what battle does cinco de mayo commemorate?
608820
El Cinco de Mayo("The Fifth of May" in Spanish) is a national celebration in Mexico. It commemorates the victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza over the French expeditionary forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
570399
Because on the morning of May 5,1862 4000 Mexican soldiers destroyed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8000 at Puebla, Mexico.
236921
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_civil_war
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The Mexican War between the United States and Mexico began with a Mexican attack on American troops along the southern border of Texas on Apr. 25, 1846. Fighting ended when U.S. Gen. Winfield Scott occupied Mexico City on Sept. 14, 1847; a few months later a peace treaty was signed (Feb. 2, 1848) at Guadalupe Hidalgo. In addition to recognizing the U.S. annexation of Texas defeated Mexico ceded California and , New Mexico (including all the present-day states of the Southwest) to the United States.
776670
The Battle of Algiers.\n\nHey, let's have a DIFFERENT photo next time.
424697
This is what I found.....in a nutshell. It explains the meaning of Cinco de Mayo too. (Hmm....I am learning too!) :)\n\nCinco de Mayo (SEEN-co day MAH-yo) is a Mexican national holiday that is observed on the fifth of May by Mexicans and Mexican Americans. The phrase cinco de mayo means the 'fifth of May' in the Spanish language. The day is set aside in remembrance of the Battle of Puebla, when a small group of Mexican soldiers defeated the powerful French Army on May 5, 1862. It represents the continued courage of the Mexican people to overcome oppression throughout history.
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Battle of Puebla \nDate: May 5, 1862 \nLocation: Puebla, Mexico \nResult: Mexican victory \n \n\nMexico \nCommander\nGen. Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin Gen. \nStrength \n4,500 soldiers, mostly veterans of the Reform Wars 1857-1860, include Zappadores, Infantry, Cavalry and 18 guns in 3 batteries of artillery. (Civilians forces not substantiated)
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supergiantbaileycat did a very good reply.\n\nI just want to add, Cinco de Mayo IS NOT the day mexicans celebrate independence. Independence day in México is September 16th.\n\nCinco de Mayo can't be a celebration of independence since México lost that war. The battle was won that day, but the war was lost. Cinco de Mayo represents to México what El Alamo represents to US. A celebration of brave (even if they lost).\n\nAnd yes, it seems that the date is bigger in US than in México. People work and there ain't much of a celebration in México that day, except maybe in Puebla state.\n\n--------------------------\nkevintillot: I don't see the reason to paste exactly what other poster had cut and pasted. And adding the "source" wouldn't be a bad idea.
649987
Mexico...defeating the French army In puebla ...some general ZARAGOZA did it...\nMexican independence in in the night of september 15
518145
May 5th, the battle of Puebla, you can think of that day as the equivalent of El Alamo to the US.\n\nIn May 5th of 1862, general Ignacio Zaragoza beat the frenchs in Puebla. It's considered a great victory because the mexican army was smaller in number. Even though Zaragoza won the battle, the frenchs won the war. The archduke Maximiliano de Habsburgo took the throne in 1864. Later another civil war started and Maximiliano was executed.\n\nThere is no way it's the mexican independence day. Mexican independence was fully recognized in 1821, 41 years before the battle of Puebla. Mexican independence is celebrated in September 16th.
522906
La Dia de Los Muertos. It starts on Halloween and runs for three days. Kind of like Memorial day for us.
673350
1868\n10 October\nCarlos M. Céspedes issued the Grito de Yara and initiated the Ten Years' War in Cuba (1868-1878), the independence movement that served as the forerunner of the 1895 Insurrection and the Spanish American War.
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you'll get more info at\n\nThe U.S.-Mexican War: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo\nhttp://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/wars_end_guadalupe.html\n\nTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Guadalupe_Hidalgo
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I have always lived in Mexico and I'm completely mexican. However, I have NEVER celebrated 5 de Mayo and I see that people in the United States do it more. This is really sad because most people in Mexico don't even know what happened that day.\nWell, there's no school that day and some people have parties with a lot of mexican food and music. Some other people celebrate it by going to the streets and having some fun.\nThere's not really big deal with cinco de Mayo.
573423
I will probably go to my local Mexican cantina and whoop it up with my Mexican brothers and sisters, eat carne asada and drink Corona. It is a FIESTA!, anything but focus on the recent immigration debate, that can be done on another day.
529246
cinco de mayo... well one person was telling my a joke and said there was this boat and it was traveling to mexico and it had a lot of mayo on it and it sank and they now celibrate "cinco de mayo" lol but actually its just like our 4th of july because cinco de mayo means the 5th of may... they are both independants day just for difrent countries...
105655
There are more mexican restaurants, and more people speaking spanish. The culture has changed as well as cinco de mayo has become a mainstream celebration.