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Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken for Mexican Independence Day—the most important national holiday in Mexico—which is celebrated on September 16, commemorating the Cry of Dolores in 1810, which initiated the Mexican War of Independence from Spain.
Oct 23, 2009 · Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, a popular misconception. Instead, it commemorates a single battle. In 1861, Benito Juárez—a lawyer and member of the Indigenous Zapotec...
May 4, 2024 · Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, Mexico’s most important holiday. Mexicans celebrate their country’s independence from Spain on the anniversary of the call to arms against the European country issued Sept. 16, 1810, by the Rev. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in Dolores, Mexico.
May 3, 2024 · In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration but a day of remembrance, commemorating Mexico’s victory over the French during the 1862 Battle of Puebla.
- Jesse Greenspan
- Mexico had just gotten over a civil war in 1862. The so-called War of the Reform broke out in 1858 soon after liberals drafted a new constitution aimed at reducing the power and influence of the Catholic Church.
- European troops invaded because Mexico was broke. After the War of Reform, Mexico had virtually no money in its treasury and owed tens of millions of dollars to foreign debtors.
- France was considered extremely potent militarily when it attacked Mexico. In 1862, the French had one of the best armies in the world. Arriving at Puebla on May 4, they were coming off a series of victories in Southeast Asia and Northern Africa and were loaded with firepower, including long-range rifles that put the Mexicans’ creaky muskets to shame.
- After losing the Battle of Puebla, France went on to win the war. Mexico’s victory at Puebla slowed, but did not stop, France’s assault. In the wake of the battle, an infuriated Emperor Napoleon III ordered that almost 30,000 more troops be sent to Mexico.
Oct 26, 2024 · Cinco de Mayo, holiday celebrated in parts of Mexico and the United States in honor of a military victory in 1862 over the French forces of Napoleon III. It should not be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which falls on September 16 and was established in 1810.
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Sep 14, 2023 · Mexican Independence Day, celebrated on September 16th, honors the beginning of Mexico's fight for freedom from Spain. Cinco de Mayo, on the other hand, is observed on May 5th and celebrates the Mexican army's unexpected victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla.
