Please record your answers on this sheet.

Save your file as your last name and the

word Webquest
For example: FleckerWebquest MillerWebquest- FleuryWebquest

Nombre: Victoria Wilson

I.

Pre Investigation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

II.

Cinco de Mayo also known as the fifth of May, is Mexicos victory against the French.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexicos victory against the French in the Battle of Puebla.
Mexicans
It is celebrated with parties and piatas.
I think that Cinco de mayo is as important as the USAs 4th of July even though that is not
Mexicos independence day.

Research

1. History Hunters
Who were the following people?
1. Benito Juarez- Mexican President around the time that Great Britain, Spain, and
France wanted their debt payments.
Porfirio Diaz- He was a brigadier general and later became president. Leading a very
corrupt Mexico.
Ignacio Zaragoza- under orders from President Juarez he stayed in the area and used
his 2,000 troops to defend the city.
Napoleon III- the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was the Emperor and thought
to be the primer army in the world.
Maximilian- He was sent by Napoleon 3 as the emperor of Mexico.
2. Benito Juarez was the President at the time, He was the man that everyone came
to for guidance and direction. Porfirio Diaz, was a brigadier general in the Battle
of Puebla. He directed his troops to take out the French Horsemen. Ignacio Diaz,
had orders from President Juarez to led 2,000 men with tools and farm supplies.
Napoleon 3, he was the emperor of the French army and commanded the Battle of
Pueblo against the Mexicans. Maximilian, he was the reigning emperor of
Mexico. He was installed by Emperor Napoleon.
3. The biggest misconception about Cinco de Mayo is that it is considered as the
Mexican Independence Day. It is really just a huge battle that was won by a
group of farmers and Mexican natives, trying to defend there land.
4. The conflict leading up to the battle, was the fact that Benito Juarez and the
Mexican Government would not pay the countries there money.

Please record your answers on this sheet. Save your file as your last name and the
word Webquest
For example: FleckerWebquest MillerWebquest- FleuryWebquest

5. General Lorenzo of the French army led troops hoping to just be able to walk into
the city. Instead Porfirio Diaz and Ignacio Zaragoza met him before he got to the
city. The French then withdrew and The Mexican Army celebrated their victory.
6. The Battle lasted from day break to early evening around 3 hours, but the conflict
all together lasted around 6 years it ended in 1867.
7. The end result was the French retreat out of the Mexican territory. Maximillian
surrendered the Mexican Imperial Army on May 15.
1. Festive Foods
Explain what the following foods are:
1. Mole- traditionally made with chocolate, chilies, and many other different spices.
The sauce can be many colors. The sauce is usually served over chicken, but it is
traditionally served on turkey.
Chipotle- is a smoked jalapeo chili
Chilaquiles- tortilla chips cooked in green mole sauce. Some of them are made up of or
topped with chicken or pork.
Enchilada- tortilla in a tomato or pepper based sauce, in the center of it is a meat and
vegetables. Some Enchiladas are mild while others should be topped with sour cream.
2. Name and describe three typical foods served at Cinco de mayo celebrations. (not
including the ones listed above)
Chicken Tostadas- a mixture of chicken, beans, avocado, lettuce and salsa on a
tortilla. Most people eat tostadas with a fork and knife, but it can also be picked
up with your hands.
Bionicos- Mexican Specialty Fruit. In the traditional version of Bioncios, various
fruits are added including Papaya, Banana, Apple, Mango, Melon. The fruit is
then topped with granola and raisins and sweet milk is add to the concoction.
Burritos- Taco made with a wheat flour instead of being made with a corn flour.
Traditionally has meat, salsa, cheese, sour cream, pinto or black beans, and brown
rice inside it.
3. A traditional tortilla is usually made from corn or maize and it is served as bread would
be. Tortillas are also used in common Mexican dishes.

Please record your answers on this sheet. Save your file as your last name and the
word Webquest
For example: FleckerWebquest MillerWebquest- FleuryWebquest

4. It is recommended that people try dishes that have a familiar name or content. Unless
you have a strong stomach you should slowly ease into the cultural foods.
5. Tortillas accompany almost every meal. They are served as commonly as bread is. Also
Tortilla Chips and
6. Mexicans usually just have a sweet roll and coffee first thing in the morning and a larger
meal around 11 am.
7. 7. In the U.S. today we eat tacos, burritos, chips and queso, tamales, enchiladas,
tostadas, fajitas. Culture is very widespread, where you go can have a mix of cultural
foods from different Spanish speaking countries. Although the food is not of good
quality and not usually authentic.
Modern Music and Moves
1.

Themes of the music include political or economic ballads, heroic feats,

and issues of the time, reflection of the Mexican experience north of the
border, the lives of migrant workers, the immigrant experience and stories of
those involved in the drug trade.
2.
Mariachi Music originated in Spain and has since evolved in Mexico. It
is an upbeat very bold style of music incorporating orchestra instruments.
3.
The instruments used in Mariachi music are:
a. six to eight violins
b. two trumpets
c. a guitar
d. the vihuela (a small round backed guitar)
e. the guitarr n (deep-voiced guitar called)
f. a Mexican folk harp
4.
Vicente Fernandez- he started off singing with his father and brother until
he went to university. Where he and the mariachi band produced there first
record. The first album was El Mayor de los Potrillos.
Juan Gabriel- started performing around the age of 25. Juan Gabriel
became an instant sensation in all of Latin America.
5.
Tejano music is the music that became very popular in southern Texas. It
has a modern sound and it has influences from cumbia, rock, and the blues. It
is so popular because of the influential people such as Selena whom carried on
the musical style.
Fascinating Facts
6.

Cinco de mayo celebrates the military with parades, it is also a celebration

of independence, but it is not Independence Day. Cinco de mayo is a
celebration of unity for Mexico.

Please record your answers on this sheet. Save your file as your last name and the
word Webquest
For example: FleckerWebquest MillerWebquest- FleuryWebquest

7.

Frances excuse was that Mexico owed them money and they needed it.
Napoleon wanted to create an empire in Mexico.
8.
It is mainly celebrated only in Puebla because that is the region it
occurred in. Cinco de mayo is not recognized as a federal or national holiday
but only as a celebration. It was not a country victory but a regional victory.
9.
There were 2,000 loyal Mexican soldiers and 6,000 French soldiers.
10. Although it was not a major strategic win in the war against the French,
General Zaragozas success at Puebla represented a symbolic victory for the
Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement
11. Cinco de mayo is important to Americans because it is a celebration of
Mexican culture. The victory of indigenous Mexicans over European
invaders during the Battle of Puebla, has been brought in to American
culture by Chicano activists.

Typical Traditions
12. You can expect to see mariachi bands, dancing, and colorful piatas, also
people walk around while in costume.
13. Cinco de mayo focuses on festivals, celebrations, music, food, dancing,
and drinking traditional drinks.
14. Typical Cinco de mayo costumes are extremely colorful. The majority of
women wear colorful skirts and headpieces while men where colored
sombreros and black suits.
15. The U.S. started celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the 1980s. It became a
very popular celebration because of all of the advertising. Big Companies
have launched parties and celebrations about what a big deal Cinco de mayo
is.
16. Two popular decorations made for this society is serapes they are
traditional ponchos that are colorful. They have been used in many parts of
Mexico. Mini sombreros are also very common and used as part of the
Mexican charro costumes. Mariachis use these hats and costumes to perform
in.

II.

Article
Cinco de Mayo is not the holiday that everyone believes. Cinco de Mayo is a
celebration about the Mexican defeat against the French. The French thought that
they would be able to walk in and take the city when in fact they were scared off
by the tactics of two important men in Mexicos history. The biggest
misconception about Cinco de Mayo is that it is considered as the Mexican
Independence Day. It is really just a commemoration of a battle that was won by
a group of farmers and Mexican natives, trying to defend their land. The conflict

Please record your answers on this sheet. Save your file as your last name and the
word Webquest
For example: FleckerWebquest MillerWebquest- FleuryWebquest

leading up to the battle, was the fact that Benito Juarez and the Mexican
Government would not pay the countries there money. The end result was the
French retreat out of the Mexican territory. Maximillian surrendered the Mexican
Imperial Army on May 15.