Cinco de mayo

Why did France, along with England and Spain, originally form a naval blockade against Mexico in 1861?

• Mexico stopped paying its debt to these countries and they wanted their money

• They wanted Mexico to become part of Spain again

• Pirates!

• A sea monster

What is one of the reasons that Mexico owed so much money to France, England and Spain?

• They borrowed the money to buy a lot of silk and pottery from the Phillipines

• They borrowed the money to defend themselves against the United States during the Mexican-American war

• Pirates!

• A sea monster!

Why did Napoleon III want to actually invade Mexico?

• He was haunted by his uncle, Napoleon Bonaparte.

• He wanted Mexico to become part of a French led federation.

• Pirates!

• He just thought Puebla was a neat city.

What happened on el cinco de mayo?

• The Mexicans surprised the French at Puebla.

• A smaller group of Mexicans defeated a larger group of French.

• Pirates!

• All of the above except pirates.

While the Mexicans were victorious at Puebla, the French did eventually conquer and occupy Spain. What's something weird that happened as a result?

• For a while Mexico had an Emperor and Empress whom they kind of liked.

• Everyone in Mexico spoke French for a while.

• There were fewer pirates.

• Benito Juarez, the president of Mexico, left and never returned.

Why didn't the US help out Mexico when the French invaded them?

• They wanted the French to conquer Mexico.

• They were still angry because of the Mexican-American war.

• They were busy fighting the Civil War and going into debt themselves.

• Pirates!

What country do you think has the highest foreign debt (per capita) today?

• Mexico

• India

• The United States

• Japan

What do you think were some of the effects of the French invading Mexico?