CHAPTER 6 Mexico

MEXICO’S LAND AND ECONOMY

Mexico is part of a LAND BRIDGE – This is a strip of land that connects two larger pieces of land.

What two continents does this land bridge connect? ____________________ & ________________________

What other countries lie within this land bridge?

MEXICO’S LAND AND ECONOMY

Is Mexico part of North America, or South America?

Both!!!!!! It is part of North America however its

culture is more closely tied to South America.

LANDSCAPE

Using geography terms tell me some landforms or places that surround Mexico. West East North South __________ California, which is a long

peninsula Between the Gulf of Mexico and the

Caribbean Sea there is another peninsula called the ________________ Peninsula.

LANDSCAPE

The landscape of Mexico is very rugged. Some would say that if you wanted to compare it to something you should crumple up a piece of paper with deep folds. There are tons of towering mountain ranges, and a huge plateau in central Mexico. tell me some of the mountain ranges that

you can find in Mexico.

PHYSICAL MEXICO

There are three major mountain ranges found in Mexico.

These mountain ranges make up the __________ __________________ mountain range also known as the “mother range”.

Many of Mexico’s mountain ranges are actually made from __________________.

Some of the more active volcanoes in Mexico are Popacatepetl “El Popo” – erupted violently

centuries ago, then erupted again in December of 2000.

PHYSICAL MEXICO Earthquakes

A major earthquake hit Mexico City in 1985

“Ring of Fire” – this is a very active volcano zone that forms the western, eastern, and northern edges of the Pacific Ocean.

Mexico is on the border of this ring of fire and therefore experiences a lot of side effects of the volcanoes.

PHYSICAL MEXICO Plateau of Mexico

Plateau of Mexico lies in the middle of Mexico

It is surrounded by the Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

Northern Plateau is deserts and grassy plains.

Middle Plateau is flat valleys where many of the chief cities lie.

Southern Plateau rises until it meets the snowcapped mountains of the Sierra Madre de Sur.

PHYSICAL MEXICO

Coastal Lowlands lowlands lie between the Sierra Madre Mountain

Range, and the coasts.

Pacific Coastal Plains – West – north is desert, further south you go the better soil for ranching and farming.

Gulf Coastal Plains – East - good for farming and raising animals

CLIMATES OF MEXICO

Mexico has an assortment of climate zones. This is due to the fact that the Tropic of ___________ cuts across the center of Mexico at _____________ degrees N Latitude.

If you live South of this line then you will experience a warm temperature throughout the year.

If you live North of this line you will experience a warm summer and a cooler winter

CLIMATES OF MEXICO

ALTITUDE

Altitude – height above sea level – also affects the climate of Mexico.

The _______________ the altitude the cooler the temperature will be.

The mountains and plateaus of Mexico give it three altitude Zones

CLIMATES OF MEXICO

Altitude Zones (page 193 in book )

Tierra Caliente (“hot land”)– coastal lowland area which are close to sea level they have a HIGH TEMPERATURE.

Tierra Templada (“temperate land”) – moderate clime not too hot, not too cold. Middle elevation

Tierra Fria (“cold land”) – becomes very cool in this area because it is the highest elevation

CLIMATES OF MEXICO

Baja California and Northern Mexico get very little rainfall

Most rainfall occurs during the summer months of Mexico and in mid to southern parts.

June to October lots of Hurricane season

ECONOMICS

Mexico’s economy rank in the top 15 most important economies in the world.

ii. There are three distinct economic regions

NORTH – Farming and Manufacturing

Farmers called Vaqueros (cowhands)– developed the tools and techniques used by Americans in herding and ranching animals.

Cities are filled with Maquiladoras – factories built to assemble parts made in other countries.

ECONOMICS

The north is quickly growing but due to this advancement in economy growing environmental concerns are also becoming an issue.

CENTRAL – More than ½ of Mexico’s population lives here.

Area has a great climate and soil which makes for a comfortable living space.

ECONOMICS

SOUTH – Poorest of all economic regions due to its poor soil and towering mountains.

Subsistence Farming – small plots where farmers grow enough food to feed themselves is common here.

However in the coastal lowlands of this area there are plantations – large farms where owners grow sugarcane and bananas.

ECONOMICS

Mexico today relies less on farming and more on manufacturing this makes it a __________________ economy.

OLMECS

Olmecs – Built the first civilization in the Americas around 1200 B.C.

Olmecs carved huge statues, and they also

carved jewelry out of Jade. All of the objects that they carved were

created from obsidian – a hard black glass created by volcanoes. (they had no metals)

Olmecs were also the first to grow maize

MAYANS

Mayans – lived in the Yucatan Peninsula (rain forests) from A.D.250 to A.D. 900.

Very religious people in order to keep their religious schedule they studied the heavens and developed our ______________________.

They built huge stone temples Developed _________________ a form of writing

that uses signs and symbols Complex number system Drew _______________ - wall paintings on the

walls of tombs and temples.

AZTECS

Lived in central Mexico around A.D.1200. Capital was Tenochtitlan which is where

Mexico City is found today. Left many traditions in Mexico which are

still alive today. Flag (eagle with a snake on its beak) honor

the Aztecs.

SPANISH MEXICO

1519 Cortez Spanish army leader led his men into Tenochtitlan and took over making Mexico a Spanish Colony.

ii.Many Spanish came over and raised cattle on their ___________________ large ranches.

iii.Roman Catholic became the religion of choice

INDEPENDENCE AND REVOLUTION

1810 Catholic priest Hidalgo led a revolution against the Spanish starting the rebellions against the Spanish in Mexico.

1821 Mexico wins its independence from Spain.

1824 set up a Republic with an elected president.

Shortly after fight Americans for Texas and lose

MEXICO’S CITIES AND VILLAGES

Cities – PLAZAS- public squares Around the plazas are important

buildings such as churches and government centers.

Many homes in rural Mexico are made of ADOBE- sun dried clay bricks.

FOOD AND CELEBRATIONS

Spicy foods – corn, beef, chicken, cheese, beans, chocolate

Fiestas – celebrations Mariachi – bands that play horns,

violins, guitars play at the fiestas. Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) celebration for

the day in 1862 when Mexicans defeated an invading French army.

November 2nd – The Day of the Dead- gather to honor and remember their dead loved ones.

GOVERNMENT

Federal Republic – power is divided among national and state governments.

President that leads the national government more power in the national governments than in the state governments (United States)