Holidays In Mexico

Discover Mexico's vibrant holidays! Learn about Dia de los Muertos, Guadalupe, and Cinco de Mayo.

Background: After Hernando Cortes conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521, Catholic missionaries swept into the area to convert the indigenous peoples. European efforts at evangelism were not always effective, especially when missionaries attempted to introduce the Christian faith and religious practices without alteration or adaptation to indigenous customs. However, the Aztecs did find elements of their own religion in some Catholic rituals. For example, the Aztecs were known (and feared by some other Indian communities) for their practice of human sacrifice. This ceremonial ritual of their religion made them receptive to the idea of consuming the flesh of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Furthermore, the Aztec worship of the goddess Tonantzin was transferred to the veneration of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic faith. Thus, a blending of Aztec customs and Catholic beliefs resulted in a distinctive Mexican religious culture. Within the first decade of Spanish rule, hundreds of thousands of native Mexicans converted to Catholicism. When did Cortez conquer the Aztec Empire? Why were Aztecs feared by other tribes? When did hundreds of thousands of native Mexicans convert to Catholicism? What is Dia De Los Muertos? Watch the video, read the TEXT, and answer the questions that follow El Dia de los Muertos: A common example of the fusion of Aztec and Catholic practices is evident throughout Mexico every autumn during the celebration of El Dia de los Muertos. Observed during the Catholic feasts of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day—November 1 and 2—this traditional Mexican holiday celebrates the two-day return of deceased relatives to their loved ones remaining on Earth. Honoring the dead is a 4,000 year old tradition in Mexico. Since Catholicism has become the dominant religion in Mexico, the festivities surrounding El Dia de los Muertos have absorbed certain Christian practices including the praying of the rosary. However, the observance of this tradition is more celebratory than somber. Death is something to be feared in Mexican culture, but Mexicans receive its threat with humor. Although a typical part of the celebration involves a candlelight vigil and La Llorada ('the weeping"), El Dia de los Muertos is an opportunity to laugh at death. This mockery is evident in the amusing skeletons and specialty foods that adorn the altars to the dead. These altars are erected by family members in cemeteries and can be elaborate or simple. When does Dia De Los Muertos occur? 2. What religion became dominant in Mexico? 3. How do Mexicans “receive” the threat of death? 4. Where do families create the altars for their lost loved ones? The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Watch the video, Read the Text, and answer the questions that follow Our Lady of Guadalupe The Catholic Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe has its origins in December of 1531. A recently converted Indian, Juan Diego, was traveling over Tepeyac Hill—the former site of an Aztec shrine to the goddess Tonantzin—outside of Mexico City. When Juan Diego reported to the local bishop that he had seen the mother of the Christian God on Tepeyac Hill and she addressed him in his native language and asked that a shrine be built for her at the site, Church officials were skeptical. Bishop Zumarraga asked the elderly Aztec to bring a sign of the apparition. Three days later, Juan Diego returned to the bishop and released a bundle of roses from his cloak, on which a colorful image of the Virgin Mary appeared. Stunned by the image and the abundance of roses in the middle of December, the bishop ordered that a shrine be erected. Subsequent bishops embellished the shrine and in 1904 it was given the status of a basilica. Today, Juan Diego's cloak is displayed above the altar in the Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Although other Marian apparitions have been reported throughout the centuries, the Catholic Church has not recognized the validity of every reported sighting. However, numerous popes have supported the authenticity of the appearance of the Lady of Guadalupe. In 1859 her feast day, December 12, became a Mexican national holiday. For a detailed chronology of Catholicism in Mexico. Almost three centuries after Juan Diego's experience on Tepeyac Hill, a makeshift army of Mexican peasants carried an image of the Lady of Guadalupe as they prepared to fight Spanish authorities for Mexico's independence. The following paragraph has missing words from it. Use the word bank to piece together the missing words from the paragraph. Juan Diego was a recently converted Native that reported seeing an image of the Virgin Mary on top of Tepeyac Hill, right outside of Mexico City.Juan Diego's cloak is displayed above the altar in the Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Although other Marian apparitions have been reported throughout the centuries, the Catholic Church has not recognized the validity of every reported sighting. El Grito De Dolores Watch the video, read the text, and answer the questions that follow. El Grito de Dolores: The celebration of Mexican independence from Spain is September 16, the anniversary of El Grito de Dolores. In 1810, two years after Napoleon conquered Spain and placed his brother Joseph on the throne, a Catholic priest in the small central Mexican town of Dolores called together his parishioners, the people who followed him and were considered a part of the church, and rallied them to overthrow the Spanish. The speech of Father Miguel Hidalgo became known as "El Grito de Dolores" (The Cry of Dolores). The Indian peasants of Father Hidalgo's parish were extremely poor people and not the only Mexicans discontent with Spanish rule. The Creoles, Spaniards born in Mexico, were not afforded the same opportunities available to the Peninsulares, Spaniards born in Spain. Thus, Indians were organizing to overthrow oppressive landowners in central Mexico just as the Creoles were planning to overthrow the Peninsulares who were pledging allegiance to the newly imposed French king. The next decade became a bloodbath of class struggle. Father Hidalgo, and subsequently his successor Father Jose Maria Morelos, were captured and executed by loyalist forces. In 1821, however, conservatives aligned with the Indian uprising and Mexico's independence was won. In 1823, Mexico became a republic. Although multiple factions within Mexican society had fought for over ten years, the call for action by Father Hidalgo in 1810 is recognized as Mexico's Independence Day. But Mexico's war for independence would not be the last time the country would battle Europeans on its own soil. Vocabulary Find the definition of the words listed. Vocabulary Word Definition Parishioners discontent Oppressive Creoles The speech of Father Miguel Hidalgo became known as _. Who were the Creoles and why were they important in this event? What is Cinco de Mayo? A Brief History Facts About Cinco De Mayo Watch the video, Read the text, and answer the questions that follow. Cinco de Mayo: In 1861 a three year civil war ended with a victory for Mexico's liberals and the election of Benito Juarez as president. Conservatives, resistant to the reforms of Juarez's government, called on Europe for help. While England and Spain saw an opportunity to demand repayment of debts incurred during the Mexican-American War, which had ended in 1848, France planned to use the turmoil in Mexico as a chance to expand their empire. As Napoleon III sent an army to Mexico, England and Spain abandoned their financial demands. In May of 1862, the French invasion force met the Mexican army at the town of Puebla in central Mexico. After four hours of fighting the Mexicans emerged victorious. The Battle of Puebla proved to be more of a morale boost than anything else, as the French went on to seize the entire country and install the Austrian nobleman Maximilian von Hapsburg as emperor. Juarez's forces continued the struggle against French occupation, and in 1867 Napoleon III gave up and called his army home. Juarez had Emperor Maximilian executed. The anniversary of Mexico's defeat of a formidable French force on May 5, 1862 became a yearly commemoration of heroism, celebrated most fervently in the region of Puebla. Word search To mark a word click its first letter then click its last. FINANCIAL REPAYMENT PRESIDENT CIVILWAR INVASION AUSTRIAN NAPOLEON EMPEROR ENGLAND PUEBLA MEXICO BENITO SPAIN Matching Activity Match the correct sentence with the correct answer! The length of the Mexican Civil War 3 years May 5th, 1862 Commemorates a significant battle during the Franco-Mexican War that took place in a town called Puebla. The country Mexico fought against led by Napoleon France Benito Juarez Mexican President Napoleon French army leader How long the battle at Puebla lasted this long 4 hours Emperor Maximillian He was executed Resisted Benito Juarez's changes The Conservatives