Cinco de Mayo means more than just an excuse to party, eat amazing food, and drink margaritas.Along with raising a toast with amazing Mexican food and drinks, the locals of Mexico organize a parade with people wearing French and Mexican soldier’s uniforms. Also known as the Puebla day, it is the most celebrated holiday of Mexico but is also the least understood. Read on to discover amazing Cinco de mayo facts!Today, this day is more popular in the US than in Mexico City. It was the Chicano activists who raised awareness of this holiday in a movement of inclusivity of Mexican Americans. It is a Mexican holiday that celebrates the Battle of Puebla which took place when Spain negotiated Mexico with France. When the Mexican miners heard about this unprecedented victory of the Mexican army they started this tradition of celebration.The Mexican named it ‘Cinco de Mayo’ because it means ‘Fifth of May’ in Spanish6. Puebla, Mexico, marks this event with re-enactments of scenes from the battle and various festivals. Many people confuse Cinco de Mayo with Mexican independence day which is in September and is also known as ‘Día de la Independencia’. Mexico City was once harshly ruled by Spain. Before Mexican independence, the native Mexicans were oppressed by the Spanish troops. They confiscated their wealth and farmlands and held all the important political posts.After 300 years of oppression, a Catholic priest rang the Church’s bell and delivered a speech demanding an end to the brutal Spanish rule. This resulted in the Mexican War of Independence and it lasted for a decade. Finally, September 16, 1821, became Mexico’s independence Day when the Spanish troop withdrew their forces.This is the day Mexicans around the world celebrate Mexican Independence Day with pomp and grandeur. This also makes September the best month to visit Mexico because of the fiesta-friendly holidays.In Mexico, the Cinco de Mayo celebration is a great event. However, the largest Cinco de Mayo party takes place in the US, especially in cities that have a huge population of Mexican Americans such as Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Chicago. California cities are best known for their Cinco de Mayo celebrations. In fact, Denver celebrates with an estimate of 4,00,000 people attending it for over two days.Mexico celebrates it as a grand celebration with parades and carnival rides. To make the event more fun taco-eating contests are also hosted. As tacos are considered a staple food of this festive party but in Mexico, the most beloved dish of this event is mole poblano. Mole Sauce is a thick, rich red or brown sauce made with chilies, fruit, nuts, seeds, and Mexican chocolate. Along with it, Guacamole is also one of the Mexican food of the event. This is the reason why consumption of avocado sales boomed upwards every year on Cinco de Mayo in the US.Not only in the US but Cinco de Mayo festivities are growing in popularity. It is spreading across the globe to countries like South Africa, Japan, Australia, and more. However, Cinco de Mayo is the perfect way to introduce this immense victory to kids.Once you are done reading Cinco de Mayo facts, why not find out more interesting facts like facts about Ramayana and facts about the mayflower here at Kidadl!Cinco De Mayo HistoryDo we often wonder why Cinco de Mayo is so popular in the US? Is it same as Mexican Independence Day? What’s the history of Franco-Mexican war? Why is the battle of Puebla so special? Well, read on to discover these Cinco de Mayo facts.The history of Cinco De Mayo begins with Mexican President Benito Juárez . When the President suspended the payments of foreign debts France launched a war and it was called the battle of Puebla. The French troops were well equipped but still, Mexicans crushed them in the war.Cinco De Mayo celebrates this heroic victory of an outnumbered Mexican army over the powerful French forces in the battle of Puebla. The French and Mexican soldiers were at war from 1861 to 1867. And in 1867, the confederate army defeated the enemy and made history. And the Mexicans living in California broke into celebrations. These were the gloomy times when America was entangled in the Civil War.Since then, the tradition of celebrating Cinco de Mayo continued in Los Angeles without interruption. However, this victory was short-lived and the French army regrouped and eventually took over Mexico City.After three years in 1865, when the Civil War was over, the US government extended its political and military aid to Mexico to expel the French invasion over them. And with the turn of events, May 5 is observed as an anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the French. This Battle of Puebla was declared a national holiday by President Benito Juárez in Mexico. The day gained nationwide popularity. Today this date is not observed as a federal holiday and more of a minor holiday.‘Puebla calls it ‘Festival Internacional de Puebla’ and gathers national and international artists, musicians, and dancers to celebrate it with pomp and grandeur. But the holiday was passed on from Puebla to California and then to the United States.In the 1900s, the event grew even more and evolved as a celebration honoring the Mexican heritage and culture in Mexican American areas like Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Denver, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Tucson, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, and more. However, in 2005 a resolution was issued by the United States Congress to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with ceremonies and activities.Cinco De Mayo Celebrations150 years old festive, Cinco de Mayo upholds the history of the Mexican victory. Today it is a fun festive that is more about celebrating the Mexican culture and heritage than about remembering the bitter history of war.With pride and achievement, Mexicans used to celebrate it with ancient traditions. The state of Puebla is the largest city in Mexico to celebrate this holiday. The Puebla city celebrates it including military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla, and other reenactments. Puebla hosts the International Mole Festival, a two-day festival to enjoy the fullest.Cinco de Mayo has become a symbolic celebration of Mexican-American culture which is why it is more celebrated in the US than in Mexico. The holiday is celebrated in more than 21 States of America. Particularly friends, neighbors, and family join together to enjoy traditional Mexican cuisine and good tequilas and margaritas.A very important event of this holiday is Cinco de Mayo Parade. On that day, the street is decorated with multi colors, and dancers across the town gather wearing gorgeous colorful dresses often called ‘Puebla dresses’. Puebla dresses are often incorporated with materials such as lace, satin, and silk. The dancers dance throughout the day and Mexico celebrates with joy. A traditional Mexican folk dance called ‘Baile folklórico’ reminds Mexico’s 1810 War of Independence when the country was becoming more nationalistic.Although, the dance is characterized by colorful dresses and music. The folk dancer dance to Mariachi music. Mariachi music was created in Jalisco, Mexico in the 19th century. During Cinco de Mayo, the musicians travel from town to town and sing songs of war heroes and enemies. All over the world, Mexican restaurants bring in Mariachi bands to celebrate this holiday.People of the US celebrate it with tons of food and drinks which include the favorite dish ‘Mole poblano’ also considered as the official dish of the event.Every year, this holiday is growing in popularity and it is celebrated differently in some places. Like in the Islands of Cayman, the festive is not celebrated traditionally. Rather it organizes an annual competition of air guitar. And in Vancouver, it is celebrated interestingly. Vancouver does an air show that involves aerial acrobatics called ‘skydiving boogie’.Cinco De Mayo Observed ByCinco de Mayo is not only a celebration but also a day of remembrance. At one time, it was celebrated widely in all parts of Mexico. Cinco de Mayo was largely observed by Mexicans and people living in former Mexican territories, such as Texas and California. It was also significantly referred to as ‘Mexican St. Patrick’s Day.Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is firstly observed in the state of Puebla where the Mexican army triumphed over the French. However, in the US the observance of this holiday was in California with a huge Mexican-American population since 1863. And after the Presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, the holiday was celebrated in most of the United States as he created the ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ to establish positive relations with Latin American countries in 1933. Today, the largest Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Los Angeles at Olvera Street as Puebla de Los Angeles.Cinco de Mayo was not as popular in the US as it is today. It gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s when the US beer campaign began. The advertisement by beer, wine, tequila companies targeted the Spanish-speaking population which gained interest in the holiday. The beer companies saw the celebratory nature of the fore day and began to promote it throughout the country. Critics observed that the enthusiasm for this holiday depends on the promotion of Mexican alcoholic beverages.Like Mexico and the United States, other places with non-Mexican heritage also observed it as the festival of huge culture and cuisine, and music. Whereas some use it as an excuse to relax with friends and family with tons of food and drinks.Cinco De Mayo Colors SignificanceCinco de Mayo is significant nationally and internationally for several reasons. The Battle of Puebla was significant because merely 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated the well-equipped French Army. However, it is also interpreted that if Mexican wouldn’t have largely outnumbered the French Army then France would have politically won the American Civil War and the destiny of the US would have been different now.Cinco de Mayo is significantly observed in the small town of Puebla today, with re-enacting episodes of the 1862 battle, speeches, and parades. The city today houses a museum and hosts the Mexican flag with significant colors of Cinco de Mayo.The unofficial colors of Cinco de Mayo, green, white, and red come from the Mexican flag. You must be wondering what these colors signify? The answers to Cinco de Mayo facts are here.The red color signifies that Mexico is a religious nation. It also represents the blood of the soldiers who died during the battle.The green color symbolizes hope, specifically a hope of independence and determination to achieve victory. People associated it with the significance of hope and freedom.The white color of Cinco de Mayo signifies secularization. It resembles a sign of purity and freedom. In the present world, it is believed that the white color represents unity or as a ‘band of unity’.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 25 amazing Cinco De Mayo facts and historical significance revealed then why not take a look at why do woodpeckers peck wood? And how to avoid woodpecker’s pecking, or why do worms come out when it rains? fun ground worm facts for kids!
Cinco de Mayo means more than just an excuse to party, eat amazing food, and drink margaritas.
