Is 'cinco de mayo' a holiday?
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SerpentineYep. That's the date of my Dad's birthday.
NotoriousIt's not actually a holiday. You know Mexico doesn't actually celebrate it? It was created by Mexican college students in America because they wanted their culture celebrated.
NotoriousWe, in America, celebrate Deutsch (German) culture: Oktoberfest, African American Culture: Black History month, Puerto Rican culture: Puerto Rican Parade, etc etc
NotoriousEl día de independencia (the 15+16th of September) is the holiday that many people get it mixed up with. These days were when Mexico gained independence from España (Spain) in 1821
NotoriousThe revolutionary war and Mexican American war (1846-1848) was very expensive so the Mexicans were left in debt to Great Britain, Spain and France. Emperor Napoleon III of France was irritated at this.
NotoriousSo all three countries had a conference and decided that they would send an army to talk to Benito Juarez (the president of Mexico in 1860). They sent ships in December. Landed in this city (forget which).
NotoriousMexico said, "okay guys, give us 2 years to pay you all back." All but France agreed. So the French kept their military in Mexico. They really wanted land, so this was their opportunity. ( And in 1862, French had strongest army in the world)
NotoriousAt this time, the war between the north and south (Union and Confederacy) in what is now America was going on, so we couldn't help out Mexico when they asked. (The French thought America would fail in uniting North and South which meant more land for France)
NotoriousNapoleon thought making an alliance with the confederacy was a good idea. He wanted to give them money in secret. When the war was over, France wanted to go for California out west. They couldn't talk about their plans out loud because the Union wanted to go to war with anyone who was in cahoots with the Confederacy.
NotoriousThe French were also interested in cotton, that's why they wanted to make nice with the south.
Notorious****Here's the big one: so on May 5, 1862 in the spring, 6,000 French troops led by General Lorencez met 4,000 Mexican militia (which were mostly a bunch of farmers with old rifles and machetes) in Puebla, Mexico (also known as La batalla de Puebla)
NotoriousThere was "Gorilla warfare" (which is really supposed to be called Guerrilla warfare but us Americans and our terrible pronunciation...) And gorilla warfare was seen as cowardice because what soldiers used to do was stand in lines in a big field and shoot at one another like gentleman.
NotoriousAnd the Mexicans hid in trees and houses and fought while hidden while the French were all organized and out in the open like soldiers back in the day would be. (This is considered Gorilla warfare, which is actually supposed to be called Guerrilla warfare)
NotoriousThe battle of Puebla was commanded by General Ignacio Zaragosa. THE MEXICANS WON THIS BATTLE.
NotoriousMexico helped out America because they stopped the French from creeping up on the Confederacy and sneaking them money- so the Union had the upper hand. The French had to retreat after that. But Mexico didn't win the overall war with the French.
NotoriousBenito Juarez (president of Mexico) ran to Texas after the French had Time to rest and came back. In 1862 Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian (new leader of Mexico picked by the French) controlled for 5 years.
NotoriousBy 1867, the civil war ended and we had the chance to help out Mexico.
NotoriousSo why do we celebrate it in the U.S.? In the 1960's many people were fighting for equal+human rights (African Americans, Women, Mexican Americans, etc) so the Chicanos=born in U.S. With Mexican parents in 1967-->
Notoriousrealized there were no holidays that celebrated their culture. So they fought for it. They decided Cinco de mayo would be great because of the battle one at Puebla, Mexico on the 5th of may. It also was to remember how America and Mexico were on good terms since they both helped each other out.
NotoriousI hate that we can't make longer comments. :|
Notorious*Chicanos pissed no celebration of their culture, fought for it, decided cinco de mayo good because they won the battle at Puebla on 5th of May in Mexico. Also to remember alliance with America.
NotoriousSo it's not a national holiday. Not in Mexico. But here we celebrate it because the Mexican Americans wanted it. And it's a wonderful day to remember.