrations date back to the 1860s, when Mexicans living in California commemorated the victory over France in Puebla. At that time, the United States was embroiled in a Civil War. News of the underdog Mexican army beating back Napoleon III’s forces gave new strength to California’s Latinos, who sought to stop the advances of the Confederate army.
"For Mexicans in the U.S., the Civil War and the French invasion of Mexico were like one war with two fronts. They were concerned about France, which sided with the Confederacy, being on America's doorstep,” David Hayes-Bautista, professor of medicine and director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the University of California Los Angeles, told NBC News .
The tradition of celebrating Cinco de Mayo has continued in Los Angeles without interruption since 1862, according to Hayes-Bautista, although the original reason and the history have gotten lost.
Mexican Independence Day is September 16 — NOT May 5!
14 Margarita Recipes to Celebrate National Margarita Day
Why did cinco de mayo become popular in the us.
About a century later, Chicano activists rediscovered the holiday and embraced it as a symbol of ethnic pride. But the party-filled Cinco de Mayo that Americans celebrate today didn’t become popular until U.S. beer companies began targeting the Spanish-speaking population in the 1970s and 1980s, Jose Alamillo, a California professor of Chicano studies, told Time.com .
Today, Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. is primarily a celebration of Mexican-American culture, with the largest event in Los Angeles.
What are some authentic Cinco de Mayo recipes?
If you want to do Cinco de Mayo right, put down the taco, por favor . Contrary to popular belief, you won’t find ground beef tacos, nachos and frozen margaritas in Mexico on Cinco de Mayo. The traditional dish eaten in the town of Puebla on their big holiday is mole poblano, according to the Smithsonian.
Invented in the late 17th century, mole is a thick sauce made with chocolate, chiles, nuts and other spices. Traditionally, the sauce covers succulent chicken or turkey.
While mole recipes differ from family to family and by state in Mexico, they all have one thing in common: mole represents the heart of Mexican culture because it’s served on the most special of occasions, including weddings, baby showers and holidays.
To make this classic Mexican sauce, try this TODAY recipe from Lourdes Juarez.
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7 Things You May Not Know About Cinco de Mayo
By: Jesse Greenspan
Updated: May 3, 2024 | Original: May 3, 2012
Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates Mexico's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It does not, as many people assume, commemorate Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla. Read on to learn more about Cinco de Mayo and how the holiday has become a worldwide phenomenon.
1. Mexico had just gotten over a civil war in 1862.
The so-called War of the Reform broke out in 1858 soon after liberals drafted a new constitution aimed at reducing the power and influence of the Catholic Church. During the armed conflict, Mexico had two governments: a conservative one in Mexico City led by General Félix Zuloaga and a liberal one in Veracruz led by Benito Juárez , president of the supreme court. The conservatives, who had the support of the pope, won a series of initial skirmishes, but the liberals controlled the ports and were therefore better able to equip their troops. They emerged victorious in January 1861 when they retook Mexico City. The country remained starkly divided, however, with conservatives plotting their revenge.
2. European troops invaded because Mexico was broke.
After the War of Reform, Mexico had virtually no money in its treasury and owed tens of millions of dollars to foreign debtors. The sale of expropriated church property brought very little relief. As a result, newly elected President Juárez suspended payment of all foreign debt for two years, a move that prompted an immediate backlash from Spain, France and Great Britain. With the United States too consumed by the Civil War to enforce the Monroe Doctrine , troops from those three European powers began arriving in Veracruz in late 1861. Spain and Great Britain almost immediately withdrew, but about 6,000 French troops pushed inland toward the capital, backed by Mexico’s vanquished conservative leaders.
3. France was considered extremely potent militarily when it attacked Mexico.
In 1862, the French had one of the best armies in the world. Arriving at Puebla on May 4, they were coming off a series of victories in Southeast Asia and Northern Africa and were loaded with firepower, including long-range rifles that put the Mexicans’ creaky muskets to shame. They were so overconfident, in fact, that they didn’t even bother to properly prepare their artillery. On the morning of May 5 , the French tried to intimidate the Mexicans with screeching bugle calls and advanced bayonet maneuvers. But after a full day of fighting, including three unsuccessful uphill charges, they were forced to retreat due to heavy casualties.
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4. After losing the Battle of Puebla, France went on to win the war.
Mexico’s victory at Puebla slowed, but did not stop, France’s assault. In the wake of the battle, an infuriated Emperor Napoleon III ordered that almost 30,000 more troops be sent to Mexico. This time around, under a new commander, they were able to overrun Puebla and easily conquer Mexico City. Juárez and his supporters then fled to the mountains to conduct guerilla operations while Napoleon III installed Ferdinand Maximilian von Habsburg, second in line to the Austro-Hungarian throne, as Mexico’s ruler.
5. The French occupation of Mexico was short-lived.
Back in France, Napoleon III was growing increasingly concerned that Prussia, fresh off victories against Denmark and Austria, would next try to reclaim the perpetually disputed territories of Alsace and Lorraine. Meanwhile, the Civil War had wrapped up, and U.S. officials were exerting diplomatic pressure on the French and supplying weapons to Juárez’s army. With his coffers running low, Napoleon III decided in 1866 to end France’s occupation of Mexico. Maximilian unwisely stayed and briefly fought on, surrendering only after his troops were routed at Querétaro. On June 19, 1867, he and his top generals were executed by a firing squad.
6. Porfirio Díaz began making a name for himself at Puebla.
Porfirio Díaz, Mexico’s longest-serving president, was a relatively unknown cavalry commander until the Battle of Puebla, where he outflanked the French on their third charge and sent them into a disorderly retreat. Over the next few years he won battles at Oaxaca and elsewhere. Following the war, however, Díaz became so disillusioned with his onetime friend Juárez that he unsuccessfully ran for president against him. He later launched a couple of coup attempts, finally seizing power in 1876. Except for one four-year break, his reign lasted until 1911, when he was finally deposed by the Mexican Revolution.
7. Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in parts of the United States than in Mexico.
Juárez declared Cinco de Mayo a holiday immediately after the Battle of Puebla, but for many Mexicans it has always taken a backseat to such events as the September 16 Independence Day, which commemorates the start of hostilities against Spanish rule in 1810. In the United States, on the other hand, Cinco de Mayo gained traction during the 1960s, when Chicano activists began looking for a way to honor their history and culture. Today, the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebrations are held in U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations, such as Los Angeles, which every year attracts hundreds of thousands of people to its Fiesta Broadway festival.
The Mexican Revolution
The first great revolution of the 20th century began as a revolt against a dictator and ended in civil war, consuming hundreds of thousands of lives as Mexico struggled to live up to its ideals of land and liberty.
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The History of Cinco de Mayo
from the May 5, 2021 Bulletin
art and culture Mexico-US history Chicanos/Mexicanos
| — the Chicano Moratorium — brought 30,000 people onto the streets for a peaceful march met with teargas, clubs, and bullets. For activists in those years, Cinco de Mayo México Solidarity Bulletin to put those times and the in context. |
 Battle of PueblaOur editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
 Battle of Puebla , (May 5, 1862), battle fought at Puebla , Mexico, between the army of the liberal government headed by Benito Juárez and the French forces sent by Napoleon III to establish a French satellite state in Mexico . The battle, which ended in a Mexican victory, is celebrated in the national calendar of Mexican holidays as Cinco de Mayo (5th of May).  The route taken by the French toward the capital was blocked by the fortified city of Puebla. Incautiously the French general Charles Latrille Laurencez ordered a frontal assault up the steep Cerro de Guadalupe against the Mexican position, which was fortified by a ditch and a brick wall. The Mexicans under General Ignacio Zaragoza repulsed the attackers, who lost about 1,000 men and then retreated to the coast. Credit for the Mexican victory is shared by a young officer (and future president), Brigadier General Porfirio Díaz , who succeeded in turning back a flank of the invading French army.  The following March, the French general Élie-Frédéric Forey, with reinforcements from France , laid siege to Puebla. Its approximately 30,000 defenders, commanded by Gonzáles Ortega, after having used up all ammunition and food, surrendered; most were sent to France as prisoners. On April 2, 1867, Díaz retook the city, ending the French occupation. The Cinco de Mayo holiday symbolizes Mexico’s determination to thwart foreign aggression. Cinco de Mayo: Fiesta Fun!Check out these surprising facts about this celebration. You might hear about Cinco de Mayo parties. But even though celebrations of Cinco de Mayo (which translates to the Fifth of May) originated in Mexico , the day is more popular in the United States! So what does Cinco de Mayo celebrate? On the morning of May 5, 1862, 6,000 French troops stormed the Mexican city of Heróica Puebla de Zaragoza to bring it under French rule. The Mexican soldiers were outnumbered, but they fiercely fought back. By early evening, the French had retreated. Now the people of Puebla, Mexico, observe the holiday Cinco de Mayo to celebrate this victory. The holiday is also widely celebrated in the United States. Americans use the celebration to honor the battle as well as Mexican culture. In the United States, people attend parades with colorfully dressed dancers, listen to lively Mexican folk music called mariachi, and eat millions of avocados in traditional eats such as guacamole. Washington, D.C., even holds the Running of the Chihuahuas, where Chihuahuas (a breed that originated in Mexico) race each other for fun. Cinco de Mayo might be celebrated on the fifth day of May, but it gets a ten on the fun scale. CelebrationsWinter celebrations, wackiest places around the world.
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Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla. The war began in 1861, after Mexican president Benito Juarez paused debt repayments to European countries so he could support the struggling economy in his own country. France invaded Mexico in response . On May 5th, 1862, Mexican troops defeated French troops in Puebla. Their victory did not end the war, but the day came to represent strength and patriotism for the Mexican people. Although Cinco de Mayo originated in Mexico, celebrations in Mexican-American communities introduced the holiday to the U.S. as well. Today, it is more widely celebrated in the U.S. than it is in Mexico. Answers to comprehension questionsYou may also like:.
 Many people who celebrate Cinco de Mayo do not know its history. The original event of Cinco de Mayo happened two centuries ago. Since then, Mexico has been an independent country, and the war has long since ended. The true meaning of the celebration has faded, and people mostly only see Cinco de Mayo as a mere celebration. I do appreciate this kind of exercise, Listening. I hope the Club keeps going with it. That way many people will get their listening improved. God Bless you all. Mara I wish we could see the peace in Our World with ❤️Love to All Humans❤️ Regardless of nationality, religion, race & so on. Thank ❤️YOU❤️ for sharing it with us, Leave a commentEmail * (not published) Home — Essay Samples — Life — Cinco De Mayo — A Comprehensive Review Of The Cinco De Mayo: La Batalla  A Comprehensive Review of The Cinco De Mayo: La Batalla
About this sample  Words: 1201 | Published: Nov 22, 2018 Words: 1201 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read Table of contentsThe historical context, the protagonist, juan osorno, the battle of puebla, key figures in the film, international relations.
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On Celebrating Cinco de MayoThinking of celebrating Cinco de Mayo at your school this year? Learn from history about some of the potentially insensitive pitfalls.  In 2015, The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a free-speech appeal which was filed after a handful of high school students were prohibited from wearing American flag t-shirts to school on Cinco de Mayo.  Commenting upon the notoriety of the case, reporter David G. Savage noted that although schools have restricted insensitive student clothing in the past, this case “drew greater attention because an American flag was considered the provocative message.” >One might wonder how wearing an American flag could be problematic. As Clayton A. Hurd’s 2008 case study demonstrates, the celebration of Mexican holidays at one school heightened existing racial tensions after a white student touted the American flag on his face and in his hands while making disparaging remarks to his classmates of Mexican-descent. In both cases—Hurd’s and the one brought to Supreme Court—white students were disciplined after using the U.S. flag as a symbolic weapon to assert their “American-ness” (or, more generally, whiteness) in order to intimidate and provoke students of Mexican descent. Hurd explores the exclusion and violence that many Mexican-descent students experienced at Hillside High, particularly as related to the school-wide celebration of Cinco de Mayo (commemorating the Battle of Puebla Day which led to Napoleon’s 1862 defeat) and Dieciséis de Septiembre (celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1810). Hurd describes Hillside as a bimodal school on California’s central coast with about half white and half Mexican-descent students. Prior to mandatory, school-wide celebrations of these holidays, Hillside High had taken the “cultural consumption approach” to celebrating Cinco de Mayo. This approach often features entertainment and Americanized Mexican food. (Daniel Enrique Pérez explores such white commodification and appropriation of Cinco de Mayo beautifully in this poem.) Hurd observes that conflicts arose when administrators sponsored mandatory celebrations of both holidays. Originally administrators hoped that actively promoting these holidays would “promote mutual respect, intercultural understanding, and equal status among students.” However, the school celebrations had the opposite effect. Both white and Mexican-descent students used flags during the celebrations. Mexican-descent students used the Mexican flag to express their belonging and inclusion. The white students, on the other hand, used the American flag for exclusionary purposes. After a white Hillside student was disciplined for his aggressive behavior with the flag, white parents began complaining about the public celebrations of Mexican holidays, undermining the holidays’ significance in the U.S., while Mexican-descent students “expressed a growing ambivalence about continuing such commemorations” because of the resulting problems and stress. Hillside High’s principal summarized the root of the problem thus: “the biggest obstacle to getting teachers to address issues of race, status, and entitlement that have contributed to tensions between students is getting them to acknowledge that a racial problem actually exists at the school.” Moving forward with cultural celebrations, schools could consider the principal’s sentiments in breaking the ideology of color-blindness, acknowledging existing racial tensions, learning about the many contexts and meanings of Cinco de Mayo in communities of Mexican-descent , and more intentionally planning and approaching such celebrations .  JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR. Get Our NewsletterGet your fix of JSTOR Daily’s best stories in your inbox each Thursday. Privacy Policy Contact Us You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the provided link on any marketing message. More Stories
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Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco‑Mexican War.
Why is Cinco De Mayo Important. Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, is a significant cultural and historical celebration in Mexico and among Mexican communities in the United States. While often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which is actually celebrated on September 16th, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory ...
Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo (pronounced [ˈsiŋko ðe ˈmaʝo] in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is an annual celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico 's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, [1][2] led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, however, and a ...
Cinco de Mayo, holiday celebrated in parts of Mexico and the United States in honor of a military victory in 1862 over the French forces of Napoleon III. It should not be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which falls on September 16 and was established in 1810. Learn more about Cinco de Mayo.
When and where is Cinco de Mayo celebrated? Cinco de Mayo literally means "May 5" in Spanish, which is when this celebration of Mexican heritage falls each year.
The real history of Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo isn't the same as Mexico's Independence Day. (That's Sept. 16.) The holiday celebrates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862. A year prior, Mexican President Benito Juarez suspended payment of all foreign debts.
How Cinco de Mayo became a U.S. holiday Cinco de Mayo is celebrated only sporadically in Mexico, mainly in the southern town of Puebla and a few larger cities.
When it comes to Cinco de Mayo, many Americans are ill-informed about what's being celebrated. For starters, it has nothing to do with Independence Day.
Cinco de Mayo ("Fifth of May") is a Mexican national holiday that celebrates the country's victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in 1862's Battle of Puebla. Although the war continued for several years afterward, the Battle of Puebla became a symbol of Mexican resistance to foreign domination.
Behind modern Cinco de Mayo celebrations is the 1862 Battle of Puebla, a Mexican triumph over French colonial forces.
Cinco de Mayo celebrations marks the Mexican victory over French invaders in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. The victory did not stop the French from establishing a short-lived client state in Mexico, but it did become of rallying cry of Mexico's determination to be free of European powers.
The tradition of celebrating Cinco de Mayo has continued in Los Angeles without interruption since 1862, according to Hayes-Bautista, although the original reason and the history have gotten lost ...
Cultural Significance Cinco de Mayo holds cultural significance on both sides of the border. In Mexico, particularly in the state of Puebla, where the battle took place, the day is observed with parades, reenactments, and military exhibitions. It serves as a moment to honor Mexican heritage, identity, and patriotism.
independence. Cinco de Mayo outlines the historical events that sparked this holiday and continue to inspire contemporary celebrations throughout Mexico and the. nited States. This hour-long ...
7. Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in parts of the United States than in Mexico. Juárez declared Cinco de Mayo a holiday immediately after the Battle of Puebla, but for many Mexicans it ...
Bill Gallegos: Cinco de Mayo — May 5, 1862 — marks the date Mexican troops defeated the invading French army at the Battle of Puebla. After centuries of Spanish rule, México had declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810 — the official Independence Day — and threw off Spanish rule in 1821. Then here comes Napoleon III ...
Battle of Puebla, (May 5, 1862), battle fought at Puebla, Mexico, between the army of the liberal government headed by Benito Juárez and the French forces sent by Napoleon III to establish a French satellite state in Mexico. The battle, which ended in a Mexican victory, is celebrated in the.
Many Americans believe that Cinco de Mayo, the fifth of May, is Mexican Independence Day. It's not.
You might hear about Cinco de Mayo parties. But even though celebrations of Cinco de Mayo (which translates to the Fifth of May) originated in Mexico, the day is more popular in the United States! So what does Cinco de Mayo celebrate?
Discussion/essay questions Cinco de Mayo has become a very popular holiday in the U.S., but many people who celebrate it do not know the history. Why do you think this is?
4 essay samples found. 1. A Comprehensive Review of The Cinco De Mayo: La Batalla. 3 pages / 1201 words. Cinco de Mayo: La Batalla (May 5: The Battle) is a historically significant Mexican film that vividly portrays the events surrounding the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This iconic battle marked a pivotal moment in Mexican history when the ...
In conclusion, "Cinco de Mayo: La Batalla" offers a captivating cinematic journey into Mexican history, specifically the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It explores the intricate web of political struggles, international ambitions, and the resilience of the Mexican people.
Thinking of celebrating Cinco de Mayo at your school this year? Learn from history about some of the potentially insensitive pitfalls.