Did you know that…
The Cinco de Mayo holiday is celebrated in a big way in the US, but not so much in Mexico. It still marks a pretty significant moment in history, and is a moment to honor Mexican culture.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s victory over France in the Batalla de Puebla — English: Battle of Puebla — on May 5, 1862, during the Franco-Mexican War.
The battle saw an outnumbered Mexican army defeat a well-equipped and much larger French army in the town of Puebla de Los Angeles.
To honor Mexico’s unexpected victory, on May 9, 1862, President Benito Juarez declared henceforth that May 5 was to be a national holiday. It is still celebrated throughout the country. Though…it’s not “Mexican Independence Day”.
