Cinco de Mayo has become a big celebration in California. I can't speak for the rest of the U.S., but I'll assume it also applies to Arizona and Texas, as well. I've read, in the past, that Cinco de Mayo was a minor holiday in Mexico - a celebration of a battle victory against the French. I've been told that the origin of this minor holiday as a big event in the U.S. was actually a beer industry marketing success and began in the late '60's or early '70's. Anyone know the facts about this?
Yes, that's true. The day celebrates the victory of the Mexicans over the army of the "Emperor" Maximilian in the battle of Puebla. It's often mistaken for Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually Sept.
In Mexico, there's considerably less fanfare (at least in those parts I've seen) than there is in parts of the US.
No, celebrations in the US began in the '70s as a way for Chicanos to celebrate their heritage. Why that holiday? You'd have to ask them. Beer and liquor companies hijacked the event, though, much to the consternation of many Mexican-Americans. Irish-Americans no doubt feel their pain ;-)
Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the Mexican victory over the French at Puebla on May 5, 1862. While the French eventually re-captured Puebla and ultimately continued to rule Mexico for several more years, the victory by the relatively unorganized and poorly equipped Mexicans over the well organized and well armed French became, and still is, a matter of pride for the Mexican people. Cinco de Mayo isn't really considered a major holiday in Mexico, but in the U.S., and particularly Southwest area with large Hispanic populations, it has become an annual event and excuse for partying, eating Mexican food, and drinking lots of Mexican beer and tequila.
Some historians believe the Battle of Puebla might be more historically significant to US history than Mexican history. The French had plans to use their position in Mexico to supply the Confederate troops during the US Civil War in hopes of destroying the United States, or at least fracturing the Union of states to their advantage. The Mexican victory at Puebla kept the French pre-occupied long enough for the Union army to gain the strength to defeat the Confederate forces.
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