Significance+to+Mexicans

=Cinco De Mayo! media type="custom" key="5993261" align="center" = "Decorating for Cinco De Mayo" by Kenotia La Batalla de Puebla
 * //[[image:5-de-mayo.jpg width="320" height="417" align="left" caption="La Batalla De Puebla"]]Cinco de Mayo// is a commemoration of the victory of Mexican troops in //La Batalla de Puebla// on May 5, 1862.
 * From the time of Mexican Independence in 1821 to the time of this battle in 1862, Mexico experienced many trials in its attempts to form a stable republic.
 * Fifteen years into its independence, Texas seceded from Mexico.
 * The Texas Revolt was led by "American-Mexicans," Americans who immigrated from the United States to México.
 * This revolt eventually led to the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), a war won by the U. S.
 * Because of the U.S victory//,// Mexico was forced to surrender approximately half of its territory to the U. S.
 * Mexico, which had never been financially stable, now faced a severe economic crisis.
 * President Benito Juárez inherited Mexico's troubled political and financial situation, which included a bankrupt Mexican treasury.
 * President Juárez issued a moratorium in 1861 halting payments on Mexican foreign debt. Much of this debt was owed to France, and shortly after, France sent troops to //México// to secure payment of its debt.
 * The French Army of Napoleon III was considered the premier army in the world, and had enjoyed recent victories throughout Europe and Asia.
 * The French planned to march form the port city of Veracruz to Mexico City.
 * President Juárez sent troops, under the command of General Ignacio Zaragosa, to Puebla to confront the French.
 * General Zaragosa's troops, outnumbered 4,700 to 5,200, were severely under-prepared and under-equipped.
 * // La Batalla de Puebla // raged on for two hours, after which time the French were forced to retreat to Orizaba.
 * Despite tremendous odds, the Mexican Army defeated the most powerful fighting unit in the world.
 * One year after // La Batalla de Puebla //, the French brought in more troops and re-attacked.[[image:MexicanFlag.jpg width="410" height="297" align="right"]]
 * This time they were able to make their way to Mexico City, take the capital, and install Emperor Maximilian ofHapsburg as the reigning monarch of Mexico.
 * Maximilian ruled Mexico for about four years, until his execution in 1867 by troops loyal to President Juárez, who regained power.
 * Although //La Batalla de Puebla// on //Cinco de Mayo// was rendered militarily insignificant by the French's subsequent victory, it did inspire the Mexican people to have pride and patriotism they had never had before. **Since its independence from Spain in 1821, //México// had suffered one tragedy after another. This victory gave them a reason to believe in themselves.**
 * //La Batalla de Puebla// was the first time that the Mexican pueblo could rally around a common cause and proudly proclaim, **¡**//**Yo soy Mexicano!**//

Works Cited:
 * González, Ignacio. "The Significance of "Cinco de Mayo"." //The Azteca Web Page//. N.p., 1996. Web. 30 Apr 2010. . ||


 * "Cinco History." //Viva Cinco de Mayo//. N.p., 22 Mar 2006. Web. 30 Apr 2010. . ||


 * "The History of Cinco De Mayo." //MEXonline//. N.p., 2010. Web. 4 May 2010. . ||


 * "Cinco De Mayo." //UCLA//. N.p., 2010. Web. 4 May 2010. . ||


 * "Kenotia- Decorating For Cinco De Mayo- Official Performance." //Youtube// . Web. 5 May 2010. . ||