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Mar 3, 2021 · Cinco de Mayo (which translates to "the fifth of May"), commemorates the Mexican army's defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.
- Cinco de Mayo History
- The Battle of Puebla
- How Long Did The Battle of Puebla Last?
- Cinco de Mayo in Mexico
- Why Do We Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in The United States?
- Confusion with Mexican Independence Day
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 tribe—was elected president of Mexico. At the time, the country was in financial ruin after years of internal strife, and the new president was forced to default on de...
Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a ragtag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either Indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them t...
The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash. Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza’s success at the Battle of Puebla on May 5 represented a great symbolic victory for the Me...
Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely victory occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration. Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla and other festive events. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It...
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. Chicano activists raised awarenessof the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of Indigenous Mexicans (such as Juárez) over European invader...
Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla. Independence Day in Mexico (Día de la Independencia) is commemorated on September 16, the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s famous “Grito de D...
May 4, 2024 · WHAT IT ISN’T. 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 5, 2021 · Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on 5 May every year. What is the meaning behind the date? Cinco de Mayo marks the victory of the Mexican army at the Battle of Puebla, over the French Empire...
May 3, 2022 · On Cinco de Mayo 2023, take some time to learn about the history and meaning of this day of remembrance—and how and where it’s celebrated now.
May 4, 2021 · Updated May 4, 2021. Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. is widely known as a celebration of Mexican-American culture filled with margaritas, tacos and tons of fun. But before you prep an at-home...
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May 3, 2012 · Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates Mexico's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It does not, as many people assume, commemorate Mexican...