History of Cinco de Mayo

• According to the Public Broadcasting Service website, Cinco de Mayo is closely associated to the French occupation of Mexico. With his nation bankrupt from a series of wars, Mexican President Benito Juarez in the 1860s refused to pay the country's foreign debts for two years in order to strengthen the domestic economy, which caused Spain, Britain and France to send military forces to Mexico to claim what the country owed to them. After negotiations, Britain and Spain left Mexico, but France, led by Napoleon III, remained in occupation.
  
  At the time the French army was considered the strongest in the world, but on May 5, 1862, a poorly equipped Mexican militia of 4,500 men defeated 6,500 French soldiers in Puebla. Although the battle did not put an end on the French occupation, it was humiliating for France and boostered Mexican pride. In 1865, the United States helped Mexico expel the French for good.
  
  

Importance to the U.S.

• The United States was concerned that Napoleon III planned on using Mexico as a way to support Confederate states during the U.S. Civil War. According to the PBS website, the rate of U.S. expansion was threatening to France, and supporting the Confederacy was Napoleon III's best option to try and split the country. When the Mexicans won in Puebla, however, they kept France from supporting the Confederates for at least a year, which was enough to secure the Union's position. Thus, Cinco de Mayo became a day to thank Mexico for significantly contributing to securing the future of the United States.
  
  

American Celebration

• In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular. Throughout the country, many cities celebrate with parades, concerts and other events praising Mexican heritage, particularly along the Mexican border. At schools, teachers focus on activities to help students learn more about Mexican culture and the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
  
  

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico and Worldwide

• In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is mostly celebrated in Puebla, in remembrance of the unexpected victory over the French army. There are, however, a few scattered celebrations throughout the country, but not as elaborate as the event in Puebla, where on May 5 Mexican military forces parade, along with school bands, and food stands and other vendors pack the streets with their goods. Worldwide, however, Cinco de Mayo is not as popular. Marketing strategies, like in the United States, encourage consumers to buy more Mexican beverages and food on May 5. In 2008, for example, Maltese people celebrated the day by drinking Mexican beer.