Historical Happenings in May 2025
- gallopade
- Apr 30
- 7 min read
Beyond the Celebration: Teaching the True History of Cinco de Mayo
Every May 5, thousands of Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo by enjoying Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine and attending festivals. There are over 500 cities in the United States that host Cinco de Mayo festivities, but despite these widespread celebrations, many Americans remain unaware of the holiday's origin and significance.[1]
According to a 2020 YouGov survey, 41% of Americans polled incorrectly believed that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. Another 19% were unsure of the meaning of Cinco de Mayo.[2]
Here is some information to help clear up any misconceptions your students may have about Cinco de Mayo, as well as provide you with resources and ideas for classroom celebrations.
Will the Real Cinco de Mayo Please Stand Up?
Commonly mistaken as Mexican Independence Day (September 16), Cinco de Mayo actually happened 52 years after the nation’s independence was declared in 1810.[3] Literally translated as “the fifth of May,” Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over French troops in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.[4]
While this victory didn’t end the French Intervention in Mexico — that wouldn’t happen until 1867 — it was a symbol of resistance that encouraged Mexicans and their supporters in the United States to continue fighting back against French invaders.[5]
Debt Collection & Invasion
Mexico was already in debt to several European countries when President Benito Juárez assumed office in 1861. Due to his country’s financial crisis, Juárez deferred the repayments of these loans to Great Britain, France, and Spain.[4]
Great Britain, France, and Spain weren’t too happy about this. They signed an agreement to demand repayment by sending their naval fleet to invade Mexico’s coastline.[6] Spain’s and Great Britain’s only intention was to negotiate repayment and leave as soon as negotiations were made.[4] They withdrew their troops when France’s true motives became clear: to conquer Mexico.[7]
Seeing an opportunity to capitalize on Mexico’s financial crisis, Emperor Napoleon III of France planned to overthrow Juárez, install Archduke Maximilian of Austria as a puppet ruler, and expand his empire to include Mexico.[7]
To accomplish this, Napoleon III’s strategy was to invade Veracruz, thereby forcing Juárez to retreat. His next move was to overtake the town of Puebla de Los Angeles.[4]
Outnumbered & Outgunned at the Battle of Puebla
On May 5, 1862, around 6,000 French soldiers attacked Puebla under the command of General Charles Latrille de Lorencez.[8] In contrast, only 4,500 troops in the Mexican army fought to defend the city and its two forts, Loreto and Guadalupe, with General Ignacio Zaragoza leading the way.[4]
Outnumbered and outgunned, the Mexican army held its position and defeated the better-equipped and larger French troops. The battle lasted for one day, but French casualties were estimated to be more than 450, with only around 83 casualties for the Mexican army.[8]
This victory boosted morale among Mexico’s soldiers and civilians as they continued resisting France’s occupation. It wasn’t until 1867 that the French surrendered and left Mexico.[9]
Cinco de Mayo Celebrations
Cinco de Mayo was never federally recognized as a holiday in Mexico, and most of the country doesn’t celebrate it. The main celebrations are held annually in Puebla, with festivals, music, dancing, food, and re-enactments of the battle.[4]
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely celebrated by many Mexican Americans. In fact, celebrations date back as early as 1863 in California.[10] In 1866, the Mexican Patriotic Club in Virginia City, Nevada, hosted one of the first Cinco de Mayo parties in America, complete with live music and celebratory gunfire.[12]
Many Americans living in the Southwest, specifically in Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, during the 19th century hosted and attended Cinco de Mayo parties due to their personal connections to Mexico. They had either once been citizens of Mexico before the United States added their homeland as a state or territory to the Union, or they were descendants of people who were Mexican citizens before Mexico ceded its territories to the United States.[11] Some of these people fought in Mexico’s battles against the French [11] or contributed financially to support Juárez’s army.[12]
Cinco de Mayo transitioned from a regional celebration in the Southwest to a nationwide holiday during the Chicano Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Chicano activists celebrated their Mexican heritage by spotlighting Cinco de Mayo’s cultural and historical significance. They commemorated the Mexican revolutionaries’ victory in the Battle of Puebla and related to their opposition to foreign powers and colonization.[11]
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Your Classroom
Cinco de Mayo has a rich history, and we have some ideas of ways you can observe it with your students!
Serve Mole Poblano
Mole (pronounced “MOH-lay”) poblano is a Mexican dish that originated in Puebla. It’s a thick, dark brown or dark red sauce that is typically served over meat or is used as tamale filling. Each recipe has its own variations, but the staple ingredients are spices, seeds, and chocolate.[10] Its flavor profile is described as “sweet, spicy, and earthy.”[13]
Considered a traditional Mexican specialty, mole poblano is definitely a great entrée to serve to your students to teach them about Mexican heritage and Puebla’s history. Click here for a recipe to make it from scratch.
Since cooking homemade mole poblano is time-consuming, you can buy ready-made sauce at your local grocery store. Dona Maria® Traditional Mole and Rogelio Bueno Artisan Mole Poblano are great picks and can be found at many grocery store chains. For flavorful recipes that incorporate mole, click here.
Listen to the Sounds of Mexico’s Music
Mariachi music is a great accompaniment to enjoying authentic mole poblano! “Mariachi” can refer to a small ensemble of musicians playing mariachi music, a mariachi performer, or the genre of mariachi music. The late 1700s to early 1800s saw the beginning of mariachi ensembles in west-central Mexico.[14]
Mariachi is a blend of Mexican folk music that incorporates vocals, brass, and string instruments.[15] A variety of instruments contribute to the distinctive sound of mariachi music, including the five-stringed vihuela, the six-stringed guitarrón, the six-stringed acoustic guitar, violins, and trumpets.
Introduce your students to the rich history, cultural significance, and unique sound of mariachi music with the Smithsonian Folkways’ free lesson plan, available here. While listening to the music included in the lesson plans, encourage students to clap, tap, and dance along. After all, music moves us!
Watch Mexican Folk Dances
Mexico’s national dance is Jarabe Tapatío (pronounced “hah-RAH-ve tah-pah-TEE-aw”), known as the “Mexican Hat Dance,” and is one of the country’s most popular and most recognizable folk dances.[16] Like mole poblano, it also has cultural ties to Puebla!
Jarabe Tapatío was selected as the country’s official dance by the Mexican federal government in 1920 as a way of uniting the nation after the conclusion of the Mexican Revolution.[17] This romantic, courtship dance involves a man and a woman dancing around a sombrero.[16]
In the dance, a man is dressed in Charro clothing (embroidered suit and neck tie)[18] and woos the woman dressed in the traditional China Poblana outfit (an embroidered blouse and brightly-colored skirt, which originated in Puebla)[19]. Click here to watch dancers from Ballet Folklórico Ritmo Alegre perform Jarabe Tapatío.
For more ideas of ways you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Mexico’s history, check out our Hispanic Heritage collection. To discover more historical tidbits, lesson plan ideas, and free activities, follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Also, check out our other blogs for even more “Historical Happenings.”
Sources:
[1] Kinnally, Cara Anne. “Cinco de Mayo is not a Mexican holiday. It’s an American one.” The Washington Post. 5 May 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/made-by-history/2023/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-civil-war/. Accessed 23 April 2025.
[2] Ballard, Jamie. “Most Americans surveyed don’t know what Cinco de Mayo celebrates.” YouGov, https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/29515-cinco-de-mayo-poll-mexican-independence. Accessed 21 April 2025.
[3] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Cinco de Mayo". Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 April 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cinco-de-Mayo. Accessed 21 April 2025.
[4] History.com Editors. “Cinco de Mayo.” HISTORY, 2 March 2025, https://www.history.com/articles/cinco-de-mayo. Accessed 21 April 2025.
[5] “French Intervention in Mexico and the American Civil War, 1862-1867.” Office of the Historian, https://history.state.gov/milestones/1861-1865/french-intervention. Accessed 23 April 2025.
[6] “Historical Context: The War of Reform (1857-1861).” LLILAS Benson Digital Scholarship, University of Texas at Austin, https://sites.utexas.edu/llilasbensonds/projects/visualizing-the-19th-century-mexican-political-sphere/historical-context/. Accessed 21 April 2025.
[7] Scholes, Walter V.. "Benito Juárez". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benito-Juarez. Accessed 24 April 2025.
[8] Minster, Christopher. “Cinco de Mayo and the Battle of Puebla.” Southern Coalition for Social Justice, with the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina, Inc., https://southerncoalition.org/cinco-de-mayo-battle-puebla/. Accessed 25 April 2025.
[9] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Battle of Puebla". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Oct. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Puebla. Accessed 25 April 2025.
[10] Marinez-LeGrand, Nicole. “The Real History Behind Cinco de Mayo.” Indiana Historical Society, 29 April 2021, https://indianahistory.org/blog/the-real-history-behind-cinco-de-mayo/. Accessed 21 April 2025.
[11] Ellis, Spencer. “Cinco de Mayo: A History of Celebration.” Jackson County Library Services, 30 April 2024, https://jcls.org/2024/04/30/cinco-de-mayo/. Accessed 21 April 2025.
[12] Tucker, Neely, and Maria Peña. “The Roots of Cinco de Mayo: The Battle of Puebla.” The Library of Congress, 5 May 2022, https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2022/05/the-roots-of-cinco-de-mayo-the-battle-of-puebla/. Accessed 23 April 2025.
[13] Ramirez, Dora. “How to Make Authentic Mole Poblano From Scratch.” Dora’s Table, 25 September 2023, https://dorastable.com/vegan-mole-poblano-recipe/. Accessed 25 April 2025.
[14] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Mariachi". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Dec. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/art/mariachi. Accessed 28 April 2025.
[15] Esparza, Izzy. “A Breif History of Mariachi Music | Save the Music.” Save the Music Foundation, 5 October 2023, https://www.savethemusic.org/blog/mariachi-music/. Accessed 28 April 2025.
[16] Campos, Regina. “The Beauty of Traditional Mexican Folk Dances.” Modern Mexican Mercadito, 3 November 2021, https://lolomercadito.com/blogs/news/mexican-traditional-folk-dances. Accessed 28 April 2025.
[17] Mendoza-Garcia, Gabriela. “Performing Nation: The Jarabe Tapatío of 1920s Mexico.” Gabriela Mendoza-Garcia Ballet Folklorico, 18 February 2018, https://gabrielamendozagarciafolklorico.com/2018/02/18/performing-nation-the-jarabe-tapatio-of-1920s-mexico/. Accessed 28 April 2025.
[18] “The Charm of the Mexican Charro.” The Mexican Collection, 28 July 2022, https://themexicancollection.co.uk/blogs/news/the-charm-of-the-mexican-charro. Accessed 28 April 2025.
[19] Lacy, Mark D. “La China Poblana: Asian Influence in Mexico Stems from Seventeenth Century.” Houston Institue for Culture, https://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/lachina.html. Accessed 28 April 2025.