Cinco de Mayo is a relatively small national holiday in Mexico and has evolved into a widely celebrated day in the United States. Even though this holiday is generally celebrated across the U.S. it is often confused with Mexican Independence day (Grito De Dolores), which occurred 50 years prior. Cinco De Mayo actually commemorates a battle during the French-Mexican War (1861-1867, the Battle of Puebla. In 1861 Benito Juárez became president of a country in financial ruin, and because of this had to default on debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated and withdrew from Mexico, but France, ruled