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Americans don't need a reason to party — they'll find one just fine on their own. Cinco de Mayo is a perfect example of this.

Cinco de Mayo marks the date that the Battle of Puebla was fought in 1862 between an outnumbered group of Mexican soldiers and a French army twice its size.

The celebration is far livelier and louder here in the United States than in much of its country of origin — save Puebla. Still, it represents an important link between Mexico and America. The defeat prevented the French from supplying the Confederate army with supplies during the U.S. Civil War. Later, Union forces came to Mexico's aid in another battle with the French.

In honor of this "holiday," which is today, May 5, we've assembled a Cinco de Mayo quiz testing your knowledge of the day itself, the country we have to thank and the drinks we'll be consuming to mark the day. We've already given you a few answers to boost your confidence (you can thank us later). Good luck!

PREGUNTAS (QUESTIONS)

1. True or False: Cinco de Mayo is the most celebrated holiday in Mexico.

2. Cinco de Mayo commemorates a battle fought with which country?

3. What are the colors of Mexico's national flag?

4. From what does the country take its modern name?

5. What countries border Mexico? Bonus — what U.S. states border Mexico?

6. How much did the United States pay Mexico for Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California after the Mexican-American War?

7. Many folks will choose to toast Cinco de Mayo with a margarita made with tequila. What is tequila made from?

8. Why is there a worm in tequila?

9. How many calories are in an 8 oz. margarita? A) 168 B) 245 C) 415 D) 520

10. What does Cinco de Mayo really mean? A) The sink is full of mayo B) The fifth of May C) Let's sync our watches

11. Who is said to have invented nachos? A) "Nacho" Iglesias B) Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya C) Chi Chi's

12. The number of U.S. tortilla-manufacturing establishments in 2004, according to the U.S. Census bureau, was: A) 103 B) 234 C) 337 D) 584

13. Mexico's official Independence Day is: A) Jan. 17 B) May 5 C) July 4 D) Sept. 16

14. Mexico is the home to what bird's more than 50 species?

15. What is the name of the Mexican song that was translated into more than 20 languages and performed by groups ranging from The Beatles to Elvis Presley?

16. How many Google hits are returned when you search for Cinco de Mayo? A) 235,000 B) 2,900,000 C) 4,000,600

17. Who has the best margarita in Dayton?

18. True or False: Bud Light will introduce a new lime flavored brew on Cinco de Mayo.

19. True or False: Chandler, Arizona's Cinco de Mayo festival, involves chihuahuas on parade, in races and pageants. At the end, a king and queen chihuahua are crowned.

20. How many pounds of avocados do Americans consume annually? A) 100,000 pounds B) 100,000,000 pounds C) 1,000,000,000 pounds.

21. Whose song "Cinco de Mayo" contains the following lyrics: "Cinco de Mayo, burnout Ohio/It wasn't me this time letting you go."

22. Which movie takes place during Mexico's fight for Independence from Spain? A) The Mark of Zorro B) Treasure of the Sierra Madre C) Desperado D) Don Quixote

23. True or False: Prohibition in the United States in the 1920s significantly boosted the Mexican brewing industry?

24. Mexico is the world's largest producer of what kind of semi-precious metal?

25. What is the name of Mexico's currency?

RESPUESTAS (ANSWERS)

1. False. Today, Cinco de Mayo is largely a commercial holiday celebrated by more people in the United States than in Mexico.

2. France. Mexican soldiers defeated a French army in the 1862 Battle of Puebla, which Cinco de Mayo commemorates.

3. Green, white and red.

4. From the Aztecs. Another name for them is Mexica.

5. Belize, Guatemala and the United States Bonus: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

6. $15,000,000.

7. The blue agave plant, which can take up to 10 years to fully mature.

8. The "worm" or larva found on the agave plant are added to mezcal (not tequila), a liquor also made from the agave plant. Merchants in border towns added worms to tequila as a novelty to sell to tourists.

9. Trick question. Like any drink, it all depends on the ingredients. Most margaritas have around 400 calories per 8 oz. serving. So you could say B, but you could also say A and C ... maybe even D depending on what kind of highly caloric ingredients you may be using. Whatever your answer, give yourself a point.

10. B) The fifth of May

11. B) Ignacio Anaya served his nachos especiales to ladies on a shopping trip in 1943. Go to www.oed.com/learning/word-stories/nachos.html to read more on this.

12. C) 337. Tortillas, the principal food of the Aztecs, are known as the "bread of Mexico." Almost one in three of these establishments was located in Texas.

13. D) Many Americans think Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day. They are wrong — it's actually Sept. 16. On that date, in 1810, a Catholic priest by the name of Miguel Hidalgo began the war of independence from Spain, whose authorities had ruled Mexico since 1521.

14. Hummingbird.

15. "Besame mucho."

16. 2,900,000 on April 27, 2008.

17. You decide. Go to www.activedayton.com and cast your vote. If you follow those instructions, award yourself a point.

18. True. Anheuser-Busch is hoping to compete with other lime-flavored beers targeted to young Americans and Hispanic consumers. Bud Light lime will be introduced on Monday, May 5.

19. True. Wonder if Taco Bell ever was a sponsor ...

20. C) Americans consume approximately 1 billion pounds of avocado annually.

21. Liz Phair whose "rocking ode to independence," as described by Rolling Stone, appeared on her 1996 album "Whip-Smart."

22. A) "The Mark of Zorro." Though set in Spanish California, the film recounts the efforts of Mexican hero Don Diego de la Vega (Zorro) and his fight against Spanish rule.

23. True. Not surprisingly, Americans flocked to border cities to purchase and consume alcohol.

24. Silver

25. Peso

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