On May 5, Mexican general and Texas native Ignacio Zaragoza defeated French expeditionary forces at Puebla, Mexico. This event is celebrated annually as El Cinco de Mayo. Once widely observed throughout Mexico, today it is an official public holiday only in the Mexican state of Puebla, where it is known as El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, or Battle of Puebla Day. However, Cinco de Mayo remains popular in Texas and the United States as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.