Why is Cinco De Mayo So Important?
After all, it is a Mexican holiday; so there must be a compelling reason why Americans celebrate this holiday more widely than do people in Mexico. There are a few different historical and cultural reasons for this and in this article, we’ll give you a little background on why a foreign holiday has become one of the most popular celebrations in the United States. First, let us cover the historical events, which are the basis of the holiday. Cinco de Mayo means “Fifth of May” in Spanish and the holiday commemorates the events of May 5th, 1862 when the Battle of Puebla took place. Despite what many people seem to think, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day, but instead celebrates the victory of the Mexican army under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza over the French at Puebla, despite overwhelming odds. The Battle of Puebla was one of the first major battles of the Franco-Mexican War (also known as the Maximilian Affair, after the Hapsburg prince who Napoleon III intended
