WHAT WOULD BENITO
JUAREZ DO?
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
Interactive Culture Lesson
CINCO DE MAYO:
CINCO DE MAYO
To learn about Cinco de Mayo, read the
information on each slide and decide what you
would do if you were Benito Juarez, President of
Mexico.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
WHAT WOULD BENITO JUAREZ DO?
It’s 1861 and you are Benito Juarez, the new President
of Mexico. Over the past years, your country has
borrowed a lot of money from Spain, Britain, and
France. They are asking for their money back. What
do you do?
Pay Spain, Britain, and France the money
they are owed.
Don’t pay them back, you’re broke.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
PAY THEM BACK
Unfortunately, the country of Mexico has very
little money. Paying these debts means that
too many people within the country would
suffer. You just can’t afford to pay them.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
DON’T PAY THEM BACK
You decide to not pay back the money you owe
to Spain, Britain, and France. As a result, all 3
countries send naval forces to the port of
Veracruz to demand their repayment. What do
you do?
Try to cut a deal with them.
Continue to refuse payment.
Pay them back.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
TRY TO CUT A DEAL WITH THEM
Spain and Britain agree to your deal and withdraw
their naval forces. France, however, refuses to leave
and commands their troops to begin marching the 600
miles from Veracruz to the capital of Mexico City.
What do you do?
Wait until the troops arrive in Mexico City
try to defeat them there.
Send troops to some of the towns along the
way and hope to head them of f before they
get to Mexico City.
Give up.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
CONTINUE TO REFUSE PAYMENT
Refusing to pay them at this point could cause
Spain, Britain, and France to invade. You would
never stand a chance against all three
countries. You better try to cut a deal with
them.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
WAIT UNTIL THEY GET TO MEXICO CIT Y
Waiting until the French arrive in Mexico City
would be a bad idea. If they gain control of the
Capital, they will soon have control of the whole
country. You better send some troops to some
of the cities they will pass along the way.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
SEND TROOPS TO CITIES ALONG THE WAY
You call on General Ignacio Zaragoza and he is able to
get together about 4,500 men to await the French in
the city of Puebla. Despite having less men and less
sophisticated weapons, you are able to defeat the
French in the Battle of Puebla. What do you do?
Consider the war won and relax.
Keep fighting until the French leave your
country.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
GIVE UP
Shame on you! You should never give up! How
did you get elected President anyway? You
can’t let the people down. You better try and
stop the French by sending some troops to
cities they will pass before getting to Mexico
City.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
CONSIDER THE WAR WON AND RELAX
Don’t relax yet! You’re not getting rid of
Napoleon III and the French THAT easily. You’re
going to have to keep fighting.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
KEEP FIGHTING
You continue to fight, but you lose many battles. In 1864,
the French invite an Austrian nobleman, Maximilian, and
his wife Carlota to rule Mexico. They are crowned emperor
and empress of Mexico. What do you do now?
Allow Maximilian & Carlota to form a
monarchy
Ask for help from Andrew Johnson, President
of the United States
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
ALLOW MAXIMILIAN & CARLOTA
TO FORM A MONARCHY
Although many Mexican conservatives believe that a
monarchy would be just what was needed to stabilize
the country, it would no longer be YOUR country. You
are going to have to find a way to defeat the French,
but you are going to need some help.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
ASK FOR HELP FROM THE UNITED
STATES
You decide to ask the United States for help, after all,
they don’t really want the French in Mexico or they
could be next! When the American Civil War ends in
1865, you get the help you need. The French are
defeated and Maximilian is captured in 1867. Now,
what do you do with him?
Kill him!
Make him Vice-President
Send him back to France!
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
KILL HIM!
Maximilian was executed and his last words were
reportedly “Poor Carlota!”. Carlota had returned to
France years earlier, suffered a nervous breakdown,
and never returned to Mexico. Now that that mess is
over, what will you do?
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
Celebrate Mexican Independence Day!
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
MAKE HIM VICE PRESIDENT
Making Maximilian Vice President would not send a
strong enough message to Napoleon III of France.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
SEND HIM BACK TO FRANCE
The French basically abandoned Maximilian, pulling
out all of their troops and leaving him to fend for
himself. If they wanted him back, they would have
taken him with them.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
CELEBRATE MEXICAN
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Mexican Independence is certainly something to be
celebrated, but not on this day. Mexican Independence
Day is a completely different (and much more
celebrated) holiday and not to be confused with Cinco
de Mayo.
Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September
16 th each year. It celebrates Mexico’s Independence
from Spain, not France. Mexico officially gained it’s
independence from Spain in 1821, 40 years before
their conflict with the French.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
WHY IS CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATED?
Today, Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo as a
reminder of how they rose against the odds to
beat the French in the Battle of Puebla. It has
also become a general celebration of Mexican
culture and heritage.
Cinco de Mayo is NOT a celebration of the
country’s independence, which was declared
more than 40 years before the Battle of Puebla
even took place.
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
HOW IS CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATED?
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with parades, mariachi
music performances, Mexican folk dancing,
parties, and street festivals. Some towns in Mexico
even have live reenactments of the Battle of
Puebla.
Watch the Parade Here!
Watch a Reenactment of the Battle of Puebla Here!
Watch a clip from Jimmy Kimmel that proves you
are now smarter than these people!
©H. Lamovsky, 2014
FINAL THOUGHTS
Cinco de Mayo is only considered a minor
holiday in Mexico itself, but in the United
States, the holiday is gaining a following.
Mexican-Americans see it as an opportunity to
celebrate their heritage and many people are
jumping on the bandwagon.
How will you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
©H. Lamovsky, 2014