Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico which is also widely celebrated in the United States. It commemorates the victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza over the French occupational forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
It is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16th, but actually it is a celebration of the battle. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the legendary Battle of Puebla, Mexico on May 5, 1862 in which a Mexican force of 4,500 men faced 6,000 men of the well trained forces of Napoleon III's French Army. The battle, which lasted all of four hours ended in a moral and physical victory for the Mexican Army under the 33 year old General Ignacio Zaragoza.