Download Mexican Independence Day Sheet

Nombre: __________________________
Fecha _________
Mexican Independence Day
Every morning a priest named Miguel Hidalgo would ring the bell in his church. The people of
his parish were used to hearing the bell. But, on the morning of September 16, 1810, they heard
something unusual. As Father Hidalgo rang the bell that morning he shouted “Viva la Independencia!
¡Viva México!”
Father Hidalgo’s cry for Mexican Independence started a long fight for freedom from Spain.
His words (called El Grito de Dolores) spread all over México. He tried to lead a Mexican war for
independence. But in 1811 he was captured by the Spanish and shot as a traitor.
Today, Miguel Hidalgo is remembered as the Father of Mexican Independence. And the
Mexican people celebrate his famous shout on September 16th as Mexican Independence Day. Every
year the president of Mexico rings the very same bell that Father Hidalgo rand in 1810, and the
president repeats El Grito de Dolores.
To show pride in their country on Independence Day, Mexicans fly the flag and sing the
national anthem, “Mexicanos al Grito de Guerra.” In each city and town, crowds gather in the zócalo
(town square). Flags and wreaths of flowers drape the buildings. Confetti and paper streamers fly
everywhere.
Some towns add still more noise and color with a torito. A torito is a little toy bull made of
wire, paper, and straw. Attached to the toy are firecrackers, sparklers, and pinwheels. A child
carries the torito on their shoulders, and as they dash through the streets, sparks go shooting in
every direction.
One of the big events of Mexican Independence Day is the National Lottery. Because the
lottery tickets are so inexpensive, almost everyone can buy a chance to win the top prize. The lucky
person who wins becomes an instant millionaire! The winning ticket is drawn from a gigantic
container in México City. But nearly everyone in Mexico watches on television or listens to the radio
to see who will win. The Lottery helps bring Mexicans together as they celebrate their
Independence Day holiday.
How is Mexican Independence Day similar to our Independence Day here in the United States?
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How is it different?________________________________________________________
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What did you find interesting about this article?___________________________________
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Banco de palabras:
La bandera- the flag
Una serpiente- the snake
Una leyenda- a legend
El emblema- the emblem
El pico- the beak
Los aztecas- the Aztecs
El centro- the center
Está posado- is perched
Un águila- the eagle
Un cacto- a cactus
La bandera de México es de tres colores, verde(__________), blanco(_________), y
rojo(________).
Hay un emblema en el centro de la bandera.
En el emblema hay un águila con una serpiente en el pico.
El águila esta posada en un cacto.
Este emblema es de una leyenda de los aztecas.
The Flag of Mexico was adopted in 1968, but Mexican flag history really goes back over 600 years
earlier than that. In the early 1300s, the wandering tribe of Mexica people was looking for a home.
Persecuted and cast out from other nations. They believed that their god, would show them a sign to guide them to their new settlement. The Mexica people (who would become part of the mighty
Aztec Empire) believed that they would see an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus, and that's
where they would build their new city. According to the legend, the Mexica people did indeed see
the sign - but it was on an unlikely spot, a small, swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Just
as the Mexican people still are today, the Mexicans were resourceful. They invented the chinampas
system, which allowed them to create small garden islands, which would eventually help to dry out
the land. As it dried, they built. This is how the city of Tenochtitlan was born.