5 Things You Need To Know About Cinco de Mayo
This date is more than an occasion to just down chips, salsa and endless margaritas.
Cinco de Mayo is circled on everyone's social calendar as a festive mix of St. Patrick's Day and Taco Tuesday to most. This unofficial national happy hour where margaritas and sangrias are consumed in bars across America has even made its way to the United Kingdom. Walk into any bar where this celebration is appreciated and you're bound to see Mexican regalia--including the country's flowing green, white and red flag, decorating the theme-covered walls. However, ask anyone lifting a glass the origin of this growing international holiday and more likely a shrugged pair of shoulders and innocent grin will be the response. Those few answerless patrons on barstools actually represent most of the people in the world. As the saying goes 'people don't know what they don't know'--and luckily we at Adventure in Black love to inform. Here are five things you need to know when celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
The Mexican Flag.
"I do know that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day."
We hate to disappoint you, but those shots you've been taking in the name of liberation are being consumed on the wrong date. Mexico's Independence Day actually falls a few months from now on September 16th. This is the top misconception surrounding the history of Cinco de Mayo. Surprisingly, it always seems to be one fact never clarified once the bartender announces the drink specials on the menu.
The French Flag waving in the wind as it did over the capitol in Mexico City between 1863-1867
"I know. Mexico seceded from Spain on this day. That's what happened. Good thing I paid attention in history class in high school."
Maybe you should go back and pay a little bit more because you were short-changed on that lesson. Spain was not the European power Mexico was tangling with during the year 1862. France, led by Napoleon III, nephew of the diminutive giant of an emperor Napoleon, was the aggressor who made a trans-Atlantic voyage to Mexico's east coast to collect the debts lent to the emerging country in 'the new world' when it could no longer make its payments. Mexico's President Benito Juarez, fearing being ousted, knew that this was one debt-collector that would not be avoided as talks of Mexico becoming a French territory as troops began stepping onshore en route to the state of Puebla, only ninety-miles due east of Mexico City, on May 5, 1862.
Charge of the Mexican Cavalry at the Battle of Puebla, Francisco P. Miranda (Wikipedia)
“The entire Mexican Army, like thousands of soldiers, met the French there and sent them packing back to Paris.”
Yes. A battle was had that day between the French and Mexican armies, but the numbers for the home side were considerably lower than one-thousand. Less than one-hundred even. Outnumbered two-to-one on their home soil, a band of Mexican soldiers miraculously fended off--then defeated--the French’s charge to the capitol. Jubilant and amazed at the outcome, the news circulated back from the front line and to Mexico City. Before any talk of a holiday began materializing in the celebratory ether of the moment, the acknowledging this unified front of resistance to the tightening grip of French Imperialism was the intangible feeling made real by the sight of the beaten colonial invader heading back home across the Atlantic.
Mexican President Benito Juarez. (Wikipedia)
“Duh. Everyone knows they beat the French that day and Mexico never had to worry about becoming a territory.”
Not quite. After the seismic victory at Puebla, the French soldiers still continued their march to collect the keys to the country as they removed President Juarez the following year in 1863. For the next four years, Mexico found itself under the rule of the French then Austrian leader Maximilian von Habsburg-- who dubbed himself ‘Maximillian I of Mexico’--during nearly a four-year span of time as these European powers held control of the territory. Only because of the Monroe Doctrine’s rejection of foreign countries invading the Americas was when the United States, recovering from the scars of the Civil War, intervened and restored power back to the Mexican people with the reinstallation of President Benito Juarez n 1867. This act of helping their neighbor strengthened the bond between the United States and Mexico barely 20 years removed from the Mexican-American War that resulted in the annexing of the western half of modern day Texas.
“Next year, I’m going to head down to Mexico City and celebrate Cinco de Mayo.”
Good luck with that seeing as only the city of Puebla itself celebrates the holiday. Mexico, as a whole, holds no parades, events or celebrations to commemorate the day as many non-Mexicans seem to do globally. Cinco de Mayo’s appeal is deeply-rooted in resistance. The merriment linked to the day itself stems from the sentiments dating back to the Civil War as a sign that the territories of the Americas were no longer up for sale to any foreign powers. (The irony is comical.) There are many ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but just remember to raise a glass to the resistance that helped keep the United States of America to just another territory to The Second French Empire.
Sip on that thought while you enjoy your chips and salsa.