Cinco de Mayo festivities are taking place across the U.S. with music, tacos and tequila flowing. In the U.S., the date is seen as a celebration of Mexican American culture, stretching back to the 1800s in California.

It’s Cinco de Mayo on Monday, and while most of us associate it with margaritas and nachos, the Mexican holiday celebrates a battle won in the French-Mexican War in 1862. Before heading out to celebrate,