The Battle of Puebla was significant to the Mexicans because it represented a symbolic victory against the French army, which was considered one of the most powerful military forces in the world at the time. The battle occurred on May 5, 1862, when a poorly-equipped Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, defeated a much larger and better-equipped French army that was attempting to invade and establish a French empire in Mexico. The victory gave the Mexican people a sense of national pride and served as a rallying cry for resistance against foreign intervention. Today, the date is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo, a national holiday in Mexico, and has also become a popular celebration in Mexican-American communities in the United States.