All About Cinco de Mayo – Vine Vera Reviews

Most Americans look at Cinco de Mayo as an opportunity to enjoy margaritas, tequilas and Mexican food. However, Cinco de Mayo is so much more than that. Vine Vera helps you understand all you need to know about Cinco de Mayo.

Contrary to what most people believe, Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, celebrates the victory achieved by the Mexican Army over France in the Battle of Puebla that took place during the France-Mexican War. The festival is considered to be relatively minor in Mexico, but has managed to grow into a full blown celebration of the Mexican culture in the US. Cinco de Mayo celebrations traditionally include mariachi music performances, parades as well as exciting street festivals.

History
In the year 1861, Benito Juarez became the president of a country that was heading towards financial collapse. As a result, he was forced to default on the debts owed to many European governments. This forced Spain, France and Britain to send their naval forces as a means of demanding reimbursement. Spain and Britain both managed to negotiate successfully and withdrew their naval threat, but France saw this threat as an opportunity to extend its empire. This led to the storming of Veracruz in the year 1861, and forced the Mexican government to retreat. The French were extremely confident of their victory and sent close to 6000 men to attack Puebla. In response, Juarez rounded up 2000 of his men and sent them under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza to prepare for the upcoming French assault. The battle took place on May 5, 1862 and resulted in the death of 500 French soldiers, compared to the death of less than 100 Mexicans. This victory wasn’t a strategic win, but it bolstered the resistance movement and offered a huge symbolic victory to Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is held to celebrate this symbolic victory.

The Celebrations in Mexico
Cinco de Mayo is mostly celebrated in Puebla, where the unlikely triumph actually occurred. The traditional celebrations include a recreation of the Battle of Puebla, festive events and military parades. However, most Mexican banks and stores remain open on Cinco de Mayo and it isn’t a federal holiday either.

The Celebrations in the US
Cinco de Mayo offers Americans a chance to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture, particularly in areas which have large Mexican-American populations. The most common celebrations include parties, folk dancing, traditional food items, parades and mariachi music. Cities like Houston, Los Angeles and Chicago are known to host the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the US.