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The Battle of Puebla, which occurred on Cinco De Mayo, has been co-opted by corporate America as a marketing opportunity to sell tequila and Mexican-style food. Americans have been conditioned to believe that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, and celebrate by taking shots and eating enchiladas. In a way, May 5 seems to be more about debt repair than about drinking cocktails. Mexicans in the state of Puebla celebrate Cinco de Mayo history as the date of the Battle of Puebla in 1862. A French army was sent by Napoleon III while the Mexican forces that were out-manned and out-gunned defeated them. Many Mexicans take the Battle of Puebla as a symbol of freedom and liberty.

History of the Battle of Puebla

Rather than wearing funny hats and speaking Spanglish, if Americans knew about the history of the Battle of Puebla, they would probably be expressing thanks to Mexico. Mexico’s actual day of independence is not May 5, rather it is September 16, which is the day Mexico’s 10 year Independence War with Spain started in 1810.

The Battle of Puebla truth

The United States was in the middle of its Civil War when the Battle of Puebla took place on Cinco de Mayo in 1862. Mexicans has already been celebrating Mexican Independence day in 1810. But the country was still broke after a large war with the United States in 1848, when it lost California and New Mexico (which is a vast territory that now includes Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming and Utah). The Mexican government owed France a ton of money. France felt as if the US, with the military and expanding territory, was a threat. Napoleon III felt the threat could more easily be defused during the Civil War.

Battle of Puebla and its background

The Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, occurred because Napoleon III of France sent troops to Mexico under the ruse of collecting the debt. His real intent was to defeat the Mexicans so in the end he could have a force in place to aid the Army of the Confederacy. Napoleon felt that it was important to make sure the nation split as it would be easier to hold sway over two weak nations rather than one united one.

French defeated at Battle of Puebla

The Battle of Puebla on Cinco de Mayo 1862 pitted a ragtag Mexican force against the French Army, considered the baddest military force in the world at the time. 6,000 French troops led by a cocky general with no Mexican respect attacked Puebla. The Mexicans, in addition to standing their ground, chased the French to the coast and defeated them.

Reasons why you should celebrate Cinco de Mayo

The Battle of Pueblo on Cinco de Mayo was huge in preserving Mexican Independence although France wasn’t completely out of the country until 1867. The Confederates didn’t receive the aid from France because of the French defeat at the Battle of Puebla. The Mexican army may have played a key role in helping Abraham Lincoln win the civil war and preserve the Union. A deed worthy of a toast when Americans celebrate with drinks on Cinco de Mayo.

Resources for the article

tequila

http://cocktails.about.com/b/2007/05/01/tequila-and-cinco-de-mayo.htm

New Mexico

http://www.emersonkent.com/map_archive/mexico_texas_1845.htm

A deed worthy of a toast

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1607704,00.html