Cinco de Mayo is more than tacos and margaritas. Here's a look at the history behind May 5

Joyce Orlando, USA TODAY NETWORK
·2 min read
1

Cinco de Mayo has a rich history that doesn't have to do with a night of tacos and margaritas.

For some Americans, Cinco de Mayo has become an excuse to party with little to no understanding of what the Mexican holiday actually celebrates.

Many think that Cinco de Mayo marks Mexico's Independence Day, but it actually marks Mexico's against-all-odds victory against invading French troops in 1862.

So before you crack open a Corona, here's a couple of things to know about what Cinco de Mayo really means to those from Mexico.

When is Cinco de Mayo?

Cinco de Mayo falls on Sunday, May 5 this year.

What does Cinco de Mayo celebrate?

It's not Día de la Independencia, or Mexico's Independence Day, which happened on Sept. 16, 1810, when the country broke free of Spanish rule.

Cinco de Mayo marks battle more than 50 years later when French Emperor Napoleon III wanted to claim Mexico for himself.

On May 5, 1862, in a town just southeast of Mexico City called Puebla, around 2,000 Mexican soldiers faced 6,000 French troops at daybreak. Against the odds and after hours of battle, Mexico was able to fend off the French invasion and May 5 was declared a national holiday in remembrance of the victory at the city, according to Britannica.

Why is Cinco de Mayo so popular in the U.S.?

Cinco de Mayo celebrations do happen in Mexico, especially Puebla, but it isn't the same type of party that happens here in the U.S.

In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has become an annual celebration, the historical significance is not common knowledge among many non-Hispanic people, but May 5 has become a general celebration of Mexican American culture. Starting in the mid 20th century, Cinco de Mayo celebrations were held by Mexican immigrants to encourage a sense of pride in their heritage.

It was in the 1980s when companies began commercialize the holiday, the biggest culprits were the beer companies and restaurants that still offer Cinco de Mayo specials and cocktails.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cinco de Mayo 2024: The history behind the Mexican celebration