Cinco de Mayoa bi-national multi-cultural celebration of

Mexican heritage

The 5th of May is NOT Mexican Independence Day. 

Mexico declared its independence from Spain on midnight,

the 15th of September, 1810.Mexico fought until 1821

to win its independence from Spain.

What Cinco de Mayo is NOT!

Mexico underwent many drastic changes after its

independence. Prior to the Battle of Puebla in 1862, Mexico had been at war with the United States

from 1846 to 1848.

Then Mexico went through a civil war called the “Battle of the Reformation” from 1858 to 1861. The two political-military forces,

the Liberals and the Conservatives, were deeply

divided over the direction that Mexico would take. This avenue in Mexico City is named after the

battle.

The Conservatives wanted a monarchy and a parliament

like the Europeans had. They also wanted protection for

certain groups: the nobility, the military,

the Catholic priests, and the Mexican Indians.

The Liberals wanted a Republic similar to that of the

United States of America complete with a president

and a congress.

They wanted all citizens to be equal in the eyes of the law with

no special privileges for the nobility, the military, the

Catholic priests or the Mexican Indians. They also wanted

absolute respect for private property and that there be no

property jointly owned by groups of people.

Benito Juárez, a liberal, won the election and the

Conservatives began to plot against him and his party.

They contacted France and asked France to help them

install an emperor.

Because the Mexican-American War and the

“Battle of the Reformation” had depleted Mexico’s

money, Mexico declared that they could not pay their

foreign debts to England, France and Spain.

The European powers were angry and sent troops to Mexico.

French, Spanish and English troops landed in Mexico on the pretext of collecting Mexican

debts. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and then left.

Napoleon III, the cousin of Napoleon Bonaparte, was

interested in a foothold in the Western Hemisphere and agreed to

help the Conservative Mexican Military. France declared war on the Liberal Mexican government

and decided to put Archduke Maximilian of Hapsburg, Austria,

as Emperor of Mexico.

The Battle of Puebla took place on May 5, 1862. The Mexican

Liberal army defeated the French, led by General Ignacio

Zaragoza, despite being outnumbered 4,500 to 6,500 (by

44%). But the French later joined forces with the Mexican

Conservative Army and retook the city of Puebla.

Then they marched into Mexico City in 1863 where

they established a provisional government until

Maximilian could arrive.

Maximilian and his wife, Carlota, arrived in the port

city of Vera Cruz on May 28, 1864 and made their way to Mexico City to assume the throne that awaited them.

As it turns out, Maximilian was somewhat liberal in

some of his policies and this angered the Conservatives that had helped get him to

power.

Also, the French government wanted him to make payments on Mexico’s debts. Maximilian

spent a lot of time attempting to improve and beautify Mexico,

but nobody really supported him and in June of 1867, he was shot before a firing squad along with

two of his generals.

Before the American Civil War was over in 1865, President Lincoln had sent arms and

munitions to the Liberal Mexican Army. The Liberal Mexican government also rebuffed

overtures by the U. S. Confederate Government to support the

South’s cause in the American Civil War.

Once the U.S. Government finished its involvement in its own civil war in April of 1865,

Union soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if

they promised to join the Liberal Mexican Army to fight the

French. 

The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a

regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla. Though there is recognition of the

holiday throughout the whole country, it's nothing like that

found in Puebla.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border

and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with

a Mexican heritage.

In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and

customs unique to Mexico.

Commercial interests in the United States and Mexico have also been successful in promoting the holiday, with products and services focused

on Mexican food, beverage and festive items. Increasingly, more cities in the U.S. and Mexico

are catering to a festive consumer.

Also, companies are more than happy to provide a venue to celebrate the

holiday, so that Cinco de Mayo is becoming adopted into the holiday calendar of

more and more people every year.