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The fifth of May, a day to celebrate -

The term "Cinco de Mayo" evokes images of one of the best celebrations around. Bright colors, delicious cuisine, and salty margaritas aren't the whole story, though. Cinco de Mayo has a long and storied history behind it.

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The start of Mexican independence? -

It's a commonly held misconception that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. While it does commemorate a Mexican military victory, the original Cinco de Mayo actually occurred nearly two decades and a handful of months after Mexico's independence.

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The real Mexican Independence Day -

Mexican Independence Day, also known as Grito de Dolores, falls on September 16. Although the Spanish army officially withdrew from Mexico on August 24, 1821, the battle for Mexican independence began on September 16, 1810.

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The Cry of Dolores -

It was on September 16, 1810, that Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his church bell for all in the town of Dolores to hear. Hidalgo called for the residents of Dolores and all of Mexico to take up arms against the Spanish occupation. Known as the Grito de Dolores, or the Cry of Dolores, it was this moment that triggered the Mexican War of Independence.

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The Franco-Mexican War -

Decades after Mexico gained its independence from Spain, the infant nation found itself financially crippled by foreign debts owed to a number of European countries, particularly France. When it became apparent that Mexico wouldn't be able to pay off its debts in a timely manner, French troops under Napoleon III, with the support of Britain and Spain, reinvaded the country in 1861.

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Benito Juárez -

Benito Juárez was the indigenous Zapotec president of Mexico from 1858 to 1872. It was Juárez who had officially enacted the two-year moratorium on foreign debt payments that compelled the 1861 invasion. Juárez's uncompromising steadfastness against these new enemies of independence made him a lasting cultural icon of Mexican resilience.

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Ignacio Zaragoza -

General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin was Juárez's top general. His zeal for independence and cunning military skill made him a national hero, a reputation that only grew after he led the Mexican army to victory on the day now known as Cinco de Mayo, in 1862.

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Battle of Puebla de Los Angeles -

In the town of Puebla de Los Angeles, or simply Puebla, Zaragoza's tiny troop of only a few thousand soldiers were up against a seemingly insurmountable force of over 6,500 French troops. As the French army pushed inland from the coastal city of Veracruz, Zaragoza and his men braced themselves in the forts of Puebla for the fight of their lives.

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Battle of Puebla de Los Angeles -

On May 5, 1862, French and Mexican forces made contact. The French army pushed against the fortified Puebla stations numerous times over the course of the day, each time being pushed back by the ill-equipped and far less numerous Mexican defense. By the end of the day, against all odds, Zaragoza's miniscule army successfully pushed the French into retreat, suffering few casualties but taking over 1,000 lives from the side of the invaders.

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A galvanizing victory -

The Battle of Puebla was an immensely moralizing and motivating victory for the troops and civilians of Mexico, and acted as a call to arms across the nation. Victory truly seemed attainable. Unfortunately, the war was not yet over, and Zaragoza's military prowess would soon be gone.

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The death of Zaragoza -

General Zaragoza died only a few short months after the Battle of Puebla, on September 8, 1862. The Mexican hero was only 33 when he succumbed to typhoid fever.

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The rest of the war -

The rest of the war did not go as well for Mexico as the Battle of Puebla. By 1863, the French forces in the country had grown exponentially, and French Emperor Maximilian I replaced President Juárez as head of state. However, just three years later, Mexico, with the help of the United States, once again ejected European forces out of the country in 1866. Maximilian I was executed, and Juárez returned to the presidency.

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Cinco de Mayo today -

The Battle of Puebla has continued to be seen as a shining example of the Mexican spirit and is celebrated every year on May 5, Cinco de Mayo. And the history of the holiday itself has proven to be just as eventful as the day it commemorates.

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Cinco de Mayo in Mexico -

It may come as a surprise to some to learn that Cinco de Mayo isn't widely celebrated across Mexico. In fact, it's not even a federal holiday. While the state of Puebla still holds large celebrations every year, there is a good reason why the rest of the country hasn't remained so enthusiastic.

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The bastardization of Cinco de Mayo -

It was during the three-decade regime of Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz that Cinco de Mayo became a state-sanctioned holiday. Díaz, who ruled with an iron fist from 1884 to 1911, reappropriated the valiant Battle of Puebla, turning it into a celebration of his own draconian values and strict repression of the public. By the fall of Díaz during the Mexican Revolution, Cinco de Mayo was more associated with bitter memories of totalitarianism than the sweet taste of liberating victory.

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Celebrations in Puebla -

In the state of Puebla, where the Battle of Puebla took place, Cinco de Mayo celebrations continue in full strength. Parties, dances, music, and food rule the streets of towns and villages across the state.

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Battle reenactments -

A staple of Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Puebla is the reenactment of the battle that started it all. Residents take to the streets dressed as French and Mexican troops and dance through the ebb and flow of attack, defense, attack, and finally defeat throughout the day.

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Mole poblano -

The iconic mole poblano sauce, an indigenous invention from the city of Puebla, is traditionally served all over the city and its suburbs on Cinco de Mayo. The dark, delicious sauce is made with local chiles and cocoa.

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Cinco de Mayo in the USA -

North of Mexico in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become a much larger and more widely celebrated holiday. Not as closely associated with the Díaz dictatorship, the day has developed its own meaning among Mexican-Americans.

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What Cinco de Mayo means to Mexican-Americans -

Like the residents of Puebla, Cinco de Mayo has retained its spirit of freedom, liberation, and resilience among Mexican-American communities, who have also shown strength and resilience in their unique fight against oppression and racism.

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Columbia, California -

It is said that Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States began in 1863, when news of the Mexican resistance against France reached the mining town of Columbia, in northern California. The Mexican and Mexican-American miners of Columbia, upon hearing the news of their brave countrymen, broke out into song and dance, gave speeches, and shot fireworks and pistols in the air in celebration.

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A Chicano holiday -

Nearly a century later, Cinco de Mayo was reappropriated by the Chicano movement of the mid-20th century. Chicano, once a slur used against poor Mexicans and Mexican-Americans by affluent white Americans, was repurposed by politically conscious people of Mexican heritage who organized against racism and persecution in the US. Chicanos breathed new life into Cinco de Mayo celebrations, using the holiday as a reminder of Mexican pride, strength, and resoluteness.

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Dancing in the streets -

To this day, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated by Mexican and Latinx communities across the United States. These street celebrations are colorful and joyous occasions that celebrate Mexican heritage. Revelers don traditional Mexican garb and dance the day away, particularly in the baile folklórico style, which tells indigenous and revolutionary tales of Mexican heroes and utilizes colorful costumes and dizzying movements.

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Iconic meals -

All along the streets of any self-respecting Cinco de Mayo festival revelers can find heartwarming and satisfying Mexican cuisine. Tortas, enchiladas, gorditas, and, of course, mole poblano are all eaten with enthusiasm and their cooks showered with love and appreciation.

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Joyous mariachi -

Mexico's iconic mariachi bands, commonly consisting of as many as a dozen members, fill the streets with music. Mariachi music was first developed in the Mexican countryside during the 18th century and tells folk tales of romance and revolution.

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The commercialization of Cinco de Mayo -

By the 1980s, money-hungry companies saw a golden opportunity to capitalize on the cultural celebrations of Cinco de Mayo. Before long, numerous beer and tequila companies, night clubs, bars, and restaurants used Cinco de Mayo to sell unprecedented amounts of liquor and club tickets.

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Cinco de Mayo vs. St. Patrick's Day -

The commercialization of Cinco de Mayo opened the celebrations up to just about every thirsty individual in the United States. Today, just about every bar in the country advertises two-for-one margaritas and tequila shots. This campaign was so successful that in 2013, according to Nielsen, US$600 million worth of beer was bought in preparation for Cinco de Mayo, surpassing beer revenue for St. Patrick's Day and even the Superbowl.

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Fiesta Broadway -

Los Angeles's Fiesta Broadway was once known as the largest Cinco de Mayo party in the world, including in Puebla, Mexico. At its height, Fiesta Broadway stretched over 36 blocks of LA's historic Broadway and attracted over 500,000 visitors. As commercial interest in the holiday dwindled, however, attendance dropped as well. In 2015, there were only around 7,000 visitors.

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Cinco de Mayo at large -

Cinco de Mayo is clearly a holiday with a multitude of meanings for various people in various regions. From principled liberation to forced totalitarianism to unabashed commercialism, the fifth of May is a day of many faces. There is, of course, a way to honor all of these traditions: grab your friends, grab some margaritas, celebrate the noble and honorable history of Mexico with respect, and remember the universal and unifying fight for freedom and equality that connects us all as one human community.

Sources: (History) (¡Hola!) (Parade)

See also: Incredible photos of Mexico's many natural wonders

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