FULL STORY: Cinco de Mayo is on Sunday. Most people just get hammered without knowing what they’re actually celebrating. So here are five things you might not know about Cinco de Mayo . . .
1. It isn’t Mexican Independence Day. According to a poll, 60% of Americans don’t know why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and most think it’s Mexican Independence Day. But it’s not . . . that’s celebrated on September 16th.
2. Cinco de Mayo celebrates a victory over France. It celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
3. It’s not a huge deal in Mexico. May 5th isn’t widely celebrated in Mexico. Mexican Independence Day in September and the Day of the Dead around Halloween are way bigger holidays.
4. It’s popular in the U.S. thanks in part to beer marketing. In the 1980s, Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Coors made a push to spin Cinco de Mayo as a “Mexican St. Patrick’s Day” in order to sell more beer.
5. The top ways Americans celebrate Cinco de May are: Eating Mexican food . . . drinking margaritas and beer . . . and celebrating Mexican culture.
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