The 20 Most Fascinating Facts About the History of Cinco de Mayo
There's a lot you may not know about this Mexican holiday!
Cinco de Mayo is a hugely popular holiday in the United States — but if you ask around, you may find that not everyone is exactly sure what they're celebrating, or why. While most people know that the holiday is rooted in Mexican history, there's some misconceptions and false information surrounding the celebration (spoiler alert: Cinco de Mayo isn't Mexico's Independence Day, but more on that later). In reality, there's an incredible history behind the holiday and its traditions that you may not even aware of.
Cinco de Mayo is more than just an excuse to eat amazing food and drink margaritas. So if you want to learn more about the Mexican day of celebration, you've come to the right place. Read on for some fascinating historical facts about Cinco de Mayo that you've probably never heard before.
Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day.
Many people believe that Cinco de Mayo marks Mexico gaining independence as a country, similar to Independence Day in the U.S. Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for May 5) celebrates the Mexican army's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
Mexican Independence Day Isn't Until September
While it does celebrate a national victory, Cinco de Mayo isn't Mexican Independence Day. The actually Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16.
Mexico was the underdog in the Battle of Puebla.
The Battle of Puebla was part of the Franco-Mexican War. One of the reasons it's so significant is because the French army was much larger and more prepared than the Mexican army. They had more weaponry and men at their disposal, but the French still lost the battle to Mexico (though they did eventually win the war).
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Napoleon III had a specific interest in taking over Puebla.
He wanted to turn the Puebla area into a base that would help the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Some historians have argued that had he succeeded, the Civil War could've had a very different outcome.
The Battle of Puebla didn't win the war for Mexico.
Despite winning the battle, Mexico still fell under French control for five years. Emperor Maximilian of Austria was put in charge.
Mexican President Benito Juárez made it a holiday.
The anniversary of the Battle of Puebla was declared a national holiday referred to as “Battle of Puebla Day” or “Battle of Cinco de Mayo” by President Benito Juárez on May 9, 1862. However, it's no longer considered a national holiday in Mexico.
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President Franklin Roosevelt helped bring Cinco de Mayo celebrations to the U.S.
The holiday started to be celebrated in the U.S. after President Roosevelt created the “Good Neighbor Policy” in 1933 to improve relations with Latin American countries.
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But it's been a tradition in California for a long time.
In 1863, Mexican miners in the town of Columbia broke into celebration when they received news that people were resisting French occupancy back home.
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In fact, the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration is in Los Angeles
With huge celebrations like Fiesta Broadway and Cinco de Mayo at Olvera Street, the California city is known for their Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
It has a place in American History
Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, Cinco de Mayo become closely associated with the Chicano rights movement in the United States.
It was recognized as a national holiday in the U.S. in 2005.
Congress issued a resolution recognizing the historical significance of Cinco. They called upon the President (George W. Bush) to make a proclamation for the holiday to be celebrated across the nation.
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Running of the Chihuahuas
Washington DC holds their own Running of the Chihuahuas, a breed native to Mexico.
Mariachi music was created in Mexico and dates back to the 19th century.
Mariachi originated in Jalisco, Mexico, in the 19th century. The musicians would travel from town to town singing songs of revolutionary heroes and enemies, and carrying news from one place to another.
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The traditional dance is called the "Baile folklórico."
Baile folklórico is a traditional Mexican folk dance that dates back to Mexico's 1810 War of Independence, when the country was becoming more nationalistic. It's characterized both by the colorful clothing and mariachi music.
Colorful dresses are often worn.
If you've ever been to a Cinco de Mayo parade or any other Mexican cultural celebration, you've probably seen dancers wearing gorgeous colorful dresses like this one. They're often called "puebla dresses." Today, they incorporate a variety of materials including lace, satin, and silk, but the earliest dresses were made with naturally available materials like cotton, bark, and agave plants.
There's an official holiday dish.
Mole poblano is considered to be the official dish of the holiday because it is traditionally eaten in the town of Puebla. It's a sauce containing chili pepper, chocolate, and spices.
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It's growing in popularity.
Every year, more and more towns across the U.S. plan Cinco de Mayo festivities. It's also extending across the globe to places like Australia, South Africa, and Japan.
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The Cayman Islands go all out.
The Cayman Islands in the Caribbean don't exactly stick to tradition for their celebrations. They hold an annual air guitar competition.
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Vancouver has an interesting way to celebrate ...
Like the Cayman Islands, Canada celebrates in it's own way too. Vancouver does something called a "skydiving boogie" which is an air show that involves aerial acrobatics.
It shares the day with other big moments.
May 5th is also the anniversary of when NASA launched the first American-manned space flight (1961) and the opening of Carnegie Hall (1891).
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Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
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