America's Growing Observance of Cinco de Mayo

America's number of festivals has grown dramatically within the past decades. Many of these special occasions acknowledge the country's ethnic diversity. Not only are they intended to promote and to reinforce an ethnic group's cultural heritage and identity, they create, too, a spatial image or awareness which contributes to the formation of culture regions, and serve as catalysts for ethnocommercialism, including tourism. As Getz has aptly pointed out, festivals "...can reveal much about a community's symbolic, economic, social, and political life, as events create links between people and groups in a community and between the community and the world."1 Cinco de Mayo has become a major festival for Mexican Americans who today celebrate the Mexican's defeat of the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. A geographical analysis of this festival provides insights into the spatial characteristics and intensities of the Mexican-American population as well as the evolution of America's emerging ethnic patterns. Battle of Puebla When Mexico's President Benito Juarez announced in July 1861 that he had suspended payments on English, French, and Spanish debts for at least two years in order to direct more resources toward domestic problems, a confrontation was to unfold. Mexico had begun its goal of independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. Inspired by the priest Dolores Hidalgo Miguel Hidalgo, it finally achieved independence in 1821. The country today still observes Dolores's historic cry for freedom (Grito de Dolores). Afterwards, Mexico struggled for decades and faced another obstacle by its involvement in the Mexican War, concluded in 1848. Confronted by various internal problems, the Mexican government sought foreign financial assistance, which was provided by England, France, and Spain-all members of a European alliance. Despite these efforts, Mexico soon found itself, however, in the position of being unable to repay its foreign debts, resulting in Juarez's proclamation.2 The three European allies were alarmed by Juarez's decision and reacted by sending shiploads of soldiers to Veracruz, Mexico, in a showdown. Despite the Monroe Doctrine, the Europeans were aware of America's involvement in the Civil War and therefore figured Mexico's neighbor would not intervene. After negotiations with the Mexicans, England and Spain withdrew their forces. France, which had the smallest debt claim, refused to withdraw its troops, undoubtedly because Napoleon III had been given the excuse to exercise his ulterior motive of overthrowing the Mexican republic and establishing a monarchy. Despite English and Spanish protests, the French proceeded to implement Napoleon's plan.3 French troops were dispatched from Veracruz in 1862 to conquer Mexico City. While enroute, the French encountered Mexican resistance at Puebla. Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza's estimated 2,000 poorly equipped and trained troops, with the aid of local civilians and Zacapoaxatla Indians, thwarted the superior French forces of 6,000 cavalry and infantrymen on three attempts to take the city, the last on May 5 (Cinco de Mayo). Not to be undaunted, the French reassembled their troops a year later and with reinforcements of more than 25,000 men, decided to pursue their objective of capturing Mexico City via Puebla. After a two-month siege of their forces at the old Spanish forts of Guadalupe and Loreto, the Mexicans surrendered in May 1863 (Figure 1). Joined by an army of Mexicans, mostly supported by aristocrats who favored a monarchy, the French pushed on to Mexico City.4 Having taken Mexico's capital, Napoleon, with the approval of Mexican conservatives, selected his nephew Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria's House of Hapsburg to be Emperor of Mexico. For three years, Maximilian ruled from the Spanish-built Chapultepec Palace in Mexico City. In capturing more of Mexico, the French army became, however, overextended. …