Mexico

1. Mexico Chapter 10

2. Geography of Mexico • The Sierra Madre Occidental(western Sierra Madre) Mexico’s largest mtn. range • The Sierra Madre Oriental Runs parallel to the east coast

3. Geography of Mexico The Plateau of Mexico Mexico’s largest region Lies between two mtn. ranges 4/5 of Mexico’s population Large cities, rich farmland, plenty of rain, Mexico City Volcanoes & earthquakes southern edge of central plateau

4. Geography of Mexico • Coastal Regions Northern Pacific Coast Dry, hot, thinly populated Tijuana, one of Mexico’s fastest growing cities irrigation-the artificial watering of farmland by storing and distributing water drawn from reservoirs and dams Baja California Mountainous desert

5. Geography of Mexico • Coastal Regions cont… Sierra Madre Del Sur (Pacific Coast) Tropical climate, but little farmland Tourism-Acapulco, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta Gulf of Mexico (Gulf Coastal Plain) Petroleum and natural gas Yucatan Peninsula Flat land Bedrock, limestone, rain, underground caverns (sinkholes are created when the caverns collapse) Tourism, Caribbean coastline-Cancun, ancient Mayan ruins

6. A Place of Three Cultures • Mexico has its roots in three different cultures: Indian, Spanish, and modern Mexico • Indian • Aztec capital Tenochitilan (modern Mexico City) • Cortes with 600 soldiers marched on Tenochitilan 1519 • Cortes made allies w/ Aztec enemies • Conquistadors destroyed Aztec empire w/in two years • Colony of New Spain

7. A Place of Three Cultures • Spanish • Four social classes (in Spanish colony of Mexico) • Peninsulares-born in Spain, held high office positions • Criollos-Spanish ancestry born in the Americas • Mestizos-people of mixed ancestry (Indian and Spanish) • Indians-natives to the Americas • Provided labor for the haciendas • Criollos(priest Miguel Hidalgo) felt resentment toward peninsulares sparked war for Mexican independence (1821) • Late 1800’s modern develop of Mexico began (rich got richer and the poor got poorer)

8. A Place of Three Cultures • Modern Mexico • 1910 Mexican Rev. peasants & middle class rebelled • Mexico is a federal republic (president and congress) • Preservation of Native American, mestizo and Spanish heritages (freedom of language and religion) • Minority holds all of the wealth • Rural life-most people work on agricultural land consisting of haciendas, collective farms and large commercial farms. • ¾ of Mexico’s population live in urban area • NAFTA doubled trade for Mexico • Petroleum extraction & tourism, most important to economy • Tourism activity important because of climate and history • Tourism “smokeless industry”