CELEBRATING CINCO DE MAYO IN STYLE
123rf.com
C
inco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May in English, is a Mexican holiday celebrated in some parts of Mexico and the US to commemorate the date of the Mexican’s army May 5th, 1862, victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in a battle known as the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican war. In other words, Cinco de Mayo is the Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla. While it may be a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo had evolved into a commemoration of the Mexican culture and heritage in the US, particularly in areas dominated by Mexican-American communities. However, it’s worth noting that Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration of Mexican Independence Day; rather, it’s a celebration of a single battle won by Mexican forces. A BRIEF HISTORY OF CINCO DE MAYO At this particular time, Mexico was in financial ruin after years of internal strife, which forced the then-president Benito Juárez to default on debt payment to European authorities. Reacting to this, France, Britain, and Spain sent their naval forces to Veracruz to demand the payments. Britain and
