Cinco de Mayo: Yesterday and Today

by Maria Cristina Urrutia, Rebeca Orozco

Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May) is one of the most celebrated days in the Mexican calendar, but its history and significance are not often fully understood. In the mid–19th century, Mexico was in crisis. The French emperor Napoleon III, using the pretext that Mexico was not paying off its debt to European powers, decided to invade and annex it. One of the decisive battles in Mexico’s defeat of the French occurred on the fifth of May. Consequently, this day has become a symbol of Mexican pride and independence and continues to be celebrated wherever Mexicans live. In Mexico, villagers reenact the events, playing both sides. This colorful book combines historical accounts with a photographic record of one of the contemporary reenactments, in the village of San Miguel Tlaixpan, to teach children what the holiday means today. It provides a rich source for activities and role-playing that will bring this history alive.

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2002

Reviews

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This discusses the history of Cinco de Mayo through the annual reenactment by the village of San Miguel Tlaixpan. It shows modern day photographs of the reenactment and festivities. However, the most interesting part of the book is that it has engravings that appeared in the French press at the time of the battle of Puebla as well as two Mexican engravings. The author encourages readers to compare the engravings from the French reports to the Mexican engravings.