Cinco de Mayo

The morning sun was hot in the town of Puebla, Mexico. It was May 5, 1862. Mexico was at war. The French army had been in Mexico for almost a year. The French king, Napoleon III, wanted to rule Mexico. This period is called the Franco-Mexican war.

A Mexican leader named General Zaragoza had troops in the area. He saw the French army closing in. The French marched toward Puebla. Zaragoza needed to protect towns and villages. If the French army controlled the towns, it would help them in the war.