ormations, adding statues and gardens. During the Mexican War of Independence, Puebla�s main role was the printing and distribution of the plan for independence. After Independence in 1827, all Spaniards were expelled from the city�s lands.
Modern era
In 1847, the city was taken by U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott, without a shot fired. These forces left in 1848 after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
During the French intervention in Mexico on 5 May 1862 in the Battle of Puebla, defending Mexican forces under Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the French army under Count de Lorencez, which was considered to be the most powerful in the world at the time. The city�s name was changed to Puebla de Zaragoza in 1862, by a decree issued by Benito Ju�rez and the holiday �5 de Mayo� (Cinco de Mayo) is a major annual event here. The city was attacked again by the French in 1863, which succeeded in taking it. French forces left in 1866 and reconstruction began in 1867.
During the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Puebla remained important culturally and economically. It had a thriving textile industry at this time. Immigration from Europe was encouraged and people from Spain, Italy, Germany, France and Lebanon came to live in the city. French influence can still be seen in much of the city�s architecture. The Germans mostly settled in the Humboldt neighborhood where Bavarian style houses and the Alexander von Humboldt German College can still be found. German immigration here was one of the reasons Volkswagen built a large factory just outside of the city, later in the 20th century.
In what became a precursor to the Mexican Revolution, Carmen and M�ximo Serd�n were behind one of the first conspiracies against the Porfirio Diaz government. Their plans were discovered and their house, located on 6 Oriente Street was surrounded by federal troops. A gun battled ensued, killing both brothers on 18 November 1910. During the
