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Commonly mistaken for the Mexican Independence Day, the "Cinco de Mayo" celebration commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza. The Battle was important because 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated a much better-equipped French army composed of 8,000 men that had not been defeated for almost 50 years.

No longer a local celebration held only at the city of Puebla, the holiday is now widely celebrated among Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and many others. It is a source of great pride pride among Mexicans - defeating the best army in the world at the time, when outnumbered by two to one.

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13y ago

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