THE HISTORY OF CINCO DE MAYO

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Please drink with historical literacy.  Here are the facts about this holiday.

                Most Americans know that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day and are happy to celebrate with them.  But most Americans are wrong.  Not that that would stop the celebrating.  May 5, 1862 was the date of the Battle of Puebla.  In the early 1860’s, Mexico had a problem with paying its debts to foreign governments.  Emperor Napoleon III of France decided to use this as an excuse to invade Mexico and start a French empire in Central America.  His forces landed at Vera Cruz, forcing President Juarez and his government to flee.  But, in a huge upset, a small, ill-equipped Mexican army defeated the Europeans at the small town of Puebla.  Mexican hearts swelled with pride, but the sad post script was one year later, a much larger French army won the Second Battle of Puebla and Maximilian I was crowned ruler of Mexico.  He did not last long as guerrilla warfare wore the French down and the end of the American Civil War got America refocused on the Monroe Doctrine.  By 1867, the French were out.  Surprisingly, the day was first celebrated as early as 1863, in California where Latinos were enthused with word of the victory and as a way of showing their opposition to the Confederacy which was viewed as friends with France.  It did not really catch on until the 1940’s with the rise of the Chicano Rights Movement.  In the 1980’s, it went nationwide when beer companies latched on to it to increase sales.  I hope they gave the genius who came up with that a big raise.  In Mexico, where it is called The Day of the Battle of Puebla, it is not even a national holiday, much less independence day.  That is September 16.  But at least kids don’t have to go to school.  I hope that does not mean they are drinking beer all day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo

https://parade.com/1025627/lindsaylowe/cinco-de-mayo-facts/

                            The Battle of Puebla