Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican army's unexpected victory over the French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This battle was a significant symbolic win for Mexico during the French invasion, despite being outnumbered and less equipped, boosting Mexican morale and resistance against foreign domination. Unlike Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16, Cinco de Mayo commemorates this specific military victory and is more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico, often as a celebration of Mexican-American culture.