Battle of Puebla and Cinco de Mayo

Myth: When Cinco de Mayo comes around each year, it's time to eat and drink Mexican food, dance, and celebrate. The day is akin to St. Patrick's Day for the Irish, right? Reality: To think that May 5 is simply about partying is a vast simplification of what it has meant over the years. Much like St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo has become about stereotypes, clichés, and fallacies born out of.. Cinco de Mayo, it turns out, isn't really Mexican at all. Rather, the holiday had its roots in the U.S., in the early days of the American Civil War.

Growing up Mexican-American, I always thought Cinco de Mayo was supposed to be a huge deal — people dressing up, throwing parties and enjoying a variety of delicious food. But as I got older, I began to question the holiday itself.. What is Cinco de Mayo? If you're Mexican-American, you probably understand this but many people confuse it with Mexico's independence. The phrase translates to the 5th of May when the country achieved victory over the French on May 5, 1862. So, what was it all about? Here's a deep dive into Cinco de Mayo.