Friday, May 05, 2006

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo means ?the fifth of May.? Many people believe it is Mexico?s Independence Day, but that is incorrect. (Mexico?s Independence Day is September 16.) Rather, Cinco de Mayo is the anniversary of a battle that took place between the Mexicans and the French in 1862.

The battle is known as the Battle of Puebla, and it celebrates Mexico?s victory over the French. It also marks a turning point in Mexican national pride. A small, poorly armed group of about 4,500 men were able to stop the French invasion of a well-equiped French army that had about 6,500 or even 8,000 soldiers. The victory made the Mexican people very happy, and helped create a feeling of national unity.

While Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico, it is mainly observed in the state capital of Puebla. However, in the United States, it is becoming a popular holiday to celebrate Mexican culture.

Borrowed from www.kaboose.com

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Cinco de Mayo is also important in US history. If the Mexicans hadn't defeated them at Puebla, that French army was going to march north and bolster the Confederate Army, which may have turned the tide the other way in the Civil War.

And no, the fact that today is also my birthday has nothing to do with my knowing this stuff. :)