Background and History

Cinco de Mayo: Cinco de Mayo, holiday celebrated in parts of Mexico and the United States in honor of a military victory in 1862 over the French forces of Napoleon III. It should not be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which falls on September 16 and was established in 1810.

Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. A minor holiday in Mexico, in the U.S. Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage. Get the facts on HISTORY.com.

Cinco de Mayo is a cultural phenomenon in the United States. It’s a time to celebrate Mexican culture and, for some, an opportunity to drink a lot of margaritas and cerveza. But it is also a frequently misunderstood holiday. For those out of the loop, here’s a refresher on what Cinco de Mayo is all about. What exactly is Cinco de Mayo?

Behind the color and music of Cinco de Mayo lies the Battle of Puebla, the 1862 victory of the Mexican people fighting to be free from colonial domination.

No other country, including Mexico, celebrates Cinco de Mayo like it's celebrated in the US. Here's the real story behind May 5.

For many Americans, Cinco de Mayo means enjoying Mexican food and probably a few margaritas as well. But Cinco de Mayo, which means May 5 in Spanish, is probably one of the most misunderstood Mexican holidays.

The holiday commemorates a battlefield victory on May 5, 1862, but one expert called it a “fake holiday recently invented by beverage companies.”

Cinco de Mayo (pronounced [ˈsiŋko ðe ˈmaʝo] in Latin America, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is an annual celebration held on May 5. The date is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of