Cinco de Mayo is an annual celebration held on May 5 that commemorates Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The day is celebrated with parades, parties, mariachi music, and traditional Mexican food and drinks. While it is often mistakenly thought of as Mexico’s Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo actually marks an important battle in defending Mexico’s sovereignty and developing national identity.
When did Cinco de Mayo start?
Cinco de Mayo originated with Mexican communities in the American West and Southwest during the 1860s. At that time, the French had invaded Mexico, attempting to collect debts Mexico owed France. A well-equipped French army marched on Mexico City, confident they would win. But on May 5, 1862, Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza fortified the city of Puebla and managed to defeat the French army, which was twice their size. This victory was considered monumental, as the French went on to conquer Mexico City the following year, in 1863.
While the Battle of Puebla was not a decisive win in the overall Franco-Mexican War, it came to symbolize Mexican resistance to foreign domination. As Mexican migrants settled in the U.S., they brought the tradition of celebrating Cinco de Mayo with them starting in the 1860s. In the years that followed, the holiday took on special significance both as a way to express Mexican cultural pride and solidarity amongst Mexican-Americans during times of intense discrimination.
How did Cinco de Mayo become popular in the US?
In the 1960s and 70s, Cinco de Mayo grew in popularity thanks to the Chicano Movement. The holiday was seen as a chance to reinforce Chicano identity and celebrate Mexican-American culture at a time when Mexican-American civil rights were an important issue. The holiday gained more mainstream popularity in the 1980s and 1990s as beer companies began promoting it to sell more Mexican beers like Corona. Today, major corporations see Cinco de Mayo as a marketing opportunity to sell tacos, tequila, and other Mexican-themed or Spanish-language products in the United States.
Where is Cinco de Mayo celebrated?
Cinco de Mayo is most widely celebrated in Mexico and the United States. The holiday is an especially big event in cities with substantial Mexican-American populations like Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago. Thousands participate in Cinco de Mayo parades and parties in these cities each year.
While Cinco de Mayo is celebrated to a lesser extent in other parts of Mexico, the main celebrations are in the state of Puebla. The town of Puebla reenacts the famous battle and holds festivals and fireworks. In Mexico City, military commemorations are held at the Campo Marte.
| Country | Type of Celebrations |
|---|---|
| United States | Parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican food |
| Mexico | Battle reenactments, festivals, fireworks (mainly in Puebla) |
What food and drinks are traditional for Cinco de Mayo?
No Cinco de Mayo party is complete without some classic Mexican cuisine and beverages! Some of the most popular items associated with the holiday include:
- Tacos – Chicken, steak, carnitas, and al pastor are some taco meat filling options.
- Quesadillas
- Guacamole
- Nachos
- Margaritas
- Mexican beer like Corona, Modelo, Pacifico, Victoria, or Dos Equis XX
- Tequila shots
- Tamales
- Churros
- Tres leches cake
- Jarritos Mexican soda
Dishes like fajitas, mole sauce, paella, and chilaquiles also make good options. Playing upbeat mariachi music in the background sets the festive mood. ¡Que viva la fiesta!
What is the significance of Cinco de Mayo?
For Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of cultural heritage, national pride, and freedom from imperial domination. The holiday marks Mexico’s victory over France at Puebla and celebrates Mexico’s defeat of a European colonial power.
More broadly, Cinco de Mayo has come to represent Mexican contributions to American society and culture. The holiday highlights Americans’ appreciation for Mexican food, music, dance, art, and more. It also emphasizes the role of Mexican-Americans in the USA and their struggles for justice throughout history.
For many Americans today, Cinco de Mayo is also simply an excuse to indulge in Mexican food, drinks, and parties. While this commercialization has watered down its political origins, Cinco de Mayo remains an important cultural celebration.
Is Cinco de Mayo Mexico’s Independence Day?
No, Mexico’s Independence Day is celebrated on September 16, not May 5. September 16 marks Miguel Hidalgo’s famous “Grito de Dolores” call for revolution in 1810, which kicked off Mexico’s War of Independence from Spain.
Cinco de Mayo simply celebrates Mexico’s victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While both holidays celebrate key moments in Mexico’s autonomy as a nation, Mexican Independence Day is a much more patriotic and widely celebrated event in Mexico than Cinco de Mayo.
How has the meaning of Cinco de Mayo changed over time?
Cinco de Mayo was originally a holiday celebrated by Mexican-Americans in the American West during the 1860s. It commemorated Mexico’s symbolic victory over France and represented Mexican cultural pride.
In the early 1900s, Mexican-American activists transformed Cinco de Mayo into a political celebration promoting Mexican-American rights and heritage. When the Chicano Movement arose in the 1960s-70s, activists used Cinco de Mayo to stress Mexican-American pride and empowerment.
Over time, capitalism and marketing diluted Cinco de Mayo’s political message. U.S. companies saw Cinco de Mayo as a money-making opportunity. They commercialized the holiday by linking it to drinking and partying. Today it is more apolitical, focusing on Mexican culture, food, and fun.
How widespread are Cinco de Mayo celebrations globally?
| Region | Extent of Celebrations |
|---|---|
| Mexico | Widely celebrated, especially in Puebla |
| United States | Major celebrations, particularly in Southwest and West |
| Canada | Celebrations in cities with Mexican populations |
| Rest of Americas | Little to no celebrations |
| Europe | Minor celebrations among Latino communities |
| Asia | Very limited celebrations |
As shown in the table above, Cinco de Mayo is most widely celebrated in Mexico and the United States. Within the U.S., cities like Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago and San Jose with large Mexican-American communities hold big Cinco de Mayo festivals and parties. Some celebrations also occur in Canadian cities with Mexican immigrant populations.
The holiday is barely recognized in Latin America outside of Mexico. Only minor celebrations occur in a few Latin American countries with small Mexican immigrant communities. Across Europe and Asia, there is very limited awareness of Cinco de Mayo except among some Latino diaspora groups.
What are common misconceptions about Cinco de Mayo?
Here are some of the biggest misconceptions about Cinco de Mayo:
- It is Mexico’s Independence Day (this is actually September 16)
- It’s a major national holiday in Mexico (it’s a minor regional holiday)
- It celebrates Mexican culture (it actually commemorates a military victory)
- It’s primarily a day for drinking and partying (political origins were downplayed over time)
While Cinco de Mayo is enthusiastically celebrated in the U.S., especially by alcohol companies, its meaning in Mexico is more limited to the state of Puebla. Marketers have excessively commercialized the holiday and spread misconceptions about its historical and cultural importance.
Conclusion
Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s unlikely military victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The holiday originated in Mexican-American communities in the U.S. as a symbol of Mexican culture and freedom. Over time, Cinco de Mayo evolved into a celebration of heritage for Mexican-Americans and Latinos in the United States. However, capitalism and marketing obscured its political origins in favor of partying and drinking. While Cinco de Mayo has been commercialized, it remains an opportunity to appreciate Mexican contributions to American society and culture.
