Mexico

Location: Bridging Two Continents

Mexico forms part of a land bridge that connects North and South America Land bridge = a narrow

strip of land that joins two larger landmasses

The widest part of Mexico borders the United States

The narrowest point is at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec

Location: Bridging Two Continents

The Pacific Ocean borders Mexico on the west

On the west coast is Baja California – it is a long peninsula

The Gulf of Mexico and a portion of the Caribbean Sea border Mexico on the East

Jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico another peninsula – the Yucatan Peninsula

Place: The Land Characteristics Mexico has a very

rugged landscape. It sits where some plates

of the earth’s crust have collided, and are continuing to collide.

This causes volcanoes and earthquakes A famous volcano is

Popocatepetl The Aztecs, a group of

Native Latin Americans, called Mexico, the “land of the shaking earth”.

Place: Mountains/Plateaus Three major mountain ranges

tower over Mexico – the Sierra Madre Occidentals (runs north-south), Sierra Madre Oriental (runs on the eastern side) and the Sierra Madre del Sur (southwestern Mexico)

The Sierra Madres surround the large, flat center of the country, also known as the Plateau of Mexico – it covers 40% of the country!

Place: Coastal Lowlands

Mexico’s coastal plains stretch along the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico

Many of the rivers flow through these plains

The Rio Grande empties into the Gulf of Mexico and forms about 1,300 miles of Mexico’s border with the United States

Region: Climate

Mexico has different climates – latitude affects the temperatures

Mexico’s mountains also affect its temperatures

The tierra caliente is hot and humid all year and average 77 – 82 degrees Fahrenheit. It includes dense rain forests or tall grasses Bananas, rice, sugarcane and oranges

grow here

Region: Climate

As you climb the mountains, the temperatures become cooler – the trees are larger and have more leaves. This is also known as the tierra templada (temperate land)

When you reach the top of the mountains, it becomes very cold. This is also known as the tierra fria

Region: Economic Regions Manufacturing and mining are

vital to the Mexican economy. Almost 1/5th of the world’s

silver is mined in Mexico. Service industries also

strengthen the country’s economy Service industry – provides

services to people instead of making goods

Services in Mexico include banking and tourism

Region: Economic Regions Mexico is rich in minerals,

but the soil isn’t very fertile Mountains, deserts and

rain forests limit the land that can be farmed to only 11% of the total area

Farmers can plant coffee, corn, cotton, oranges and sugarcane on the land that can be farmed

Region: Economic Regions Central Mexico

The economic heart of the country

Home to ½ the population and allows for agriculture to flourish

Mexico City and Guadalajara are located here

About 24 million people live in Mexico City and its suburbs – it is also the capital

Region: Economic Regions

Northern Mexico Includes Baja California

and the northern part of the Plateau of Mexico

Much of the land is too dry to farm, but irrigation helps cotton, fruits, cereals and vegetables to grow

In hilly areas, ranchers raise cattle, sheep, goats and pigs

The idea of the “cowboy” originated in Mexico

Region: Economic Regions

The North (continued) The largest city in the region is

Monterrey, which leads the country in steel production

They mine copper, silver, lead and zinc

Others are employed in maquiladoras (factories) that assemble parts shipped to other countries including automobiles, stereo systems, computers and other electronic products

Region: Economic Regions The South

Stretches from Mexico City to the Yucatan Peninsula

People have lived here since at least 2000 BC Traditionally, these are the poorest people in

Mexico They rely on subsistence farming – small plots

where they only grow enough food to feed their families

Wealthy farmers grow coffee or sugarcane on plantations

Tourism is also very important in the south

HEI: Economic Challenges

Mexico has started to industrialize in the last 50 years This means that it has become less

dependent on farming and more dependent on factories and work in the cities

Issues have begun to arise with industrialization: conserving land, controlling pollution, creating new jobs and increasing trade with other nations

HEI: Economic Challenges

Pollution Mountains surrounding Mexico City

block the flow of air This causes many factories and

cars to pollute the air and leave a thick haze of smog to settle over the city▪ Smog = fog mixed with smoke and

chemicals Many schoolchildren wear masks

at recess to filter out the pollution and, at times, the pollution keeps people indoors

Farmers in the countryside burn wild vegetation to clear land

HEI: Economic Challenges Population Changes

Mexico’s population is growing twice as fast as the population of the United States

Health care and diet have improved – allowing Mexicans to live longer

However, with the increase, there are not enough jobs for all the people that want to work.

Heavy populations strain resources Many move to the United States to work –

some legally, others illegally

HEI: Free Trade

In 1993, Mexico, the United States and Canada approved the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

The agreement allowed goods and money to move freely among the countries

Many hope that this will continue to increase trade and help Mexico’s economy grow

Place: Influences of the Past

There are generally three different periods when considering Mexican history The Native

Americans The Spanish rule Modern Mexico

Place: Native Americans

The first people to live in Mexico came from Asia.

They traveled through North America from Asia and entered Mexico thousands of years ago.

Place: Native Americas

The Maya flourished in the Yucatan area between 250 and 900 A.D.

They built cities around towering stone temples in thick rain forests They honored Maya

gods and rulers

Place: Native Americans

Around 1200 the Mexica, or the Aztec, built a city named Tenochtitlan in central Mexico Current location of Mexico

City The Aztec were fierce

warriors as well as builders and traders.

Merchants in Tenochtitlan set up marketplaces, which were filled with pottery, woven baskets, cloth, gold and silver

Place: The Spanish Heritage

In 1519, a Spanish army led by Hérnan Cortes arrived on Mexican soil and in 1521, conquered the Aztec

Mexico remained a Spanish colony for about 300 years

Place: The Spanish Heritage

During that time, many Spaniards controlled the lives of Native Americans, forcing them to work on farms and in mines Because of this, the cultures mixed A mesitzo refers to a person of mixed

Native American and European heritage Approximately 60% of Mexico’s people

are mesitzos

Place: The Spanish Heritage The Spanish also

brought Roman Catholicism to Mexico.

Most Mexicans today, about 90%, are Roman Catholic

Festivals honor the country’s patron saint, the Virgin of Guadalope

Place: Modern Mexico

Mexico gained its freedom from Spain in 1821

During much of the 1800s, a few wealthy families, the army and church leaders controlled the government

In 1910, after years of discontent, a revolution broke out

The revolution lasted until the 1920s and influenced the country’s government

Place: Modern Mexico

Like the United States, Mexico is a federal republic

A national government with 31 state governments share powers

Until recently, one political party ruled Mexico

However, because of continued discontent, the people demanded reforms (changes).

Now, other political parties are beginning to win elections

Place: City Life

Almost 75% of the Mexican population live in the cities

The cities are both modern and old

Areas of beautifully preserved homes are found in many Mexican cities Most of these homes are made

out of adobe – or, sun-dried clay brick

They are often built around courtyards with fountains and pots of blooming plants

Place: Country Life

Most Mexican villages are poor

Some village homes are built out of cement blocks with a flat, red tiled roof

Others are made out of sheet metal, straw or clay

Most villages have a central plaza, a few shops and the local government building

Almost every village has a marketplace

Place: The Arts

Mexican art explores and represents the pride of the people in their achievements and their heritage

Influences come from their history

Painters – Mexicans are known for their murals. Famous artists include Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera

Place: The Arts

Music and Dance – Mexicans listen to all kinds of music

Traditional music is played by a mariachi band They consist of a

singer, two violinists, two guitarists, two horn players and a bass player

Place: Celebrations

Throughout the year, Mexicans enjoy special celebrations called fiestas

Fiestas include parades, fireworks, music and dancing

Both Independence Day (September 15-16) and Cinco de Mayo are patriotic days

Place: Foods

Traditional Mexican food combines Spanish and Native American cooking.

Corn has always been the most important food in Mexico

Mexicans make tortilla and use those tortillas to make things such as tacos

Place: Sports

The national sport of Mexico is soccer

Most soccer games are played in Mexico City’s Aztec Stadium

Baseball is also popular Bullfighting is a

popular spectator sport with tourists – but the population has mixed feelings about it.