Cinco De Mayo

While the United States was fighting the Civil War, citizens of the newly established Mexican government were battling the heavily armed forces of the French. Against all odds, Mexico won this battle on May 5, 1862. Through more battles needed to be won before Mexico was truly free, today both Mexicans and Americans remember this important victory by celebrating Cinco de Mayo. To find out more, use the direct links on the Times Launchpoint Web site: http//www.latimes.com/lauchpoint/

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Explorer’s Quest

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

Mexico’s President Benito Juarez turned to what U.S. president for help in his county’s war with the French?

Clue: See the Significance of Cinco de Mayo

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Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 40 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

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Answer to last week’s Quest: Emotions is the secret to cartooning.

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Level One

Origin of Cinco de Mayo: This brief, illustrated account describes the events leading to the Battle of Puebla. Find out about Benito Juarez, considered one of Mexico’s greatest heroes.

https://128.123.31.49/vista/est/m5/-hstry.html

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Celebrate the Cinco de Mayo: Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day; that happens to be Sept. 16. Learn why Cinco de Mayo is an important day in Mexican history.

https://www.ondanet.com:1995/tejano/tejads/MiGente/April/CincoDeMayo.html

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On Cinco de Mayo, be “Mexican” for a Day: Read a dramatization of how Gen. Ignacia Zaragoza, his soldiers and the townspeople of Puebla defeated a far larger and better-equipped French army. Lean about Cinco de Mayo celebrations and how to make you own pinata.

https://www.projo.com/special/cincode/main.htm

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Level Two

El Barrio de la Misi: Lean three reasons why the Cinco de Mayo battle is still remembered today.

https://www.kqed.org/ fromKQED/Cell/Calhist/cinco.html

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Cinco de Mayo de 1862-La Batalla de Puebla: Napoleon III, emperor of the Second French Empire, not only wanted to collect the money that Mexico owed France but also wanted to set up a monarchy that would rule Mexico, Central America and South America. Find out how these plans led to the Battle of Puebla.

https://www.nacnet.org/assunta/spa5may.htm

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THe Significance of Cinco de Mayo: Learn about parallels in the careers of Benito Juarez and Abraham Lincoln and how France’s attempt at expanding its empire to North America affected Mexico and the United States.

https://www.cincodemayopdx.com/sig.html

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Level Three

History of Mexico: Social History 1824-1867: Trace the pivotal role Benito Juarez played in Mexico’s history and learn about the social, political and cultural events that led to the French invading , but finally leaving Mexico.

https://www.emayzine.com/lectures/MEX4.html

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History of Maximilian and Carlota: Learn how two foreigners--Maximilian and Carlota of Austria--were deceived by French monarch Napoleon III into thinking that the people of Mexico wanted them to rule their country.

https://www/grandopera.com/ hc.html

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Holiday? Although Mexico beat the French in the Cinco de Mayo victory, the French won other battles. Read how Benito Juarez and his troops finally defeated the French.

https://teamball.sdsu.edu/daztec/archive/1996/05/01/file001.html

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This week’s column was designed by Anna Manring and Stan Woo-Sam.