Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's unexpected victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This battle was part of the Second French intervention in Mexico, where a smaller, poorly equipped Mexican force led by General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated a larger and better-armed French army under Napoleon III. The victory became a symbol of Mexican resistance to foreign domination and boosted national pride, even though the French eventually occupied Mexico City and remained until 1867
. Cinco de Mayo is often mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually celebrated on September 16 and commemorates the start of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain in 1810. Unlike Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in the United States, especially among Mexican- American communities, as a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture, often involving parades, music, and traditional food
. In Mexico, the holiday is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where the battle took place, with ceremonies, reenactments, and festivals marking the event
