DOG Pile

1. What country was Mexico a colony of?2. When did Mexico gain its independence?

Latin America Physical/Political

• Copy the 5 questions from the handout on to the back of the map.

• Label the map according to the directions on the handout and then add color.

• Complete the 5 questions on the back of the map or a separate sheet of paper.

• When its done then complete the homework on page 203 #1-5. You MUST complete the chart (#2) or the HW will not be counted.

MEXICOPg. 182-183 Blue/green book• Label the 31 Mexican States. • Trace and label the Rio Grande, the Pacific,

Gulf of California, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Bay of Campeche, Baja California, Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental, Plateau of Mexico, Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Gulf Coastal Plain and the Yucatan Peninsula

• Label the National capital, Ciudad Juarez, the United States and Central America

• Color the map. Return colored pencils at end.

DOG Pile

• What is subsistence farming?• What do the Sierra Madre surround?

DOG Pile

Pg 191• What form of government does Mexico have?• What is different about their president from

ours?

DOG Pile

• Page 197• Answer the “Applying Map Skills” questions in

the bottom left corner of the map.

181-199

DOG pile

• What two ancient cultures were found on the Yucatán Peninsula?

• What was the name of the ancient city that Mexico City was built on top of?

Guided reading #1

• Pg 181.• Read through the section and as you do

complete the sentences from the handout. YES- You have to write the sentences.

• After 20 min we will compare information that we can add to the WEB

Place

• Capital of country- Mexico City (has large plazas)

• Monterrey – large industrial city• Guadalajara is the second largest city• Baja and Yucatan peninsulas, Sierra Madre

Mountain ranges and Mexican plateau• 31 states

Location

• Mexico is on the isthmus that connects N and S America

• Much of Mexico lies in the tropics• The Pacific Ocean is to its west and the Gulf of

Mexico is to its East

Human Environment interaction

• Pollution called Smog (Smoke/Fog) is so bad in Mexico City that people often have to wear masks.

• In northern Mexico, many factories release dangerous chemicals into the air/water.

• The Rio Grande is one of the most polluted rivers in North America

Movement

• Mexicans who cannot find work may become migrant workers (workers who travel from place to place when extra workers are needed to plant or harvest crops.)

• Many workers immigrate to the United States to find better paying work.

Region• Landforms and regions combine to create

three economic zones • Northern- factories (Maquiladoras) assemble

parts from around the world. Increased standard of living.

• Central- Fertile soil and a mild climate from the high altitude combine for good farming

• South – Poorest region, poor soil in mountains makes subsistence farming common. Some plantations near the ocean.

Economy

• Mexico is industrializing so that they can move their economy away from agriculture. Top 12 economies in the world

• Subsistence farming is a major economic activity currently.• Money sent from the United States is a big part of the

Mexican economy• Maquiladoras – factories that assemble parts for finished

goods• Banking and tourism are major service industries

Government

• The government of Mexico is a Federal Republic because it shares power between the National and the State government

• The president only serves one 6 year term and has more power than the legislative or judicial branches

• The constitution of 1917 addressed land reform (giving land to the poor)

Religion

• Most people are Catholic (Christian) • Mayan and Aztec Religions used human

sacrifice in their rituals.

History

• Ancient people of the Aztecs and Maya once ruled the area

• The capital of Mexico City was built on Tenochitichlan (the Aztec capital)

• The Spanish ruled Mexico 1500’s to 1821• Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortez defeated

the Aztec• Mexican Revolution of 1910 redistributed land

to poor people.

Language

• The main language is Spanish • Many people still speak native languages• The Aztecs and Maya both used hieroglyphics

as their written language

Geography• Mexico’s two largest peninsulas include the

Baja California on the West coast and the Yucatan on the East coast

• There are three large mountain ranges : Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre del Sur

• The Plateau of Mexico is located in the middle of all of the Sierras

• Mexico reaches its narrowest part at the “Isthmus of Tehuantepec” 140m from Pacific to Gulf of Mexico

Culture

• A popular festival is the Day of the Dead.• La quincinera is a celebration of a girl’s 15th

birthday• Christianity is the most common religion• Spanish is the main language• 70% of Mexicans live in urban areas• Pride in their work is important to many

Mexicans.

Renewable resources

• Geothermal power is generated in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

• Solar power is used throughout Mexico in rural areas that have no access to the national power grid.

Non-Renewable resources

• Off of the Southern Coast (Gulf of Mexico) there are large deposits of oil and natural gas

• Mexico is one of the worlds largest oil producing nations.

Demographics

• Over 70% of Mexicans live in cities. Often they moved there to find work

• Population of Mexico city is greater than 8 million in the city limits

• 60% of the people are Mestizo (mixed Spanish and Native), 30 are Native, 10% are European (especially Spanish)

Climate

• Latitude (how far from the equator) and altitude (how high above sea level) determines how hot it is (the higher you go the cooler it gets)

• Tierra Caliente (at sea level) “HOT Land”• Tierra Templada (moderate elevation/altitude)

moderate temperature “Temparate land”• Tierra fria – (high altitude) “cold land”

Weather

• Baja California experiences hurricanes and high winds during late summer.

• Gulf Coast is also hit by hurricanes during “American” hurricane season (June 1- November 1)

Agriculture

• Wealthy farmers grow sugarcane and bananas on plantations near sea-level

• The southern economic region has a lot of subsistence farming in the mountains

• Corn is a major agricultural product

Diversity

• 60% of Mexicans are Mestizo• 30% are Native Americans• 10% are descended from Europeans

Ecosystems

• Much of Mexico is covered in shrubland• Tropical rainforests exist on the Isthmus of

Tehuantehpec and over 50% of Mexico’s plants and animals live here

• Cloud forests exist at altitudes of greater than 3300 feet and are similar to rainforests