LA LECTURA: Read the passage below.

Use the margins

quick reading comprehension questions in English!
Introduction
The holiday of Cinco de Mayo, The 5th Of May,
commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia
over the French army at La batalla de puebla (The
Battle of the People) in 1862. It is primarily a
regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state
capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of
Puebla, with some recognition in other parts of the
Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant
Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexicos
Independence Day, which is actually September 16.
Setting the Stage
The battle at Puebla in 1862 happened at a violent and chaotic time
in Mexico's history. Mexico had finally gained independence from
Spain in 1821 after a difficult and bloody struggle, and a number of
internal political takeovers and wars, including the MexicanAmerican War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858, had
ruined the national economy.
During this period of struggle Mexico had accumulated heavy debts
to several nations, including Spain, England and France, who were
demanding repayment. Similar debt to the U.S. was previously
settled after the Mexican-American War. France was eager to add to
its empire at that time, and used the debt issue to move forward with
goals of establishing its own leadership in Mexico. Realizing
France's intent of empire expansion, Spain and England withdrew
their support. When Mexico finally stopped making any loan
payments, France took action on it's own to install Napoleon's
relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.
Mexico Confronts the Invasion
Napoleon Bonapartes French army invaded at the gulf coast of
Mexico along the state of Veracruz (see map) and began to march
toward Mexico City, a distance today
of less than 600 miles.
Marching on toward Mexico City, the
French army encountered strong
resistance by the Mexicans. Lead by
Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza

to take notes and answer

1. What does Batalla de puebla

mean in English?
The Battle of the People.

2. What 3 wars profoundly affected

Mexico between 1821 and 1858?
1. Mexican Independence
2.
3. Mexican-American War
Mexican Civil War
3. Which country has Mexico repaid
by 1862?
The U.S.

4. Which country is still waiting to be

compensated?
France

5. Who is the leader of the French

Army?
Napoleon Bonaparte

6. Who is the leader of the Mexican

Seguin, a small, poorly armed militia estimated at 4,500 men were
able to stop and defeat a well outfitted French army of 6,500 soldiers, army?
which stopped the invasion of the country. The victory was a
General Ignacio Zaragoza
glorious moment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to
Seguin
develop a needed sense of national unity, and is the cause for the
historical date's celebration.
Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad
news, Napoleon had found an excuse to send more troops overseas
to try and invade Mexico again, even against the wishes of the
French populace. 30,000 more troops and a full year later, the
French were eventually able to depose the Mexican army, take over
Mexico City and install Maximilian as the ruler of Mexico.
Maximilian's rule of Mexico was also short lived, from 1864 to 1867.
With the American Civil War now over, the U.S. began to provide
more political and military assistance to Mexico to expel the French,
after which Maximilian was executed by the Mexicans - today his
bullet riddled shirt is on display in the museum at Chapultepec
Castle in Mexico City. So despite the eventual French invasion of
Mexico City, Cinco de Mayo honors the bravery and victory of
General Zaragoza's small, outnumbered militia at the Battle of
Puebla in 1862.

7. How does Maximilian gain

power, even though he lost the
Batalla de Puebla?
They invaded Mexico again
with more troops.

8. Who helps the Mexicans

overthrow Maximilian?
The U.S.

Today's Celebration
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. There is some limited recognition of the holiday throughout 9. What Mexican state most
the country with different levels of enthusiasm, but it's nothing like
vigorously celebrates Cinco de
that found in Puebla.
mayo?
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. Chicanos in the United States
celebrate this significant day by having parades,
mariachi music, folklorico dancing and other types of
festive activities. Several cities throughout the U.S.
hold parades and concerts during the week
following up to May 5th, so that Cinco de Mayo has
become a bigger holiday north of the border than it is
to the south, and being adopted into the holiday
calendar of more and more people every year.

Puebla

10. List 3 ways Mexican-Americans

celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
1. parades
2.
mariachi music
3.
folklorico dancing

EL MAPA DEL CUENTO: Fill in the 5Ws to better understand this storys key
players.

WHO? Describe each countrys

role in Cinco de mayo.
1. Mexico- Going against France
to keep them away.

WHAT? Give the name of this events

definitive battle.
Batalla de Puebla

2. France-

Trying to invade and

take leadership of Mexico
3. United States- Helping Mexico

WHY? Why did

France attack
Mexico?

afterwards to get rid of France

Because they
wanted to add to
their empire.

WHERE? Where was this

battle fought?
In Puebla, Mexico

WHEN? Give the date and year when

the battle was fought.

Fought in the year 1862

C RONOLOG A: Fill in the timeline with each event listed below.

French Occupation Mexican Civil War Mexican-American War
Batalla de Puebla Independence from Spain
1821

Independence from Spain

1846-48

Mexican-American
War

1858

1862 1864-67

Mexican Batalla French Occupation

Civil War de Puebla

PIENSA EN GRANDE Think about each reading extension question and write a
response in complete English sentences.
1. Puebla has two meanings in Spanish: it means people and it is the name of a state in
Mexico. Why is Batalla de Puebla an appropriate name in two ways?
Because it's a fight for the people and their safety and to have kept
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things exactly the way they were before. It's also appropriate the
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other way because it was also located at Puebla which is a state.
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2. Why do you think Chicanos (Mexican Americans) are more likely to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
than Mexicans in Mexico? _____________________________________________________
I think they are more likely to; celebrate Cinco de Mayo
because like the Americans, they aren't fully educated that usually only
___________________________________________________________________
people in Puebla celebrate it. They also try to show pride to their
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background.
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3. Why do you think most people mistake Cinco de Mayo for Mexican Independence Day? Do
you think that it is a result of confusion or ignorance, or perhaps reveals a more greater issue in
terms of stereotypes, generalizations, and perceptions about different cultures and ways of life?
I think they mistake Cinco de Mayo for Independence Day because they never really
_________________________________________________________________________________
learned what they day was about so I guess you could count it as ignorance. Also, since it
_________________________________________________________________________________
is overly celebrated here in United States, I think they just make an assumption that it's our
_________________________________________________________________________________
independence day without really thinking about it.
_________________________________________________________________________________

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