History of Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo...

• is on the fifth of May

• celebrates the Mexican army's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla

• is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico

• All of the answers shown are true

Select all the answers that are true.

• Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day

• Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the U.S. in areas with large Mexican-American populations

• Cinco de Mayo is a major holiday in Mexico

• In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage

In 1861 Benito Juárez was elected president of Mexico. What else is true about Mexico at that time?

• It was in financial ruin.

• It had undergone years of internal strife.

• It was forced to default on debt payments to European governments.

• All of the answers listed are true.

Who sent naval forces to Veracruz, Mexico in response to Mexico defaulting on their debt payments?

• France

• All of the countries listed

• Britain

• Spain

Which two countries negotiated with Mexico and withdrew their forces?

• France

• The United States

• Britain

• Spain

Who decided to use the default on the debt to carve and empire out of Mexican territory in late 1861?

• King Charles of England

• Napoleon III

• Isabel Vera Cruz

• General Ignacio Zaragoza

Where did the French fleet land in Mexico late in 1861?

• Mazatlan

• Cabo San Lucas

• Nayarit

• Veracruz

How many French troops did General Charles Latrille de Lorencez command in the Battle of Puebla?

• 8,000

• 6,000

• 7,000

• 9,000

Who rounded up a ragtag force of 2,000 loyal men in the Battle of Puebla?

• Napoleon III

• Benito Juárez

• General Charles Latrille

• General Ignacio Zaragoza

Who led the vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans and fortified the town of Puebla for battle?

• General Charles Latrille

• Benito Juárez

• General Ignacio Zaragoza

• Napoleon III