For a lot of people, Cinco De Mayo means fiestas, tacos, and margaritas. However, did you know about the story that led to this widely celebrated day? The United States may not have become a nation as it is now without this historic day.

May 5, Independence Day?

As part of wolrd history, everyone should know that Cinco De Mayo is not the independence day of Mexico. That is instead celebrated on September 16, commemorating the Cry of Dolores, which initiated the war of Mexican independence from Spain.  However, this does not mean May 5 it is not an important day. The history of this fateful day significantly affected the entirety of North America.

Struggling Economy

The struggling economy of Mexico was entered for the second time by the French. During that time, the French were hoping to attain control over Mexico under Napoleon III's rule. Charles de Lorencez, the French General, led his army to the capital of Mexico. Lorencez's army intended to bring down the president, Benito Juarez.

However, his plans were ruined as they had encountered strong resistance. This had resulted in the Battle of Puebla that occurred on May 5, 1892. Despite the Mexican Army is only half the total number of the French army, it was able to proclaim victory over the opponent at Puebla.

The Mexican army proclaimed victory under the leadership of Ignacio Zaragoza. Puebla is a city located 70 miles from Mexico City. After four days, Juárez declared May 5 or Cinco de Mayo a national holiday in the country.

Affecting the History of the United States

Even if the battle was not a significant win and the French were able to conquer Mexico in 1864, it served as the inspiration of resistant groups during that period. This led to the country making alliances with the Americans, which resulted in the Napolean's forces fleeing the country.

It is believed that the French would have helped the Confederacy during the Civil War, thus the resistance groups in Mexico changed the history of the United States of America.

In California, Pro-union Mexican-U.S. citizens celebrate Mexico's victory during the Battle of Puebla. They perceive that event as a victory for the cause of the union. It was later formalized and spread across California and was celebrated yearly not only in California but also by Mexican-Americans from different parts of the world.

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A Minor Mexican Holiday

Despite being widely celebrated across the United States and different parts of the world, Cinco de Mayo was a minor holiday in Mexico. However, due to its growing popularity and wide-ranging celebration, it had transformed into a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture in different locations with a vast population of Mexican-Americans. This had contributed to it being a big holiday in the United States, where even people with no Hispanic heritage also love to participate.