WHAT IS THE CELEBRATION OF CINCO DE MAYO AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Everything you need to know about the day when Mexican culture is celebrated. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become a cultural phenomenon. It's a moment to honor Mexican culture and, for some, a chance to drink a few margaritas and cervezas. However, it is a holiday that is sometimes misunderstood.
Figure 1: Cinco de Mayo Decor
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican
holiday celebrated on May 5th. Cinco de Mayo is frequently misunderstood as a
celebration of Mexican independence. They are, however, incorrect.
After a young Mexican state
defaulted on debt obligations to European powers, the event commemorates a
failed French invasion.
What do people do in their spare
time?
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated as a
day to honor the culture, accomplishments, and experiences of Mexican-Americans
living in the United States. The day has a strong commercial component, with
businesses advertising Mexican services and commodities, especially cuisine,
beverages, and music. Other components of the day include traditional Mexican
icons like the Virgin of Guadalupe and Mexican-Americans who have gained fame,
money, and influence in the United States.
In the United States'
south-western areas, towns such as Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, San
Antonio, Sacramento, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, and El Paso host some of the
largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations. A major portion of the population in these
cities is of Mexican descent. Many people put up flags, and school systems hold
classes and special events to teach their students about the culture of
Mexican-Americans. Celebrations of regional Mexican music and dancing are organized
in various localities, particularly in Pueblo de Los Angeles.
Life in the Open
In the United States, Cinco de
Mayo is not a federal holiday. Organizations, businesses, and schools are all
open and functioning normally. Public transportation operates on a regular
timetable. Local parades and street festivals may generate traffic congestion
in various regions of some cities, particularly in the Southwest.
Background
Cinco de Mayo officially
commemorates the anniversary of an early victory by Mexican forces over French
forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is not the anniversary of the
defeat and expulsion of the French forces by the Mexicans, which occurred in
1867. It is also not, as is often assumed, the day of Mexico's celebrations of
independence, which are actually held on September 16. It is believed that the
origins of Cinco de Mayo Décor celebrations lie in the responses of Mexicans
living in California in the 1860s to French rule in Mexico at that time.
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