Cinco De Mayo’s deeply rooted history in the Franco-Mexican War influenced Mexican-American communities in the early years of the American Civil War. In the early 1860s, as the Civil War erupted, these communities took up the banner of the Cinco De Mayo celebration as a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy. Today, in the United States, Americans celebrate Mexican-American heritage and pride annually on May 5th.
- 19th Century – Mariachi originated in Jalisco, Mexico, in the 19th century. The musicians would travel from town to town singing songs of revolutionary heroes and enemies and carrying news from one place to another.
- 1861 – Napoleon III had a specific interest in taking over Puebla. He wanted to turn the Puebla area into a base that would help the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.
- 1862 – The anniversary of the Battle of Puebla was declared a national holiday referred to as “Battle of Puebla Day” or “Battle of Cinco de Mayo” by President Benito Juárez on May 9, 1862. However, it’s no longer considered a national holiday in Mexico.
- 1862 – The first Cinco de Mayo parties in the US take place in Columbia, California as residing Mexican miners get news of the battle.
- 1863 – Formal celebrations happen for the first time in Sonora and spread to other California cities, like San Francisco and Los Angeles
- 1925 – the year Corona Extra, Mexico’s best-selling beer, was first brewed.
- 1950s – President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted something called the “Good Neighbor Policy,” which was meant to improve relations with Latin American countries and communities. It was under this policy that Cinco de Mayo began to pick up steam in the 1950s and 60s, eventually becoming a national holiday.
- 1980s – In the 1980s, beer companies, particularly Corona, recognized there were profits to be made on Cinco de Mayo through selling beer to the rising Latino population in the United States. “Through a series of well-received advertisements, Corona helped transform Cinco de Mayo into an all-day happy hour celebration, encouraging the growing Mexican and Mexican-American population to celebrate their heritage on May 5 by purchasing Mexican beer,”
- 2005 – The United States Congress issued a Concurrent Resolution. The resolution invited the President of the United States to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
- 2014 – As for cervezas (Spanish for “beer”), Americans consumed almost a billion liters of Corona Extra in 2014.
- Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for “fifth of May.”
- The actual Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16.
- In addition to the normal stuff, Chandler, AZ celebrates Cinco de Mayo with Chihuahua races. Chihuahua owners enter their pups in a race and receive a large cash prize if their dog is the fastest.
- Washington DC holds its own Running of the Chihuahuas, a breed native to Mexico.
- Many cities around the country, including Denver, Colorado, hold an annual Chihuahua Race in honor of Cinco de Mayo. The race in Denver is so popular that around 400,000 people are estimated to attend it every year.
- Mole poblano is considered to be the official dish of the holiday because it is traditionally eaten in the town of Puebla. It’s a sauce containing chili pepper, chocolate, and spices.
- Like the Cayman Islands, Canada celebrates in its own way too. Vancouver does something called a “skydiving boogie” which is an air show that involves aerial acrobatics.
- May 5th is also the anniversary of when NASA launched the first American-manned space flight (1961) and the opening of Carnegie Hall (1891).
- May 5th is a huge day for avocado sales. The California Avocado Commission reports that 87 million pounds of avocados are purchased for Cinco de Mayo celebrations alone. That’s a lot of guac.
- Americans consume about 4.5 billion tacos per year.
- Not surprisingly, 47% of all drinks ordered on Cinco de Mayo are margaritas. Tequila sales easily double within the week leading up to this infamous holiday. But, long ago this beloved Mexican alcohol couldn’t be enjoyed by all Mexican people. Centuries ago, Aztec priests used to make a milky beer-like drink from the agave plant called pulque. Only the priests could consume this precursor of tequila, which after a steep decline is slowly beginning to make a comeback.
- Ten States Consume More Tequila Than Any Others. And those badass states include – New York, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Nevada, California, Arkansas, and of course, Texas
- 2,000 – the number of Mexican soldiers who defended the town of Puebla against 6,000 invading French forces.
- 16.7% – the percentage of U.S. residents of Mexican origin.
- 25.7 – the median age of people of Mexican origin in the United States in 2011.
- 700,000 – the number of U.S. military veterans of Mexican origin.
- 42% – the percentage of the world’s production of tortillas that Mexico accounts for.
- 87 million pounds – the number of avocados purchased for Cinco de Mayo.
- $38,884 – the annual median income of households with a member of Mexican origin in 2011.
- 20 – the types of Mexican cheeses to be feasted on — Oaxaca, a white cheese from Southern Mexico, is the most prominent.
- 60% – the percentage of Mexican farmers who produce corn, mostly used in the production of tortillas and beans.
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