Cinco de Mayo
Today is sometimes thought to be Mexico's Independence Day, which came in 1810, but it is actually a celebration of the Mexican army's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.
In 1861, Benito Juárez was elected president of Mexico, a lawyer and member of the Zapotec tribe. The country had fallen into financial ruin and he was forced to default on debts. France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to demand repayment, but France also sent an army, to carve out an empire. They arrived in December, and a Spanish fleet took possession of Port Veracruz.
In January of 1862, an agreement was ratified to negotiate inland and to recognize the sovereignty of Mexico. But France made it increasingly clear that they intended to invade.
On April 11, 1862 Foreign Minister Manuel Doblado made it known to French government that any interference would lead to war.
The French defeated a small Mexican force at Escamela, where Mexican generals Porfirio Diaz and Ignacio Zaragoza fled to Puebla. 6,000 French troops were sent to attack, and President Juárez was only able to assemble a "ragtag force" of 2,000. But Zaragoza had fortified the town and they were prepared.
The battle lasted from daybreak to evening, when the French retreated after losing 500 men.
It was not a major win in the overall war, but it bolstered pride in the resistance movement. The war would continue until 1867, when US pressure and assistance to Mexico finally convinced France to leave.
In Mexico, this day is largely celebrated in Puebla.
In the United States, it has come to represent a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.
Chicano activists raised awareness in the 1960s, as they identified with the victory of Indigenous Mexicans over European invaders.
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