In the late 1800s, Mexico was in big trouble. The treasury was nearly bankrupt after fifteen years of civil war and two years fighting the United States. The country owed money to many European countries. The new President of Mexico — a Zapotec man named Benito Juárez — had to halt the debt payments because there was no money to complete them.
Angry with Juárez's decision, Britain, Spain, and France sent troops to Veracruz, Mexico. They demanded the money owed to them. Luckily, President Juárez was able to reach an agreement with Britain and Spain. But Emperor Napoleon III of France refused to talk and settle the debts. He saw this as an opportunity to grow his empire. He soon sent troops to claim Mexican land for France. This forced President Juárez into a war that Mexico was not prepared for: the Franco-Mexican War.
President Juárez quickly rounded up a ragtag army of 2,000 men. They were led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza. The army moved to the small town of Puebla de Los Angeles in the Mexican state of Puebla. The soldiers secured the town and waited for the French to arrive.

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