Cinco de Mayo: What is everybody celebrating?
Ask about the history behind these celebrations, and a few may be able to tell you that the Mexicans defeated an invading French army on that date in 1862. Beyond that — except maybe in Puebla — general knowledge of the circumstances becomes sketchy. Why were the French there? What happened next? Did the French just go away? Many teachers in the U.S. still tell their classes that May fifth is Mexican Independence Day, which is dead wrong.
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Did You Know? Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in USA than Mexico
Why this one? The main reason is that the Battle of Puebla marks Mexico's only major military success since independence from Spain in 1821.
On May 9, 1862, President Benito Juarez declared that the Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, was to be a national holiday. In the U.S., the Cinco de Mayo has been transformed into a much more popular cultural event. read more
2010: a special year in Mexico
