Cinco de Mayo Celebration Explained is a copyrighted article from the World Correspondents
Cinco de Mayo in Spanish simply means the ‘Fifth of May’. Its celebration is limited to the state of Puebla, Mexicoto commemorate 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 Seguín. During the Battle of Puebla, the Mexicans were considerably outnumbered by the French army, that was greatly equipped with arms. There were 4,000 Mexican soldiers against an undisputed 8,000 French army that had been undefeated for 50 years. It was a proud victory for the Mexicans over the French army, because from the Battle of Puebla, no country within the Americas has ever been invaded by armies from other continents.
Cinco de Mayo is one of the most-recognized celebrations in the United States at par with the Chinese New Year for the Chinese and St. Patrick’s Day for Irish people. Although Cinco de Mayo would suggest preference over Mexicans, its celebration has no ethnic bias. Special events and celebrations highlight Mexican culture, especially in its music and regional dancing. The 5th of May has so many listed activities that even occur outside Mexico and the United States like the famous Cinco de Mayo Skydiving Event in Vancouver, a beer drinking fest in Malta and guitar competitions in the Cayman Islands.