worldculturenet.com

Cinco de Mayo

The “Fifth of May,” is a holiday that is widely celebrated in the United States both by people of Mexican background and by Americans regardless of their ethnic origins. In Mexico, it’s not that big a deal. Similar to St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that is more widely observed in the U.S. than in its country of origin. It has become a day that features parades, music, dancing and parties that celebrate Mexican culture and food.

Cinco de Mayo is often mistakenly thought to be the Mexican Independence Day, which actually takes place on September 16th. Instead, the date commemorates the anniversary of a battle, the victory of a poorly equipped army of Mexican forces over the French occupational forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The day is a national holiday in Mexico, and is celebrated the most in the areas around the town of Puebla.

Celebrations in the United States have evolved to include traditional Mexican symbols, such as the Virgin de Guadalupe, as well as prominent American Mexicans, such as Cesar Chavez. The Battle of Puebla is symbolizes a shared struggle for independence common to both America and Mexico. In fact, had General Zaragoza’s 5,000 troops not won against the French during the time that the United States was involved in the Civil War, the presence of a French occupying force might have changed the course of American history as well.

In strongly Latino areas of the United States, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the culture that combines a Mexican heritage with American culture. Communities display banners, schools hold special events to educate students, and festivals feature Mexican folk dancing and mariachi music. Sponsors and advertisers have jumped on board, giving the holiday a rather commercial feel in many places.

The Battle of Puebla itself certainly deserves to be commemorated. The French occupation of Mexico took shape after the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. In the 1850’s, after years of war, Mexico faced a financial crisis and, in 1861, President Benito Juarez announced a two-year suspension of foreign debt payments, promising that payments would resume after this period. The English, Spanish and French refused this offer and instead invaded Mexico to collect payments by force. The Spanish and English eventually withdrew, but the French continued their occupation, intending to create an Empire under Napoleon III. Some argue that this was a French strategy to contain America’s growing power and prosperity. In 1862, the French army began its advance and was met by General Ignacio Zaragoza and 5,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians at Publa, about 100 miles east of Mexico City. Due to some poor strategic maneuvers on the part of the French, and some plucky moves on the part of the Mexicans, the French army was defeated in what came to be known as the “Batalla de Puebla” on the fifth of May.

Popularity: 6% [?]