The annual celebration marks the day when the lesser equipped Mexican military defeated Napoleon III’s superior French army on May 5, 1862, in the battle.
The day’s history can be traced back to 1861, when the then-president of Mexico, Benito Juarez, issued a moratorium on the country’s foreign debt payments, the decision against which Napolean III sent the French army to invade it. But, Ignacio Zaragoza-led poorer Mexican army fought valiantly to defeat the French troops, despite being fewer in numbers.
While Cinco de Mayo is treated just as a minor holiday in Mexico, it is celebrated with great pomp in the US. It is because Mexico’s victory highly encouraged the Latinos of California, who were fighting against the forward march of the Confederate army in 1862, the period during which America was witnessing a Civil War.
Moreover, the celebration became commercialised in the US during the 1980s. According to a California professor of Chicano studies, Jose Alamillo, the current form of the Cinco de Mayo celebration can be credited to US beer companies. Alamillo said that the beer companies utilised and glorified this day to sell their products.
At present, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on a grand scale in the US, especially in Los Angeles. US citizens consider it mainly a celebration of American-Mexican culture.
However, one must not get confused between Cinco de Mayo and Mexico’s Independence Day as they both are related to different events and dates. Mexico’s Independence Day is celebrated on September 16, when the Mexican people first revolted against the Spanish rule in their country.
Disclaimer: This content is authored by an external agency. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.
For all the latest world News Click Here
