... the Mexican holiday celebrated on May 5, is not the Mexican Independence Day, as most people tend to believe. Their actual independence day is celebrated on 16th September.
Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for ‘Fifth of May’, and is a representation of Unity and Resistance for Mexico, when on 5th May 1862, an ill-equipped Mexican Army defeated France, one of the strongest armies of the time.

Cinco de Mayo

... after which France surrendered, losing about 500 troops, became a day of Mexican pride.
Out of the 2000 soldiers who fought in the city of Puebla, Mexico lost about 100.

The All-Day Battle

Even though the Cinco de Mayo holiday has its origins in Mexican heritage and culture, the celebrations are mostly in America, and in the city of Puebla, where the battle was fought. In the 1960s, the food and drink establishments marketed the day as a day to celebrate, and by the 80s, turned it into a major holiday, bigger even than Super Bowl Sunday or St. Patrick&#39;s Day.

An All American holiday

In the United States, the celebrations for Cinco de Mayo are huge, with community organizations, bars and towns feasting in their own way. 
Even the White House took part with some special ceremonies during the George W Bush days. Apart from the US, Australia, Cayman Islands, Canada, and Malta host Fifth of May parties.

Big Time Celebrations

<div dir="ltr">Olivia YoungMay 5, 2018, 17:07 IST</div><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5aeb145619ee8624008b4c0c-1200/cinco%20de%20mayo.jpg" alt="cinco de mayo" width="416" height="288">Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images<UL><LI><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/cinco-de-mayo" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Cinco de Mayo</a> is not Mexican Independence Day, despite popular belief.</LI><LI>May 5 is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, in which the ill-equipped Mexican army defeated France in 1862.</LI><LI>No other country, including Mexico, celebrates the holiday as extensively as the US.</LI></UL><div dir="ltr">Restaurants and watering holes across the country have been stocking up on tequila and taco fixings in preparation for the thousands of Americans who will queue up for margarita specials on May 5. Many, however, won't have a clue what exactly they're drinking to. Advertisement</div>Many Americans are under the false impression that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day, which is celebrated <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mexican-war-of-independence-begins" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">September 16</a>. In fact, the original <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mexican-war-of-independence-begins" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Cinco de Mayo</a>, Spanish for "fifth of May," came 40 years later. Today, the holiday is <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/no-cinco-de-mayo-not-mexican-independence-day-here-s-n567041" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">a representation of unity and resistance</a> to foreign intervention for Mexico, who on May 5, 1862, defeated one of the world's strongest armies at the time. <div dir="ltr">Anticipating the attack, General Ignacio Zaragoza <a href="https://www.newhistorian.com/cinco-de-mayo-anniversary-battle-puebla/6422/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">called on available men</a> to unite and fight for Mexico. After the all-day Battle of Puebla, <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cinco-de-mayo" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">the French surrendered</a> with a loss of about 500 troops. Mexico lost fewer than 100 of the 2,000 men who showed up. Thus, Cinco de Mayo became a day of Mexican pride.</div><div data-pos="10">Advertisement</div>Although Cinco de Mayo is rooted in Mexican heritage and culture, most don't realize that it's a largely American holiday. It's <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/no-cinco-de-mayo-not-mexican-independence-day-here-s-n567041" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">barely celebrated south of the border</a>; only in the city of Puebla, where the battle took place. Actually, the alleged largest Cinco de Mayo festival in the world, the <a href="http://www.fiestabroadway.la/about/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Fiesta Broadway</a>, is held in Los Angeles.Soon after <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cinco-de-mayo-2017-mexico-what-is-it-when-what-happens-how-to-celebrate-a7720331.html" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Latino activists began raising awareness for the holiday</a> during the '60s, restaurants, retailers, and liquor brands seized the marketing opportunity. <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120505-cinco-de-mayo-history-mexican-mexico-american-beer-battle/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">By the '80s</a>, Cinco de Mayo had become a bonafide drinking holiday with cultural undertones. <h2>Cinco de Mayo as an American holiday</h2><div dir="ltr">Today, Americans <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/2016/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-beer-sales-outpacing-st-patrick-day-and-super-bowl.html" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">drink more beer</a> on Cinco de Mayo than Super Bowl Sunday or St. Patrick's Day. In 2015, they spent $735 million on beer during the week of Cinco de Mayo. In 2017, Corona became the first brand to earn permission to use the Times Square New Year's Eve ball, which the beer brand <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/corona-partners-with-josh-duhamel-to-transform-times-square-ball-into-a-lime-for-brand-s-biggest-and-most-unique-cinco-de-mayo-celebration-to-date-1001983083" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">turned into a lime</a> and dropped on May 5.Advertisement</div>Even the White House has held Cinco de Mayo fiestas in the past. Former presidents <a href="https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070504-11.html" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">George W. Bush</a> and <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/05/remarks-president-2016-cinco-de-mayo-reception" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Barack Obama</a> commemorated the bond between the US and Mexico on this day with ceremonies in the Rose Garden and East Room. Cinco de Mayo celebrations are easy to find in the US - <a href="http://www.cincodemayodenver.com/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">community organizations</a>, <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/life/2018/05/04/cinco-de-mayo-nashville-2018-menu-events/580900002/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">bars</a>, and towns across the <a href="https://wtop.com/food-restaurant/2018/05/where-to-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/slide/1/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">country</a> have their own celebrations - but you won't find many donning a sombrero outside of North America. Cinco de Mayo isn't nearly as popular in other countries <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520272132" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">as it is in the US</a>.<div dir="ltr">Australia, however, which often shares a backyard-barbecue-and-beers atmosphere with the US, celebrates the holiday with its own <a href="http://cincodemayo.com.au/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">fiesta in Brisbane</a>.The <a href="https://www.caymancompass.com/2016/04/28/celebrating-cinco-de-mayo-in-cayman/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Cayman Islands</a>, <a href="https://www.westjetmagazine.com/blog/celebrate-cinco-de-mayo-canada" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Canada</a>, and <a href="http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-04-29/news/corona-extra-celebrates-cinco-de-mayo-206946/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">Malta</a> have been known to host parties on May 5, too.Advertisement</div>

Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty ImagesDancers of the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano before performing at the White House on May 3, 2012.Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican

The real history of Cinco de Mayo, and how it's celebrated around the world

Cinco de Mayo

The All-Day Battle

An All American holiday

Big Time Celebrations

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