The Real History of Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is one of the most misunderstood holidays in America. The first week in May, every Mexican restaurant starts promoting specials and many people assume that it is Mexico's independence day. I found that none of my students knew anything about the real history of the holiday and wanted to change that! I created this resource to do just that.

The holiday actually commemorates a victory at the 1862 Battle of Puebla. This was a massive and unexpected victory for the Mexican army against a much larger French force. In Mexico, the holiday is primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla,where it is known as El Día de la Batalla de Puebla.

This fantastic Common Core-aligned reading is excellent for a quick lesson on the history of Cinco de Mayo! The one page article explains the history of Cinco de Mayo, its meaning, and how it is celebrated today.

Following the 1 page article is a set of reading analysis questions to gauge student understanding and allow them to share an opinion on why the holiday has become so popular in the United States. An answer key for this is included for your convenience.

Thanks so much for stopping by to check it out!

PS: As a reminder, you can get this resource PLUS over 500 more amazing teaching activities for World or American History through a simple monthly subscription to my site StudentsofHistory.org! Joining gives you immediate access to every engaging resource — each highly reviewed by thousands of teachers across the world! Save yourself time, energy, and sanity by joining today!