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Natalicio de Miguel Hidalgo, Birthday of Miguel Hidalgo

May 8 – Natalicio de Miguel Hidalgo,  Birthday of Miguel Hidalgo
The 1753 birth of Independence War hero Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla is celebrated annually.

mexican-thousand-peso-hidalgo-0834The image of Miguel Hidalgo is on the Mexican One Thousand Peso banknote. He is called the father of the independence of 1810.  Photo: bigstockphoto.com/natspel

don-miguel-hidalgo-1880
This image was extracted from the book of Vicente Riva Palacio, Julio Zarate (1880) “Mexico through the centuries” Volume III: “War of Independence” (1808-1821)
Source: Vicente Riva Palacio, Julio Zarate (1880) “Mexico through the centuries” Volume III: “War of Independence” (1808-1821) https://commons.wikimedia.org/

Cinco de Mayo

ignacio-zaragoza-500-pesos-2008-3Cinco de Mayo (May 5th)
This holiday celebrates the victory of the Mexican Army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza against French forces in the city of Puebla, on May 5, 1862.

RIght: Image of Ignacio Zaragoza on a 500 pesos Mexico banknote – 2008 – Photo: Joseph A. Tyson

French Intervention Puebla Mexico

French intervention in Mexico: battle in Puebla. Created by Godefroy-Durand, published on L’Illustra.  Photo: Marzolino / bigstockphoto.com

cinco-de-mayo-dancers-4567

A stamp printed in USA shows an image of Mexican Flamenco Dancers celebrating Cinco De Mayo, Mexico independence, circa 1998. Photo: irisphoto3|bigstockphoto.com

Also widely celebrated in the United States. US “celebration” of this Mexican historical event is largely a result of promotions in the US by liquor, beer, and bars/taverns/clubs/restaurants since the 1980s. For many years Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the US promoted Cinco de Mayo as Mexican Independence Day which is actually September 16. Although Mexican citizens feel very proud of the meaning of Cinco de Mayo, it is not a national holiday in Mexico, but it is an official holiday in the State of Puebla where the mentioned battle took place.

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The battle at Puebla in 1862 happened at a violent and chaotic time in Mexico’s history. Mexico had finally gained independence from Spain in 1821 after a difficult and bloody struggle, and a number of internal political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858, had ruined the national economy.

Old engraved portrait of Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria, then Emperor of Mexico. Created ny Schubert, published un L'Illustration Journal Universel, Paris, 1857 by marzolino, Stock Photo 26738045

Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian
BigStockPhoto.com / marzolino

During this period of struggle Mexico had accumulated heavy debts to several nations, including Spain, England and France, who were demanding repayment. Similar debt to the U.S. was previously settled after the Mexican-American War. France was eager to expand its empire at that time, and used the debt issue to move forward with goals of establishing its own leadership in Mexico. Realizing France’s intent of empire expansion, Spain and England withdrew their support. When Mexico finally stopped making any loan payments, France took action on its own to install Napoleon III’s relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.
https://www.mexonline.com/cinco-de-mayo.htm

Photo on right: Old engraved portrait of Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria, then Emperor of Mexico. Created by Schubert, published un L’Illustration Journal Universel, Paris, 1857

 

Heroic Defense of Veracruz, Heroica Defensa de Veracruz

April 21 – Heroica Defensa de Veracruz – Heroic Defense of Veracruz
This holiday commemorates Mexico’s defending itself against the United States of America  occupation of Veracruz, México in 1914.

1914-occupation-of-veracruzThe United States occupation of Veracruz, which began with the Battle of Veracruz, the chief port on the east coast of Mexico, lasted for six months and was a response to the Tampico Affair of April 9, 1914. The incident came in the midst of poor diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States, and was related to the ongoing Mexican Revolution.

Caption reads :”Formal raising of first flag of U.S. / Veracruz 2 P.M. April 27, 1914″ Photograph by Hadsell taken during the U.S. occupation of Veracruz.
Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_occupation_of_Veracruz

The Vera Cruz incident threatened to boil over into a new Mexican War—a conflict desired by neither the United States nor Mexico. Argentina, Brazil and Chile saved the day by offering mediation. The ABC nations arranged a meeting in Niagara Falls, Canada in May 1914, drawing together representatives from the U.S. and Mexico.
https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1074.html

Llegada de 18 barcos estadounidenses para el desembarco en Veracruz
Date:  1914  |  Source: Archivo General de la Nación
Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_occupation_of_Veracruz