Good Question: What's The Story Behind Cinco De Mayo?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- To thousands of Americans, Cinco de Mayo means tacos, guacamole and margaritas.

They may think they're celebrating Mexico's independence. But Cinco de Mayo was actually created because of another historical event.

So what's the story behind Cinco de Mayo?

Eduardo Flores is a bartender at Barrio in Minneapolis. He grew up in Mexico City and will be the first to tell you that France actually has a lot to do with this Mexican-American holiday.

"It happened in Puebla on May 5, 1862," Flores said.

Flores is talking about Mexico's unlikely victory over France at the Battle of Puebla.

The French were trying to get a foothold in Mexico to support the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

The Puebla victory was a morale booster for Mexico, and it helped the U.S. Army during a crucial time.

Mexico's Independence Day is actually Sept. 16.

But beer and tequila companies have taken advantage of the catchy Cinco de Mayo slogan and helped market the holiday in the U.S.

"We will serve a lot of margaritas today," Flores said on Thursday.

But the way we celebrate here is different than in Mexico.

"It's kind of like Halloween and Dia de los Muertos," Flores said.

With the exception of parties in Puebla, Mexicans save their bigger fiestas for their Independence Day.

Americans, on the other hand, seem to do enough Cinco de Mayo celebrating for both countries.

"It's not like Independence Day to me, but it's still part of me. My history basically," Flores said.

The first Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States occurred in southern California in 1863, the year after that battle.

Experts say it really became commercialized in the 1980s.