# What's with Cinco de Mayo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565 "2001-05-06T22:08:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/1 "2001-05-06T22:08:13Z")
I notice **Cinco de Mayo** celebrations mentioned in a number of threads the past few days. It looks like the celebration takes on more importance in the U.S. than here in Mexico where it’s treated like any other minor holiday. Seems kind of strange that Americans celebrate an event that had no historical importance in the U.S… Does anybody really know what it commemorates? And why is it so widely celebrated in the States? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/2 "2001-05-06T22:26:35Z")
Simply, the French invaded Mexico during the US Civil War. Napolean hated the US and would most likely have supplied the American South with arms and supplies had he not decided to invade Mexico. Accordingly, the valiant efforts of the Mexicans in holding off the French enabled the North to more easily squash the South. After the Civil War, the US supplied the Mexicans with the arms necessary to kick the French out of Mexico. Arguably, the US should celebrate the defeat of the French. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/3 "2001-05-06T22:33:22Z")
Realistically, the historical context is lost on most US citizens, as is the historical origin of most holidays. For example, I have no idea why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but it sure is fun drinking green beer, playing with shamrocks, dancing with leprachauns (sp?). Similarly, it’s fun to chow down on some good Mexican grub, drink a few Coronas, wear sombreros, and say things like, “We don’t need no stinking badges!” ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/4 "2001-05-06T22:40:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bearflag70 \* > \*\*Simply, the French invaded Mexico during the US Civil War. Napolean hated the US and would most likely have supplied the American South with arms and supplies had he not decided to invade Mexico. Accordingly, the valiant efforts of the Mexicans in holding off the French enabled the North to more easily squash the South. After the Civil War, the US supplied the Mexicans with the arms necessary to kick the French out of Mexico. > > Arguably, the US should celebrate the defeat of the French. \*\* Actually Bear, Mexico didn’t hold off the French. They won the Battle of Puebla(on the 5th of May) but lost the war and Maximiliano von Hapsburg became emporer. What I can’t figure out is why it’s such a big deal in the U.S. while here in Mexico it doesn’t get that much attention. A day of from work if it falls on a working day. ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/5 "2001-05-06T22:42:50Z")
From [The Milwaukee Journal:](http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/apr01/cinco01043001a.asp) > [@](#): > > Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, but it’s more popular and more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico. > [@](#): > > Cinco de Mayo commemorates the battle of Puebla that took place in 1862 when a band of ill-equipped Mexicans and Zapotec Indians defeated the French army. The battle has come to symbolize unity and patriotism. In Mexico, it’s more of a regional holiday > [@](#): > > “I think it’s a holiday like Mardi Gras. Five to six years ago, hardly anyone celebrated it here. Now it’s very popular. Cinco de Mayo seems to be up and coming.” In the US, IMO, it’s become a sort of St. Patrick’s Day for May. A reason to go out and drink beer and spirits from a different country, listen to music that has some correlation to that country, and participate in activities that seem to be related to that country (pinatas, serapes, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/6 "2001-05-06T22:46:17Z")
Apologies for the historical inaccuracies. I got my info from a website that covered the topic with not much more detail than I provided. I don’t know why it gets so much attention here. Same with St. Patty’s day. If we were going to celebrate anything related to Mexico, you would think it would be the day the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/7 "2001-05-06T22:49:02Z")
I presume Corona had a lot to do with the gain in popularity. They sponsor most of the bar festivities. In turn, they sell quite a bit of beer. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/8 "2001-05-06T22:52:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bearflag70 \* > \*\* If we were going to celebrate anything related to Mexico, you would think it would be the day the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. \*\* Now _that_ would be quite an insult to your southern neighbors! They just love to be reminded of when and how they lost about 50% of their territory! ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/9 "2001-05-06T23:03:10Z")
In Southern California, Cinco de Mayo is becoming more of an Anglo-oriented Mexican holiday. Mexican Independence Day (September 16) is increasingly becoming more widely celebrated out here. Isn’t May 5 also Boys’ Day in Japan? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/10 "2001-05-06T23:12:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CBEscapee \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Bearflag70 \* > > \*\* If we were going to celebrate anything related to Mexico, you would think it would be the day the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. \*\* > > Now _that_ would be quite an insult to your southern neighbors! They just love to be reminded of when and how they lost about 50% of their territory! \*\* It would just make more sense for the US to celebrate \* that \* than 5 Mayo. US citizens love to celebrate their military victories. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/11 "2001-05-06T23:15:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gazoo \* > \*\*The battle has come to symbolize unity and patriotism. Rhetorically, if this is the reason for US celebration, then why not celebrate Alamo Day instead… it has much more significance in US history than 5 Mayo??? ---
**Author:** ![sleepyhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@sleepyhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleepyhead)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/12 "2001-05-06T23:36:11Z")
Perhaps I grew up in a weird part of the country, or perhaps my memory is failing me, but I don’t remember ever celebrating cinco de mayo outside of high school Spanish class. I think that this year it may be bigger because politicians are taking the “me casa blanca es su casa blanca” approach in light of the census 2000 data. News that it is a biger deal here than it is in Mexico surprises me. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/13 "2001-05-06T23:39:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bearflag70 \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by CBEscapee \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by Bearflag70 \* > > > \*\* If we were going to celebrate anything related to Mexico, you would think it would be the day the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. \*\* > > > > Now _that_ would be quite an insult to your southern neighbors! They just love to be reminded of when and how they lost about 50% of their territory! \*\* > > It would just make more sense for the US to celebrate \* that \* than 5 Mayo. US citizens love to celebrate their military victories. \*\* Bear the OP asked why Cinco de Mayo is a popular celebration in the U.S… There is really no _sense_ to celebrate anything Mexican. I can understand the Mexican expatriate community celebrating the national holidays of their homeland. After all the 4th of July is celebrated by Americans all over the world. I’m just curious as to why the Anglo community has picked the Cinco de Mayo as a reason to have a fiesta. Never said it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/14 "2001-05-06T23:40:38Z")
Maybe it’s a California thing or a Border states thing. Having grown up in SoCal, I always heard about 5 Mayo celebrations. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/15 "2001-05-06T23:48:31Z")
Geez, you think _that’s_ weird. I was at a big Cinco de Mayo street party last night where about one or two thousand people showed up here in … Budapest, Hungary. It’s been happened every year for the last several years here. It’s basically just an excuse to eat the only decent Mexican food in Budapest and just plain party; although I will admit, it’s pretty surreal when you start thinking about it. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/16 "2001-05-06T23:58:40Z")
I grew up here in Texas, and was as a result always aware of Cinco de Mayo, but it was until recently only fêted with localized events like picnics in Mexican neighborhoods. In just the last few years, though, it’s experienced treatment similar to that which gave us National Secretaries’ Week and the like. While not dreamed up out of thin air as was Secretaries’ Week, it’s become yet another marketing focal point. St. Patty’s has been mentioned. Bastile Day gets some attention in parts; perhaps it’s ripe for its commercialization. ---
**Author:** ![waxteeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@waxteeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waxteeth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2001, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/17 "2001-05-07T00:18:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bearflag70 \* > \*\*drink a few Coronas, wear sombreros, and say things like, “We don’t need no stinking badges!” \*\* Hey, We don’t need no stinking badges. Happy Cinco de Mayo. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/no_me_ayudes_compadre/32/5224_2.png) [@No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Me_Ayudes_Compadre)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/18 "2001-05-07T02:19:50Z")
I’m pretty sure this same topic was covered in May 1999, although it didn’t come up in a site search. I believe that Cinco de Mayo was hyped in the by José Cuervo’s U.S. distributors as a Reason to Drink Tequila, and it sort of caught on. Like Beatle says, Versión Guadalupana of a Hallmark Holiday. (BTW, Secretaries Day is taken quite seriously in Mexican offices.) The use of the Battle of Puebla as a rallying point for Mexican Pride is silly, IMO, and the pronouncements that it “represents the perseverance of the Mexican people, and now give it up for Gloria Estefan” are even sillier. It’s a somber Mexican military holiday with some historical importance to the Poblanos. Makes about as much sense as Italian-Americans expressing their National Pride on Columbus Day, also IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2001, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/19 "2001-05-07T03:42:22Z")
Wall Street Journal had a story on this several days ago and I can’t find it. Basically the holiday comes in the spring and gives consumers a reason to spend more money. The amount of $$ spent in stores on a normal weekend vs. a weekend with a holiday designation is significant enough for US marketers to jump on the wagon waving the red, white and green. ---
**Author:** ![Tatjana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@Tatjana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatjana)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565/20 "2001-05-07T04:05:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pulykamell \* > \*\*Geez, you think _that’s_ weird. I was at a big Cinco de Mayo street party last night where about one or two thousand people showed up here in … Budapest, Hungary. It’s been happened every year for the last several years here. It’s basically just an excuse to eat the only decent Mexican food in Budapest and just plain party; although I will admit, it’s pretty surreal when you start thinking about it. > \*\* I’m sorry, but I don’t believe you have any decent Mexican food in Budapest. I can’t even find any in New York! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cinco-de-mayo/64565.md?page=2)