Jackassalope

I’ll Drink To That

Although Cinco de Mayo holds a long-standing tradition of getting drunk on cheap Mexican beer, there’s actually more to the story. Many people believe it’s a celebration of Mexico’s independence from Spain, but that was actually declared on September 16, 1810. Eleven years later, they actually achieved that independence. Cinco de Mayo actually celebrates the victory of the Mexican army over French troops in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Mexico had fallen into debt to several countries after the Mexican American War, but France was the only one who came to collect. The French army outnumbered Mexico’s militia forces nearly two-to-one, but the Mexicans were able to push the better-equipped army back. Now we celebrate this victory by drinking margaritas and pounding back 12-ounce cans of Dos Equies.

What most people don’t know is that France came back a year later and beat up on the Mexicans. They placed a leader in Mexico City for four years until he was executed after an uprising.