Happy Cinco de Mayo from the Jefferson County Post!
May 5 is Cinco de Mayo, a day often considered to be Mexico’s Independence Day. This is a misconception, however. Cinco de Mayo is the remembrance and celebration of Mexico’s victory at the Batalla de Puebla (Battle of Puebla) over the oppressive French forces, while El Grito de la Indepedencia (The Cry of Independence) is held on September 16. Following the defeat of Mexico in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), Mexico was economically devastated. To build the economy, President Benito Juarez issued of moratorium on July 17, 1861 that would halt all payments to foreign powers for two years. Since Mexico was deeply indebted to Spain, France, and England, the moratorium almost led to a multi-front war. Spain and England were successfully negotiated with, though the French, led by Napoleon III, would quickly invade. The famous battle of the French invasion was the Battle of Puebla, where 8,000 expertly trained French soldiers and loyalists fought against 4,000 Mexican loyalists, led by Ignacio Zaragoza. This victory against incredible numbers and expertise gave Mexicans a substantial morale boost, and was a major contributing factor to France’s complete withdrawal six years later.
Following the Battle of Puebla, Cinco de Mayo has always been a day of Mexican pride, though it isn’t a national holiday in Mexico: the holiday is much more popular worldwide than in Mexico, itself. Still, schools nationwide are let out for the day in celebration, and has been celebrated in California since the late 19th century. Over the last two decades, Cinco de Mayo’s popularity has spread worldwide, especially in the United States, where communities hold celebrations of Mexican cuisine, art, history, and remembrance.
