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WHEN IS CINCO DE MAYO ?
The celebration of Cinco de Mayo (meaning 5th of May in Spanish) should
not be confused with Mexican Independence Day.
Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on 15th September (eve of Independence Day) while Cinco de Mayo falls on
5th of May. Mexico declared its independence from Spain on 24th August, 1821.
This modern holiday begain when a group of California State University
students decided to hold the first Cinco de Mayo commemoration in the United
States. This was around 1967. The students felt that there was no Chicano
holidays and needed to do something about it. They wanted something to
recapture their history and identity and decided that the Battle of Puebla
was symbolic and they could connect it to their struggle for the
formation of a Chicano Studies program at the university.
Read more about
Mexico's History of Independence here.
WHAT IS CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION ABOUT ?
Cinco de Mayo is not an American Holiday but it is celebrated on a much
larger scale by Chicanos in the U.S. than in Mexico. In Mexico, the
celebration of Independence Day is considered more important.
Cinco de Mayo is the celebration
of the courage of the Mexican people during the battle (La Batalla de Puebla)
on May 5th, 1862 where
4,500 Mexican soldiers defeated the Mexican traitors (exiled Mexican Convervatives)
and French army of 6,500 at Puebla, Mexico . Puebla is 100 miles east of Mexico City.
The Mexican forces were made up of untrained commoners. This victory
did not win the war but it showed the courage and strength of the Mexican
troops. The "Batalla de Puebla" became a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism.
After Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, the country
was faced with many problems. There were internal power struggles and
during the dictatorship of Santa Anna, Mexico went to war with
the United States in 1846. This war and the years of fighting put
Mexico in a very bad financial position. It was bankrupt. Mexico had to
give away a huge portion of its land to the United States. That land is
now known as Texas.
Read more about the
U.S.-Mexican War (1846-1848)
Read more about
Our War with Mexico
In 1855, Benito Juarez became the Minister of Justice.
Juárez issued a series of reforms (called Ley Juarez):
 | Abolished fueros and the use of special military and ecclesiastical
courts in civil cases.
| All church property except buildings used for worship was confiscated
without any compensation. Money from sale of these properties were confiscated.
| Non-civil marriages were declared annulled.
| Separation of church and state was proclaimed.
| Cemeteries were now public property and burial fees abolished.
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In 1861, he took control of the capital
and put these laws into effect. These laws caused civil unrest and a
civil war broke out. This created a national debt. Benito
Juarez had to take action and on July 17, 1861,
he issued a statement that all foreign debts payment would
temporary be stopped for two
years. After two years, payments would resume. The English, Spanish and
French were not very happy about this. They went to Mexico to try to make
Mexico pay. The English and Spanish negotiated and left. The French did
not agree and did not leave together with the English and Spanish. They
had a different motive. Their intention was to create an Empire in
Mexico under Napoleon III. The French army moved into Mexico in 1862. They even brought a Hapsburg
prince, Maximilian and his wife, Carolota with them to rule the new
Mexican empire. It is also believed that the reason for the French
occupation was that Napoleon III wanted to check the
power of the United States before it became too powerful.
In 1862, the French army, equipped with the finest and modern
equipment began its advance.
The Mexicans troops under the command of Texas -born General Ignacio Zaragosa
was comprised of 5,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians.
The cavalry was under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be
Mexico's president and dictator.
Although the Mexican troopes were also outnumbered, they managed to
defeat the French army with their determination and spirit.
Puebla was officially renamed Puebla de Zaragoza to honor its defender,
General Zaragoza. However, this victory was short lived.
The following March, France, under French general Élie-Frédéric Forey
successfully conquered Puebla and the rest
of Mexico with a troop of 30,000.
Later, resistance by many Mexicans and pressure from the United States made
France withdrew its troops from Mexico
in 1866 and 1867 and the French-backed government soon fell.
Juarez was returned to power where he ruled until his death in 1872.
Read more about the
The Battle of Puebla
This victory also kept Napoleon III from supplying the Confederate rebels
for another year, thus giving time for the United States to build the
greatest army in the world. This army defeated the Confederates at
Gettysburg and ended the Civil War.
Union forces were then sent to the Texas/Mexican border who made
sure supplies of weapon and ammunition reached the Mexicans
needed to fight the French. American soldiers were also encouraged to join
the Mexican army to fight the French. In the Victory Parade in Mexico
City, the American Legion of Honor marched along.
Read more about
Mexico - History of Reforms and French Intervention
WHY IS CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATED ON A MUCH
LARGER SCALE IN THE UNITED STATES ?
The reasons why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on a much larger scale in
the United States is maybe because :
| If it had not been for the victory,
France would have aided the South in the American Civil War and this would
have an impact on the war.
| Chicanos celebrates this day in appreciation of its cultural and historical
significance.
| General Ignacio Zaragosa was born in Texas when it was still part of
México and is considered to be a Chicano hero.
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However, today this holiday is more of a celebration of Mexican
culture, food, music and beverage unique to Mexico.
Read more about
Are Chicanos the same as Mexicans?
Biographies
The following pages provide biographical background information on the people featured in Chicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement.
Time Line
This time line covers events in American history from 1840 to 1975, the point at which the public television series Chicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement ends.
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