9 reasons celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the US is the worst

• Many in the US use Cinco de Mayo as an excuse to guzzle their fave "Mexican" alcoholic beverages.
• But Mexican people don't really celebrate the day – it's not the Mexican version of Fourth of July.
• That "Mexican food" Americans eat is hardly authentic, and the sombreros are racist.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

This year, millions of Americans will spill out of their favorite Mexican bars and restaurants after consuming as many margaritas as humanly possible in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

But other than using the day as an excuse to guzzle their favorite "Mexican" alcoholic beverages, most people have no idea what they're actually celebrating. In fact, if they knew the real story of Cinco de Mayo – and how little Mexican people actually celebrate it – they might think twice before taking that shot.

Keep reading to find out how May 5 became synonymous with tacos and tequila and why it's just plain annoying in the US.

Cinco de Mayo is not a Mexican Fourth of July – but many Americans don't know that

In the US, many people confuse Cinco de Mayo with Mexican Independence Day. The day actually commemorates a Mexican victory over French troops in the Battle of Puebla.

Mexican independence happened 50 years earlier, and is observed on September 16.

The fact that so many Americans don't understand that fact makes the holiday all the more grating in America.

Its history isn't the happiest, which makes the American celebrations seem out-of-touch

The Battle of Puebla was instigated by France, who was picking a fight with Mexico over unpaid debts.

Back in 1861, the struggling Mexican government was forced to default on loan payments to France. As a result, France decided to invade the country and establish a monarchy.

On their way to Mexico City, the French troops were stopped by Mexican forces in the town of Puebla. And on May 5, 1862, the Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, defeated the French forces, led by Napoleon III.

Although Mexico declared a victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, the French went on to win the Franco-Mexican war and occupied the area for the next five years until Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian was overthrown as emperor.

Though the battle was seen as a great victory for Mexico, It's not exactly an occasion that should be celebrated with tequila shots.

In fact, its history has a lot to do with the American Civil War, which makes our celebrations all the more tone-deaf

Napoleon III saw the Battle of Puebla as an opportunity to conquer a key Mexican entry point to the United States.

In addition to taking over Mexico City, Napoleon III wanted French troops to help the Confederate army during the Civil War in an effort to keep the United States divided and vulnerable.

Plus Cinco de Mayo isn't really a big deal in Mexico

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo isn't a federal holiday, which means businesses, including banks and stores, are open.

In fact, outside of the town of Puebla, the day isn't widely celebrated in the country, making this more of an American holiday anyway.

What started as a day to celebrate cultural pride turned into an opportunity to target products to Latinx consumers

In the 1960s, Mexican activists saw the celebration of Cinco de Mayo as a way to honor their culture.

But in the 1970s and 1980s, things began to change. Manufacturers - particularly producers of alcoholic beverages - saw a way to capitalize on the holiday by marketing products to Latinx customers, and it paid off in a major way.

Cinco de Mayo means big business for the hospitality and spirits industries. According to the Distilled Spirits Council, margaritas made up 27% of cocktail sales in all of 2011 and 2012. Those sales nearly doubled on Cinco de Mayo, making up 42% of sales on the holiday.

It's a sloppy holiday in the US

In addition to some pretty offensive costumes and caricatures of Mexican culture (more on that in a minute), Cinco de Mayo in America is one of the top five drinking days of the year.

You'll often see people acting foolish and drunk, all in the name of "celebrating Mexican culture."

The sugary margaritas are sure to result in a nasty hangover, and the 'Mexican' food consumed isn't authentic

If you celebrate Cinco de Mayo out, you probably are guzzling a few frozen margaritas. Not only are these frozen sugary drinks not really authentic, if you're trying to watch your calorie consumption, they can wreak havoc on your diet.

A single frozen margarita can contain 500 calories. The classic on the rocks version can contain between 150 and 200 calories. If you prefer beer, you should know that most Mexican beers have about 150 calories each. And no one ever just has one drink on Cinco de Mayo.

Plus the so-called "Mexican food" many in the US consume on Cinco de Mayo is hardly authentic.

If your idea of "honoring Mexican culture" on Cinco de Mayo is by eating a cheese-covered chicken burrito, you'll probably be pretty upset to know that what you're eating is more American than Mexican.

Most Mexican restaurants that Americans flock to serve dishes that people in Mexico would never dream of eating.

That sombrero and fake mustache are really racist

The fact that most Americans don't know what Cinco de Mayo is is really what makes it easy for some people to say and do things that are culturally insensitive.

Who could forget President Donald Trump's 2016 Cinco de Mayo Facebook post in which he declared his love for Hispanics and Trump Tower's taco bowls? Not to be outdone, former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, was trashed on Twitter in 2017 for an equally insensitive post saying that he would celebrate Cinco de Mayo by drinking an entire jar of hot salsa, watch Speedy Gonzales cartoons, and speak Spanish all day.

Not to mention, you'll probably see many people wearing sombreros, fake mustaches, and ponchos, which is cultural appropriation plain and simple.

If you're going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year, leave the giant sombrero at home.