Among some of the facts you didn't know about Cinco de Mayo — besides the holiday's invention at the hands of Corona beer — is that Mexico's 5th of May French invaders wanted to stop U.S. expansionism and planned to join up with Confederates against the Union Army.

Whoa. So says scholar Dan Arellano.

Not only that, but he says that 500 Mexican Americans — “Tejanos” — were enlisted by Mexico to defeat the French on that fateful date, and that the holiday, right so, began in South Texas. So …

… it truly is an American observance.

Napoleon III wanted to retake Mexico and halt America's expansionist ways. So this day touches us all, apparently.

Just think of it this way: If it weren't for Mexican Americans' contribution to this chapter, maybe we would all be living under Confederate-French rule right now — dwelling in double wides and surrendering at every opportunity.

We kid.

[Newstaco.com].

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]

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