Question
Cinco de Mayo, the fifth of May, commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War that took place from 1861 to 1867. The holiday is relatively minor in Mexico, but Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture in the United States. This is particularly true in areas with large Mexican-American populations. HISTORY In 1861 Benito Juarez, a liberal Mexican, became the president of a country in financial ruin. Juarez was forced to default on debts owed to European governments. As a result, France, Britain, and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and eventually withdrew. France, ruled by Napoleon III at the time, decided to use the opportunity to carve a dependent empire out of the Mexican territory. A well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz in late 1861 and forced President Juarez and his government into retreat. Even though the win was not major in the scheme of the overall war against the French, Zaragoza’s success at Puebla was a huge symbolic victory for Mexico. As a result, they were able to bolster a resistance movement. Thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, France withdrew six years later. Austrian The French were sure they would succeed quickly so they set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico with 6,000 men. Juarez rounded up a rag-tag force of 2,000 loyal men from his new headquarters in the north. Many of the men were indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry. They were led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza and vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied. However, they fortified Puebla and prepared for the French assault. The well-provisioned French army was supported by heavy artillery. The French attacked on May 5th, 1862 and the battle lasted from daybreak to early evening. When the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers, but fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the battle. CINCO DE MAYO IN AMERICA Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States. This is especially true in areas with a large Mexican-American population. Awareness of the holiday was raised in the 1960s by Chicano activists, in part because they identified with the victory of the indigenous Mexicans over European invaders in the Battle CINCO DE MAYO IN MEXICO Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla in Mexico, where Zaragoza won unexpectedly. Some other parts of Mexico celebrate Cinco de Mayo too. Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla, and other events. For many Mexicans, . Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as the emperor of Mexico by Napoleon, was captured and executed by Juarez’s forces that same year. Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed for General Zaragoza, who died of typhoid fever months after his triumph there. however, May 5th is just a regular day. It is not a federal holiday, so most offices, banks, and stores stay open of Puebla. The event is marked with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing, and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. Mariachi music was created in Mexico in the 19 th century. Americans consume up to 81 million pounds of avocados each year on Cinco de Mayo. Some of the largest Cinco de Mayo festivals are held in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston. The world’s largest Cinco de Mayo party is held in Los Angeles, California every year. Chandler, Arizona celebrates Cinco de Mayo with a Chihuahua race. People outside of Mexico often mistakenly believe Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence. It was actually declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla. Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16 th . This date marks the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s famous “Gritode Dolores” (“Cry of Dolores”), a call to arms that amounted to a declaration of war against the Spanish colonial government in 1810.
MATCHING: Match each term with its description. 1. ____ Chicago A. Many people think Cinco de Mayo celebrate Mexico’s 2. ____ Juarez B. Country Mexico was fighting in the Battle of Puebla 3. ____ United States C. Way people celebrate Cinco de Mayo 4. ____ PueblaD. Texas-born general who led Mexican troops at Puebla 5. ____ Independence E. Activists who raised awareness for Cinco de Mayo 6. ____ debtF. American city with a large Cinco de Mayo celebration 7. ____ FranceG. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory here 8. ____ Chicano H. Cinco de Mayo celebrations are big in this nation 9. ____ Zaragoza I. France and Mexico were involved in a battle over this 10. ____ parades J. Liberal Mexican President during the Battle of Puebla MATCHING: Use the context clues in the passage to determine the meaning of the following words and match them with their definition. 11. ____ commemorate A. Someone who fights for a cause 12. ____ activist B. Strengthened by building military defenses 13. ____ heritage C. Downfall or destruction of something 14. ____ fortified D. Discussed and agreed upon 15. ____ ruin E. Large-caliber guns used in warfare 16. ____ retreated F. Celebrate an event or person 17. ____ negotiated G. Traditions of a group 18. ____ indigenous H. Representing an idea or quality 19. ____ artillery I. Pulled back 20. ____ symbolic J. Native
TRUE OR FALSE?: Place a check in the correct column. STATEMENT 21. Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. 22. Cinco de mayo is more popular in the United States today. 23. Benito Juarez became the United States President. 24. Great Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico. 25. Mexico won the Battle of Puebla, celebrate on Cinco de Mayo. 26. The Battle of Puebla was a symbolic victory. 27. Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico. 28. Cinco de Mayo honors Mexican culture. 29. Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16 th . 30. Cinco de Mayo always falls on a Monday. MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the best answer. 31. Why were France and Mexico mainly involved in a war during the 1860s? A. France wanted to invade the U.S. B. France owed Mexico money. B. Mexico could not pay their debts. D. France bombed Mexico. 32. Why did Napoleon III of France refuse to negotiate with Mexico like Great Britain and Spain? A. To make a dependent empire out of Mexico. B. To get closer to the U.S. B. To get slave labor for French factories. D. To divide Mexico. 33. Why is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in the United States? A. It is a way to honor the Mexican Independence Day. B. It is a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States. C. The United States once owned Mexico. D. Texas was once part of Mexico. 34. Which of the following is NOT true about Cinco de Mayo? A. It is Mexico’s Independence Day. B. It is a day of honoring Mexican culture and traditions. C. It is often more celebrated in the United States than Mexico. D. It is commemorates victory at the Battle of Puebla. 35. What was the author’s purpose in writing this article? A. To persuade the reader to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. B. To entertain the reader with a fun story about Cinco de Mayo. C. To inform the reader of the history and celebration of Cinco de Mayo. D. To explain the way Mexico won a battle in a war.
MATCHING: Match each term with its description. 1. ____ Chicago A. Many people think Cinco de Mayo celebrate Mexico’s 2. ____ Juarez B. Country Mexico was fighting in the Battle of Puebla 3. ____ United States C. Way people celebrate Cinco de Mayo 4. ____ PueblaD. Texas-born general who led Mexican troops at Puebla 5. ____ Independence E. Activists who raised awareness for Cinco de Mayo 6. ____ debtF. American city with a large Cinco de Mayo celebration 7. ____ FranceG. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory here 8. ____ Chicano H. Cinco de Mayo celebrations are big in this nation 9. ____ Zaragoza I. France and Mexico were involved in a battle over this 10. ____ parades J. Liberal Mexican President during the Battle of Puebla MATCHING: Use the context clues in the passage to determine the meaning of the following words and match them with their definition. 11. ____ commemorate A. Someone who fights for a cause 12. ____ activist B. Strengthened by building military defenses 13. ____ heritage C. Downfall or destruction of something 14. ____ fortified D. Discussed and agreed upon 15. ____ ruin E. Large-caliber guns used in warfare 16. ____ retreated F. Celebrate an event or person 17. ____ negotiated G. Traditions of a group 18. ____ indigenous H. Representing an idea or quality 19. ____ artillery I. Pulled back 20. ____ symbolic J. Native
TRUE OR FALSE?: Place a check in the correct column. STATEMENT 21. Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. 22. Cinco de mayo is more popular in the United States today. 23. Benito Juarez became the United States President. 24. Great Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico. 25. Mexico won the Battle of Puebla, celebrate on Cinco de Mayo. 26. The Battle of Puebla was a symbolic victory. 27. Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico. 28. Cinco de Mayo honors Mexican culture. 29. Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16 th . 30. Cinco de Mayo always falls on a Monday. MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the best answer. 31. Why were France and Mexico mainly involved in a war during the 1860s? A. France wanted to invade the U.S. B. France owed Mexico money. B. Mexico could not pay their debts. D. France bombed Mexico. 32. Why did Napoleon III of France refuse to negotiate with Mexico like Great Britain and Spain? A. To make a dependent empire out of Mexico. B. To get closer to the U.S. B. To get slave labor for French factories. D. To divide Mexico. 33. Why is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in the United States? A. It is a way to honor the Mexican Independence Day. B. It is a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States. C. The United States once owned Mexico. D. Texas was once part of Mexico. 34. Which of the following is NOT true about Cinco de Mayo? A. It is Mexico’s Independence Day. B. It is a day of honoring Mexican culture and traditions. C. It is often more celebrated in the United States than Mexico. D. It is commemorates victory at the Battle of Puebla. 35. What was the author’s purpose in writing this article? A. To persuade the reader to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. B. To entertain the reader with a fun story about Cinco de Mayo. C. To inform the reader of the history and celebration of Cinco de Mayo. D. To explain the way Mexico won a battle in a war.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
### MATCHING:
**1. ____ Chicago**
**F.** American city with a large Cinco de Mayo celebration
**2. ____ Juarez**
**J.** Liberal Mexican President during the Battle of Puebla
**3. ____ United States**
**H.** Cinco de Mayo celebrations are big in this nation
**4. ____ Puebla**
**G.** Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory here
**5. ____ Independence**
**A.** Many people think Cinco de Mayo celebrate Mexico’s
**6. ____ debt**
**I.** France and Mexico were involved in a battle over this
**7. ____ France**
**B.** Country Mexico was fighting in the Battle of Puebla
**8. ____ Chicano**
**E.** Activists who raised awareness for Cinco de Mayo
**9. ____ Zaragoza**
**D.** Texas-born general who led Mexican troops at Puebla
**10. ____ parades**
**C.** Way people celebrate Cinco de Mayo
---
### MATCHING: Use the context clues in the passage to determine the meaning of the following words and match them with their definition.
**11. ____ commemorate**
**F.** Celebrate an event or person
**12. ____ activist**
**A.** Someone who fights for a cause
**13. ____ heritage**
**G.** Traditions of a group
**14. ____ fortified**
**B.** Strengthened by building military defenses
**15. ____ ruin**
**C.** Downfall or destruction of something
**16. ____ retreated**
**I.** Pulled back
**17. ____ negotiated**
**D.** Discussed and agreed upon
**18. ____ indigenous**
**J.** Native
**19. ____ artillery**
**E.** Large-caliber guns used in warfare
**20. ____ symbolic**
**H.** Representing an idea or quality
---
### TRUE OR FALSE?: Place a check in the correct column.
| STATEMENT | TRUE | FALSE |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------|-------|
| 21. Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. | | ✔️ |
| 22. Cinco de Mayo is more popular in the United States today. | ✔️ | |
| 23. Benito Juarez became the United States President. | | ✔️ |
| 24. Great Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico. | ✔️ | |
| 25. Mexico won the Battle of Puebla, celebrate on Cinco de Mayo. | ✔️ | |
| 26. The Battle of Puebla was a symbolic victory. | ✔️ | |
| 27. Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico. | | ✔️ |
| 28. Cinco de Mayo honors Mexican culture. | ✔️ | |
| 29. Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16th. | ✔️ | |
| 30. Cinco de Mayo always falls on a Monday. | | ✔️ |
---
### MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the best answer.
**31. Why were France and Mexico mainly involved in a war during the 1860s?**
**C.** Mexico could not pay their debts.
**32. Why did Napoleon III of France refuse to negotiate with Mexico like Great Britain and Spain?**
**A.** To make a dependent empire out of Mexico.
**33. Why is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in the United States?**
**B.** It is a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States.
**34. Which of the following is NOT true about Cinco de Mayo?**
**A.** It is Mexico’s Independence Day.
**35. What was the author’s purpose in writing this article?**
**C.** To inform the reader of the history and celebration of Cinco de Mayo.
**1. ____ Chicago**
**F.** American city with a large Cinco de Mayo celebration
**2. ____ Juarez**
**J.** Liberal Mexican President during the Battle of Puebla
**3. ____ United States**
**H.** Cinco de Mayo celebrations are big in this nation
**4. ____ Puebla**
**G.** Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory here
**5. ____ Independence**
**A.** Many people think Cinco de Mayo celebrate Mexico’s
**6. ____ debt**
**I.** France and Mexico were involved in a battle over this
**7. ____ France**
**B.** Country Mexico was fighting in the Battle of Puebla
**8. ____ Chicano**
**E.** Activists who raised awareness for Cinco de Mayo
**9. ____ Zaragoza**
**D.** Texas-born general who led Mexican troops at Puebla
**10. ____ parades**
**C.** Way people celebrate Cinco de Mayo
---
### MATCHING: Use the context clues in the passage to determine the meaning of the following words and match them with their definition.
**11. ____ commemorate**
**F.** Celebrate an event or person
**12. ____ activist**
**A.** Someone who fights for a cause
**13. ____ heritage**
**G.** Traditions of a group
**14. ____ fortified**
**B.** Strengthened by building military defenses
**15. ____ ruin**
**C.** Downfall or destruction of something
**16. ____ retreated**
**I.** Pulled back
**17. ____ negotiated**
**D.** Discussed and agreed upon
**18. ____ indigenous**
**J.** Native
**19. ____ artillery**
**E.** Large-caliber guns used in warfare
**20. ____ symbolic**
**H.** Representing an idea or quality
---
### TRUE OR FALSE?: Place a check in the correct column.
| STATEMENT | TRUE | FALSE |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------|-------|
| 21. Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. | | ✔️ |
| 22. Cinco de Mayo is more popular in the United States today. | ✔️ | |
| 23. Benito Juarez became the United States President. | | ✔️ |
| 24. Great Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico. | ✔️ | |
| 25. Mexico won the Battle of Puebla, celebrate on Cinco de Mayo. | ✔️ | |
| 26. The Battle of Puebla was a symbolic victory. | ✔️ | |
| 27. Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico. | | ✔️ |
| 28. Cinco de Mayo honors Mexican culture. | ✔️ | |
| 29. Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16th. | ✔️ | |
| 30. Cinco de Mayo always falls on a Monday. | | ✔️ |
---
### MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the best answer.
**31. Why were France and Mexico mainly involved in a war during the 1860s?**
**C.** Mexico could not pay their debts.
**32. Why did Napoleon III of France refuse to negotiate with Mexico like Great Britain and Spain?**
**A.** To make a dependent empire out of Mexico.
**33. Why is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in the United States?**
**B.** It is a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States.
**34. Which of the following is NOT true about Cinco de Mayo?**
**A.** It is Mexico’s Independence Day.
**35. What was the author’s purpose in writing this article?**
**C.** To inform the reader of the history and celebration of Cinco de Mayo.