Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Happy Cinco de Mayo!


Since today is Cinco de Mayo, I thought a little history lesson is in order. Cinco de Mayo is a regional holiday in Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico.The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5,1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza SeguĂ­n. The outnumbered Mexicans defeated a much better-equipped French army that had not been defeated in almost 50 years.
Cinco de Mayo is not "an obligatory federal holiday" in Mexico, but rather a holiday that can be observed voluntarily.
While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. A common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day, which actually is September 16, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico. I hope everyone gets to enjoy some yummy food and learn a little something along the way! Off to make chicken fajitas for dinner!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

great little lesson there!

I always crave Enchiladas ond Tacos on Cinco de Mayo! :)