Cinco de Mayo is an annual festival held on May 5 to commemorate Mexico’s military triumph against Napoleon III’s French armies in 1862. In the United States, the celebration is more popular than in Mexico. Cinco de Mayo become synonymous with the celebration of Mexican-American culture over time.

History

On May 5, 1862, 6,000 French forces invaded Heróica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico. The Mexican soldiers, headed by Ignacio Zaragoza, were outnumbered, but they battled valiantly, and the French force withdrew the next morning. Four days later, Mexico’s President, Benito Juárez, declared Cinco de Mayo to be a national holiday. In 1864, the French finally took over Mexico.

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Cinco de Mayo is frequently confused with Mexico’s Independence Day. The most significant national holiday in Mexico, however, is observed on September 16. On September 16, 1810, Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his church bell, sparking the Mexican War of Independence. Cinco de Mayo has evolved into an international festival of Mexican culture, food, and history.

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Celebration in the US

On May 5, 2005, the United States Congress passed a Concurrent Resolution requesting the President of the United States to declare and invite citizens to mark Cinco de Mayo. The surge in enthusiasm for the holiday’s celebration has created advertising for Mexican alcoholic beverages Mexican cuisine is also quite popular. Millions of avocados are consumed in the United States in traditional Mexican dishes such as guacamole.

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Celebration in Mexico

Banners are displayed, and activities promoting Mexican culture, music, and dancing are held as part of the celebrations. School districts frequently arrange programmes to inform and educate children about the significance of the event’s history. Commercial interests may be observed in honouring Mexican products and services, particularly alcoholic drinks, cuisine, and the Mexican traditional music known as mariachi.