Why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the U.S.

Cinco de Mayo is here today!

We celebrate this even though it is not a U.S. holiday. (It actually is, a little. More on that later.) Throughout the year we celebrate other cultures, including Irish history, Finnish Independence Day, German fest, Syttende Mai and Mardi Gras.

In return, some countries celebrate our Independence Day, including making it a national holiday complete with parades and speeches. Foremost among these is Denmark, which has celebrated the 4th of July since 1911, mostly in Jutland's Rebild National Park.

The list is not restricted to independence days and if it was, Cinco de Mayo would be excluded. It is sometimes confused with the Mexican Independence Day, but Mexico’s independence from Spain occurred on September 16, 1810.

There are often deep and rich stories behind historical events. Understanding the context of holidays amplifies our understanding of the event and helps us to understand ourselves and our world. Seeing our world in a larger context can even help us with the future.

We began celebrating Cinco de Mayo in California about 160 years ago, with its large population of Mexican Americans. It is a time to reflect on contributions from our southern neighbors to our history and the 37.2 million Mexican Americans in the country today.

Cinco de Mayo was not considered a national celebration day until the 1980s. The rise in Mexican American population produced a demand for cultural activities that eventually were popularized in non-Mexican cultures.

The holiday celebrates the Battle of Puebla, and the Mexican victory over the French Empire on May 5, 1862. The outnumbered Mexican troops were victorious over Napoleon III, who wanted to establish a French monarchy in Mexico. It is a symbol of strength and pride and it is good to know the reasons behind this celebration.

The year 1862 is important in the United States because it is the height of our Civil War. France under Napoleon III looked at the U.S. war as an opportunity to expand its colonial influence in the Western Hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine had been a statement by the U.S. calling for Europe to stay out; the Civil War was a distraction that could provide France with an opportunity.

Mexico was a relatively new republic at this time and was indebted to Spanish, British and French creditors. A new Mexican president, Benito Juarez, suspended interest payments to those creditors in 1861. According to the Getty Research Institute, "By the late 1850s, years of internal strife had left the young republic of Mexico fractured and deeply in debt to Europe. Seizing an opportunity to expand the French Empire in the New World, Napoleon III invaded Mexico in 1862."

This set off the second Franco-Mexican War, which lasted for five and a half years. The Battle of Puebla came only weeks after France invaded and tried to form a new government to depose Juarez, but the war went on for years longer, including the evacuation of Juarez from Mexico City. It was only after the end of the U.S. Civil War and American brandishing of its military power toward the Rio Grande that Napoleon III cut his losses and evacuated his troops from Mexico.

As you can tell, then, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the more recent history of Mexican independence, not from Spain but from France.

On that note, I wish you a happy Cinco de Mayo, and let us remember the true meaning of the day.

— This is the opinion of Times Writers Group member Barbara Banaian, a professional pianist who lives in the St. Cloud area. Her column is published the first Sunday of the month.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the U.S.