{"id":4817,"date":"2019-05-01T10:58:51","date_gmt":"2019-05-01T14:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aesu.com\/?p=4817"},"modified":"2019-05-01T10:58:51","modified_gmt":"2019-05-01T14:58:51","slug":"the-history-and-traditions-of-cinco-de-mayo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bobeckmedia.com\/aesu\/the-history-and-traditions-of-cinco-de-mayo\/","title":{"rendered":"The History and Traditions of Cinco de Mayo"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Learn
Learn more about the history of Cinco de Mayo with AESU!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cinco de Mayo, or the \u201cFifth of May,\u201d is an important Mexican holiday in observance of the Battle of Puebla. However, the holiday is often misconstrued as Mexico\u2019s Independence Day, or simply a reason to enjoy celebratory margaritas. Although it is an often-misunderstood holiday, it is well known, and chances are you have seen Cinco de Mayo festivities in the U.S. that <\/span>celebrate Mexican traditions<\/span><\/a>. But what does Cinco de Mayo mean to Mexicans, and what is its true historical importance? Discover the history and traditions of Cinco de Mayo with AESU! <\/span><\/p>\n

History of Cinco de Mayo<\/span><\/h2>\n

May 5th marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, during which Mexico defeated the French army in 1862. \u00a0While it was far from Mexico\u2019s first conflict with the French colonial forces, the French army was much larger than Mexico\u2019s, making their victory truly miraculous. For this reason, the holiday is still celebrated in Puebla today. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s Not Mexico\u2019s Independence Day<\/span><\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, many people mistake Cinco de Mayo to represent Mexico\u2019s Independence Day. In reality, Independence Day in Mexico is September 16th and involves its own deeply meaningful celebrations <\/span>across the country<\/span><\/a>. On September 16th, Mexico celebrates Father Miguel Hidalgo, who called on the people of the town of Dolores to take up arms and overthrow the Spanish Army. Cinco de Mayo, however, is not as widely celebrated across the nation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who Celebrates?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cinco de Mayo is a big deal in Puebla, where the original battle took place, but it is actually not as widely celebrated in Mexico as you might expect. In fact, the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebration around interestingly enough takes place in Los Angeles, California, and the holiday tends to be more widely celebrated in the U.S. than in Mexico. Los Angeles and Puebla are both <\/span>big draws for travelers<\/span><\/a> due to their Cinco de Mayo celebrations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cinco de Mayo Celebrations<\/span><\/h2>\n

In Puebla, as well as in US cities with large Mexican-American communities, Cinco de Mayo celebrations involve parades, dancing, and festivals. Celebrations mainly emphasize mariachi music, dancing, and plenty of Mexican food. In many U.S. schools, children learn lessons about Mexican history and cuisine, while celebrating with homemade decorations and simple Mexican-style snack foods. Even in cities across the U.S. that don\u2019t host a parade, many restaurants observe Cinco de Mayo with live music and lots of food.<\/span><\/p>\n

Travel the World with AESU!<\/span><\/h2>\n

AESU offers unique, thrilling travel programs for college students and young professionals at affordable rates. Each trip is action-packed and informal\u2014designed just for people your own age. We are also able to design custom tours just for your group.<\/span><\/p>\n

Experience an exhilarating adventure on the<\/span> Cosmopolitan<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> Explorer<\/span><\/a>, the<\/span> Euro Focus<\/span><\/a> tour, and more! <\/span>Follow AESU on <\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Twitter<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Pinterest.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

2019 tour dates and prices are available and selling out quickly! If you have any questions or want help booking your European adventure, please contact AESU by calling 800-638-7640, or fill out the contact form found on our <\/span>website<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cinco de Mayo, or the \u201cFifth of May,\u201d is an important Mexican holiday in observance of the Battle of Puebla. However, the holiday is often misconstrued as Mexico\u2019s Independence Day, or simply a reason to enjoy celebratory margaritas. Although it is an often-misunderstood holiday, it is well known, and chances are you have seen Cinco […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"postBodyCss":"","postBodyMargin":[],"postBodyPadding":[],"postBodyBackground":{"backgroundType":"classic","gradient":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[461],"class_list":["post-4817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-south-america-travel-tips","tag-cinco-de-mayo"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe History and Traditions of Cinco de Mayo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cinco de Mayo, or the \u201cFifth of May,\u201d is an important Mexican holiday in observance of the Battle of Puebla. 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