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Friday, May 4, 2012

Cinco de Mayo


Tomorrow is May 5th, or as some of us prefer, Cinco de Mayo. There will be the annual celebration at Festival Plaza and a lot of people will have a great time and eat some great food.
But how many of us know what Cinco de Mayo is really about?
One local tourist site says that it ‘celebrates popular Mexican holiday’.
Well, not exactly. You see, Cinco de Mayo has taken on a lot more significance in the US than it ever has in Mexico, where it is not a national holiday.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when the Mexicans defeated the French. Napoleon III had sent an expeditionary force to protect French interests and collect some debts owed by the previous Mexican government.
Despite the victory in 1862, at the 2nd battle of Puebla in 1863 the Mexicans were defeated and the French marched on to Mexico City. When they got there, they installed Hapsburg Archduke Maximilian as the Emperor of Mexico.
So what was the significance to the United States? Well, at this time the Civil War was raging, and the federal government feared that the European powers would intervene on behalf of the confederacy. The last thing they wanted was a French foothold in Mexico and a government on the southern border that would aid the rebels in their cause.
The battle at Puebla in 1862 set the French back enough to remove that fear, and so the temporary victory benefited the US government.
Besides, we all love a good party, so get out and celebrate tomorrow!
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11 comments:

  1. SteveMay 4, 2012 at 11:35 AM

    Thanks Jim for clearing that up. I always thought Cino De Mayo was time of rememberance when a ship loaded with mayonnaise that was heading for Mexico sank off the coast of Veracruz.

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  2. JimMay 4, 2012 at 6:07 PM

    Heh

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  3. Donna B.May 4, 2012 at 10:07 PM

    Cinco de Mayo is a good reason to party, but May the 4th be with you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. wheelerMay 5, 2012 at 9:18 AM

    today is also the kentucky derby, so i don't know whether to have mint juleps or margaritas.

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  5. AnonymousMay 5, 2012 at 9:31 AM

    Wheeler, just go with both

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 5, 2012 at 9:31 AM

    Wheeler, just go with both

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousMay 5, 2012 at 9:31 AM

    Wheeler, just go with both

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMay 6, 2012 at 2:45 AM

    ^^^^

    Or all three of both makes a six pack. Hope it was a good one. It was here.

    ReplyDelete
  9. SteveMay 6, 2012 at 4:23 PM

    Just finished celebrating Seis De Mayo with an old traditional Mexican siesta!

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousMay 8, 2012 at 9:52 PM

    Somebody tell me did the Iguana see his shadow?

    ReplyDelete
  11. DavidMarch 31, 2015 at 9:47 PM

    I love this day

    ReplyDelete

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