Five Things You Did Not Know About Cinco De Mayo

I know some of us will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo by hitting up our favorite Mexican restaurant in town. What is the significance of Cinco de Mayo though?

#1.)  It's Not Mexican Independence Day.  Mexican Independence Day is September 16th.  It's called "Grito de Dolores", and it commemorates the day in 1810 when a Catholic priest declared war on Spain.

#2.)  It Celebrates a Victory Over France.  In 1861, Mexico defaulted on loans from a bunch of countries in Europe.  The next year, France invaded.  The French hadn't been beaten in 50 years, but on May 5th, 1862, the Mexicans won the Battle of Puebla.

#3.)  It's More Popular in the U.S. Than It Is in Mexico.  It's not a national holiday In Mexico.  If it's celebrated, it's mostly celebrated by people near the city of Puebla, in the southeastern part of Mexico.It only became popular in the U.S. in the '50s and '60s, partly because of FDR's 'Good Neighbor' policy of strengthening ties with Latin America.

#4.)  It's Also Popular in Malta?  Malta's an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, just below Italy. Cinco de Mayo is supposedly really popular there too because people in Malta love Corona. Corona's sold in over 150 countries, and it's the fifth best-selling beer in the world, so I guess it makes sense.

#5.)  They Celebrate in Chandler, Arizona by Racing Chihuahuas.  There's no real reason behind it.  Other than the obvious reason that it's awesome.

Remember be safe this Sunday and always designate a driver. Happy Cinco de Mayo.

[AskMen.com]