Most of us see today as an excuse to drink excessively and enjoy the lovely cuisine of Mexican food, but we don’t actually know WHY we’re doing so. Hit the jump to find out the meaning of Cinco De Mayo!

@MarisaMendez


Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a Mexican civic holiday held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. It is celebrated primarily in the state of Puebla and in the US. While Cinco de Mayo sees limited significance in Mexico itself, the date is observed nationwide mostly in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.