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Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of a great victory against all odds over the superior French army. Although the victory was short-lived, this victory instilled national pride in Mexicans and...
- 7 min
- 338
- Prof. Anu Mande
- 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 3, 2024 · What is Cinco de Mayo exactly and why don't people in Mexico celebrate it? On Cinco de Mayo 2024, take some time to learn about the history and meaning of this day of...
May 4, 2023 · So what does Cinco de Mayo celebrate? Mexican Independence Day, or Día de la Independencia, came on Sept. 16, 1810, when the country broke free of Spanish rule. Cinco de Mayo came more than 50...
May 18, 2024 · Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that commemorates a battle fought in Mexico on the fifth of May in 1862—a battle that became an unexpected victory for the Mexican army over the French forces. It’s...
- Kelly Kuehn
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo is a jubilant recognition of history, culture, and resilience. Observed on the 5th of May, this festive occasion is often associated with images of colorful parades, lively folk music, and, of course, tantalizing Mexican cuisine.
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Cinco de Mayo (pronounced [ˈsiŋko ðe ˈmaʝo] in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is an annual celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, [1] [2] led by General Ignacio Zaragoza.
