Matt Ferraro

Mr. Flecker
Spanish I
May 3, 2016
Pre-Investigation
1. Cinco de Mayo is the day that Mexico gained its independence from France.
2. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican Independence Day.
3. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated by Mexicans as well as Americans.
4. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with parties as well as parades.
5. Cinco de Mayo is primarily celebrated by Americans.
History Hunters
1. Benito Juarez-The Mexican president at the time of Cinco de Mayo.
Porfirio Diaz-One of the Mexican generals in the Reform War.
Ignacio Zaragoza-A Mexican general who defeated the French forces at the Battle of Puebla on
May 5, 1862.
Napoleon III-The emperor of France at the time.
Maximilian- The self-proclaimed emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864.
2. Each of these men were involved in the fighting on either the Mexican or French side of the
war.

3. The biggest misconception is that it is Mexicos Independence Day.

4. What caused the battle of Puebla was Mexico owing debts to a few nations causing them to
react in an angry manner, especially France.
5. France invaded Mexico through the gulf coast of Mexico. They then headed towards Mexico
City where they encountered a resistance of Mexican troops. On May 5, 1862, France was
defeated by General Ignacio Zaragoza and the Mexican army.
6. It lasted about 24 hours and ended in 1862.
7. The Mexicans won the Battle of Puebla, but eventually the French came back and edefeated
the Mexicans and put Maximilian into power.
Festive Foods
1. Mole- A sauce made with chocolate, chili, and other spices.
Chipotle- A smoked jalapeno chili.
Chilaquiles- Lightly fried corn tortillas cut into quarters and covered with mole and salsa among
other things.
Enchilada- a tortilla dipped in a chili sauce then filled with meat or cheese and rolled up.
2. Guacamole which is avocado mashed with onions, chilies and cilantro
coriander and served as a dip or as a garnish, frijoles which are boiled and
fried beans, and ceviche which is raw fish marinated in lime juice, often in a
chopped salad.
3. They are made out of flower or maize and be found in many different
recipes.
4. It is recommended you eat milder foods until your stomach is accustomed
to spicy food.
5. Tortillas accompany almost every meal.

6. They have breakfast between 7:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M., lunch between
1:30 P.M. and 4:00 P.M., and dinner between 8:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M.
7. Mexican foods eaten in the U.S. consist of tacos, tortillas, chips, queso,
chili, salsa, and many others.
Modern Music and Moves
1. It talks about love, nature, patriotism, revolutionary heroes, and current
events.
2. Mariachi music is wedding music.
3. Instruments used in Mariachi are six to eight violins, two trumpets, and a
guitar.
4. One group is Mariachi Varga de Tecalitlan who appeared in over 200
movies, was originally founded in 1897 but is still alive today, and currently
has 13 members. Another group is Mariachi las Altenas who formed in San
Antonio in 2002, has 10 members, and are all female.
5. Tejano music is music that developed on the Mexico-Texas border and it is
so popular because it has such as a modern sound.
Fascinating Facts
1. It celebrates Mexicos independence, their unique culture and heritage, and it serves as a
community gathering for Mexicans.
2. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with Mexican food, music, piatas for kids, and fireworks at the
end of the day.
3. The costumes are typically bright and colorful, but there is not one set costume for Cinco de
Mayo.
4. Its more popular in the United States because Mexican immigrants immigrated to the United
States and brought the celebration with them and now Americans as well as Mexican-Americans
celebrate the holiday.

5. One decoration is a balloon which is typically red, green, or white and it is a rubber sack filled
with air or helium. Another decoration is flowers which are plants that sprout from the ground
and have petals and they are typically red, white, or green.
Article
Through the History Hunter this report I learned many various facts about the holiday of
Cinco de Mayo ranging from the misconception of Cinco de Mayo being the independence day
of Mexico to who some of the various people involved in the Battle of Puebla were. Mexico had
owed large debts to a couple of large countries such as Great Britain, France, and a few others.
These large debts angered the countries, especially the French who later went on to invade
Mexico. This invasion led to the Battle of Puebla. The Battle of Puebla was a struggle between
the French and Mexican that lasted about 24 hours and ended with General Zaragoza and the
Mexicans coming out victorious. The Mexican president would later be thrown out of power and
Maximilian would be put into power and gain control over Mexico.