Perhaps you are not sure what is celebrated on May 5th, as it is an important date, but it is not actually the biggest celebration in Mexico, since it is greatly surpassed by events like Independence Day and Day of the Dead.

May 5th commemorates the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexican army led by Ignacio Zaragoza triumphed over the French army, as although the payment of foreign debt had been negotiated, France had decided to invade the country.

But why is May 5th celebrated with such enthusiasm in the United States? The Mexican population in the U.S. does not miss an opportunity to celebrate this date.

The May 5th celebration in the United States is important because historically, dinners have been organized at the White House with honored Mexican guests to celebrate the victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Why? Here are some possible reasons:

• A couple of years ago, a record number of 38.5 million Mexicans in the United States was reached, so the massive number of Aztecs in the northern country undoubtedly influences the culture.

• With the battle of May 5th, Mexicans may have defended the sovereignty of the United States unwittingly. With the American Civil War underway, the French planned a coup to invade them, but their defeat at the Battle of Puebla delayed them in such a way that they could not fulfill their mission.

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• When the United States was already restructured after the Civil War, it supported Mexico with weapons and threatened France by telling them they were not complying with the Monroe Doctrine, which stated: “America is for Americans.” This created a kind of almost fraternal alliance between the two countries.

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• Finally, Ignacio Zaragoza, hero of the Battle of Puebla, was born in Texas, so he is another link between both nations regarding May 5th.

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Let’s celebrate the union between the United States and Mexico with these Tex-Mex dishes!

• Chili with beans

• Nachos

• Chicken Fajitas
  

• Bean and cheese burrito