After a series of internal and external wars in the 1800s – including one with the U.S. – Mexico was bankrupt. This, as one would expect, did not please the countries that had made loans to Mexico – and Britain, Spain, and France sent naval forces to Mexico to secure their debts. “It is created to be a safety net for motorists who did not plan ahead when drinking away from home on celebratory holidays”. Cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston celebrate some of the largest Cinco de Mayo festivals in the U.S. The holiday also revels in traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano.
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While the battle was not a major strategic win in the greater war against the French, the success of the Battle of Puebla represented a great success for the Mexican government.
“The event that happened on the 5th of May has no real significance compared to the rest of the handsome Mexican history”, Mitzy-Sarahi Perez, a MEChA student organizer, said in an email to the Sun-Star”. “It’s not a Mexican holiday, not an American holiday, but an American-Mexican holiday”. First, it is an opportunity for Mexican-Americans to celebrate their heritage in a country with more than 33 million Americans claiming Mexican descent.
“In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become synonymous with festive fiestas and salty margaritas”. So over time, this “foreign” holiday has become firmly ingrained in US consciousness; Cinco de Mayo received its own commemorative postage stamp in 1998 and is also customarily observed at the White House. We’re going to celebrate Mexico. “They were concerned about France, which sided with the Confederacy, being on America’s doorstep”. The day commemorates Mexico’s victory against the French during the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
There’s no way to know statistically whether the signs are making a difference, Bruning said.
The Facebook event page for Cinco de Drinko included a picture of four male students in sombreros hopping a chain-link fence while two female students dressed as Border Patrol agents stood nearby smiling. “It is something that extends to cultural and national ties as well as family ties”.
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“Americans who are not Mexican need to think more about educating themselves on Mexican history so that they don’t have the misconception and produce a stereotype that is often portrayed by candidates like Trump”, Herrera said. However, the day is actually a celebration of something else-and isn’t even that popular in Mexico itself.
