Cinco de Mayo (also known as the Anniversary of the battle of Puebla) means the fifth of May. This is a very important holiday and is celebrated all throughout Mexico and in the U.S. This holiday is celebrated on the 5th of May in 1862 because the Mexican military victory over French forces of Napoleon III. During the French-Mexican War, a poorly supplied and outnumbered Mexican army, under General Zaragoza defeats a French army trying to capture Puebla de Los Angeles, which is a small town in east-central Mexico. On the fifth of May, 1862, Lorencez drew his army, well trained and loaded with heavy guns, to the city of Puebla and began their assault from the north. The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally…
Día de Muertos or Day is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the…
Mexico had gained its independence from Spain and the aging Spanish-born Padres in California would have been deported except for the fact that there was no one to take their place. Settlers were encroaching on mission and Indian lands. The soldiers had not been paid for years and openly talked of throwing their support behind any foreign power that would pay their back wages. Rival politicians struggled for supremacy, while in the crumbling Mission San Buenaventura, Father-Presidente Jose Senan lay…
Is Cinco de Mayo really the Mexican Independence Day? While most people mistake Cinco de Mayo for the day that Mexico gained their independence, Cinco de Mayo- the fifth of May- is actually celebrated because on that day the Mexican army claimed a victory over the French army in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Mexico actually gained their independence on September 16, 1810, 50 years before the Battle of Puebla occurred. The Franco-Mexican War began in late 1861; which was an invasion of Mexico by the Second French Empire. In 1861, Benito Juárez became president of Mexico. The country was in financial trouble and he was forced to put his debts on Spain, France, and Britain’s governments. Because of this, the countries sent naval forces to demand a reimbursement. Both Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico, but France decided to take…
El Día de los Muertos or more commonly known as the Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and many other Spanish speaking countries. The multi-day holiday focuses on the ones who have passed away and to remember family members, friends and relatives. The Holiday starts on October 31st but the Day of the Dead starts on November 1st. There are still some questions left to really analyze this holiday. How did the Holiday become the way it is? Why is the holiday popularized in Mexico rather than countries? What is Día de los muertos? Where do people go to celebrate this day and what other holidays and what do they do?…
Cinco de Mayo is a widely celebrated holiday that some don’t understand. This holiday is translated as “the Fifth of May”, which is celebrated for the Battle of Puebla. This battle, against the French, took place on May 5, 1862. The French sent a huge (undefeated) army of 8,000 to invade Mexico because they hadn’t paid back their war debts. The French army had been well trained and better equipped than the Mexicans. As the French came to Puebla, the 4,000 Mexicans refused to back down which led to the victory. This victory although was short lived, but this victory showed that they were strong and powerful. This unlikely victory against overwhelming odds is remembered every May fifth. Cinco de Mayo represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. This holiday is often confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is on September 16.…
Mexico has a very interesting Christmas. In Mexico they say Feliz Navidad that means Merry Christmas. The Posada is party that begins the celebrations. The celebrations start on December 16th and end on February 2nd. Most kids don't believe in santa they believe in The Three Kings which are the wise men. They decorate with flowers moss and evergreens, poinsettias and a nativity scene. A nativity scene is the story of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The poinsettia is a plant that is red,pink and white. Both Mexico and the USA celebrate Christmas but in very different ways.…
The Mexican Independence and the Empresario Era was a big help to Mexico, helping them expand their land and increasing the population. This may have affected Mexico in a very good way, but this didn’t have the same effect on Texas. The Mexican Independence and the Empresario Era had an affect on Texas by passing the law of 1830, causing the Texans to want independence, and by putting specific laws to the families who is taken by the empresarios.…
Christmas in Mexico is celebrated from December 12 to January 6. The weather is sunny and does not impact their traditions at all. The people decorate their houses with with evergreens, moss, and paper lanterns. There is a Nativity scene in every house. At 12:00 p.m. on December 25, bells are rung, whistles are blown, and fireworks are shot into the sky to announce the birth of Jesus.…
PILCHER, J. M. (1998). Que vivan los tamales!: food and the making of Mexican identity. Albuquerque, N.M., University of New Mexico Press.…
During National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) we recognize the contributions made and the important presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrate their heritage and culture. Hispanics have had a profound and positive influence on our country through their strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service. They have enhanced and shaped our national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community. Hispanic Heritage Month, whose roots go back to 1968, begins each year on September 15, the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico,…
In 1810, Father Manuel Hidalgo, a criollos (spaniard born in Mexico) started an independence war in which he lost his life. The independency came in 1821 with a joint force of Vicente Guerrero and Agustin de Iturbide. Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana overthrew Iturbide when he declared himself as the emperor of Mexico and serve as a president between 1823-1836. By 1848 Mexico lost Northwest part of the country to America. Mid 1800s during French occupation, Porfirio Diaz, a mestizo (Indian-European mix) modernized and progressed the country. However he ruled oppressively. Inequitable income and power distribution led the country to the Mexican Revolution in 1910. Peasants revolt under the leadership of Emiliano Zapata, a land reform called ejido system begins in 1934. Lazaro Cardenas distributes farmlands to people for agriculture. It helped the country’s economy along with the industrial…
Growing up in a Mexican household meant food, all the time. When I think back as far as I can remember, there isn’t a moment I recall that my grandma was not steady stirring up something in the kitchen. Waking up at the crack of dawn to prepare breakfast was a breeze for her, and for a traditional Mexican household it is nothing out of the ordinary. Tortillas, the number one staple food in Mexico, were created daily, and usually the preparation for lunch or dinner continued as soon as breakfast had finished. It is embedded in the Mexican culture for the women to be responsible in keeping a home together; with the preparation of fresh meals, and large meals at that, it allows families to come together each day and form a bond. Food was, and is, used as a means of non-verbal communication; and the dishes prepared are just as unique as the person preparing them. When guests came over to visit, that only meant more food to be cooked, and more delicious snacks to be enjoyed. Abuelas (grandmas) are notorious for cooking the best of the best when a visitor is present, even if that visitor is a five-year-old grandchild. It’s a way of conveying respect to that individual, in addition to ensuring they are not hungry, thirsty, or uncomfortable. For the Mexican wife of the household, every detail is important. The entire home is a symbol of what you represent: from the cleanliness of your home, to the delectable of your food, and even the obedience of your children. This is what I feel was important to the mothers, aunts, and grandmas I grew up around. At the end of the day, the woman was judged based on the complete infrastructure of her home.…
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively.…
In 1946, the Labour government in Britain, its exchequer exhausted by the recently concluded World War II, and conscious that it had neither the mandate at home, the international support, nor the reliability of native forces for continuing to control an increasingly restless India,[2][3] decided to end British rule of India, and in early 1947 Britain announced its intention of transferring power no later than June 1948.…