Why is cinco de mayo celebrated

It's May, which means it's time for one of the United States' most misunderstood holidays: Cinco de Mayo. But at least there will be great food and drink to make the misunderstanding more tolerable. The name in Spanish means "May 5.

Cinco de Mayo is one of the "holy grails," falling on a Friday — when most people don't need to work the next day. Leap Year Day in means that year's holiday jumps straight to Sunday. First of all, it's not Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually celebrated Sept. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles , Chicago and Houston.

Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. Mexico had just gotten over a civil war in The so-called War of the Reform broke out in soon after liberals drafted a new constitution aimed at reducing the power and influence of the Catholic Church.

During the armed conflict, Mexico had two governments: a There can be confusion over the origins of Cinco de Mayo. In her position, she enjoys conducting oral history interviews, doing day-to-day research, and especially genealogy research. She enjoys the thrill of connecting people to their past. She's an adrenaline seeker of a unique kind.

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