Atlas of Hispanic-American History

Territory, leaving New Mexico with its

present-day borders. The two southwest-

ern territories would join the union as

states a half-century later, in 1912.

Cinco de Mayo

With the United States distracted by the

Civil War, foreign powers were embold-

ened to intervene in Hispanic America in

defiance of the Monroe Doctrine. Spain

regained possession of the Dominican

Republic in 1861, holding it until 1865,

when a combination of popular rebellion

and U.S. intervention forced Spain to

give up the territory again. In 1861 the

liberal government of Mexican president

Benito Juárez (1806–1872) suspended

payments on foreign loans, prompting

France, Spain, and Great Britain to send

troops to Veracruz in pursuance of their

claims. Mexico reached a settlement with

Great Britain and Spain, both of which

withdrew their troops in 1862. But the

forces of French emperor Napoleon III

(Louis-Napoléon) remained, in what

became known as the Mexican-French

War of 1861–1867.

With the support of Mexican conser-

vatives, Napoleon planned to establish a

puppet monarch in Mexico, one who

would be subservient to France. With

that end in view, French forces marched

from Veracruz toward Mexico City. They

were temporarily stopped at the Battle of

Puebla on May 5, 1862, the date that

became known as Cinco de Mayo (Fifth

of May). In that battle, Mexicans under

General Ignacio Zaragoza and Brigadier

General Porfirio Díaz routed the French,

forcing a long delay in their advance

while reinforcements came from France.

The following year, a greatly expand-

ed French army captured Puebla and

Mexico City. In 1864, Maximilian, arch-

duke of Austria, was installed in Mexico

City as emperor of Mexico. Based as it

110 ATLAS OF HISPANIC-AMERICAN HISTORY

French-Controlled Territory in Mexico, 1862–1867

Emperor Maximilian of Mexico

(Library of Congress)

Between the years 1862 and 1867, the French government controlled many of the major

cities in Mexico. In 1864, France installed the Austrian prince Ferdinand Maximilian to

rule as Emperor Maximilian I. His reign was short-lived, however, as the forces of Mexico’s

liberal president Benito Juárez finally retook control of the country in 1867 after France

withdrew its military support for Maximilian.