Geography, History and Government of Central America and the Caribbean Unit 2: Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Lesson 1: Geography, History, and Government I can define a cultural region and explain the geography, history (or common history), economy and governments of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Pair/Share: What happened to the people who lived in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean?

What is a cultural region? A cultural region is a place that shares a common history, beliefs and cultural traditions. Latin America, as a cultural region, includes South America, Central America, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean. We are going to focus on Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.  

First – Geography! Pair/Share with a partner: Where is Mexico? What types of geography are in Mexico (desert, farm, mountains, etc.)? What countries are in Central America? What types of geography are in Central America (desert, farm, mountains, etc.)? Does every country in Central America speak Spanish? What countries are in the Caribbean? What types of geography are in the Caribbean (desert, farm, mountains, etc.)? Does every country in the Caribbean speak Spanish?

Geography of Mexico Mexico is located in the southern tip of North America. Mexico is a land of extremes, with high mountains and deep canyons in the center of the country, sweeping deserts in the north, and dense rain forests in the south and east. Mountains cover much of Mexico. Between the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range in the east and the Sierra Madre Occidental in the west lie small mountain ranges on the Central Plateau. These regions are rich with valuable metals like silver and copper. The stretch of land called the Yucatán Peninsula juts into the Gulf of Mexico from Mexico's southeastern tip. It was once the home of the Maya civilization, an ancient culture whose amazing buildings can still be seen today.

The History of Mexico The Olmec people, Mexico's first complex society, emerged in the southeastern part of the country around 1200 B.C. They were later followed by the Maya, the Toltec, and the Aztec peoples. Mexico's ancient societies built great cities and huge pyramids, created remarkable works of art, and even studied the stars and planets to determine when to plant crops and hold ceremonies. In the early 1500s, the Spanish arrived in Mexico. The Aztec people got sick from smallpox and other diseases that the Spanish brought with them. The Spaniards also seized and destroyed the Aztec capital, called Tenochtitlán. The Spanish ruled Mexico until 1821.

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY of MEXICO Mexico is a country with great problems and great potential. It is rich in natural resources, like oil, silver, copper, and agricultural products. But political and economic failings have kept much of the population in poverty. The Mexico-United States border is the largest economic divide on Earth. For many Mexicans, the best chance for a better life lies in the much more prosperous United States. Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans come to the U.S., legally and illegally, each year in search of work. Mexico has a Presidential Federal republic

Geography of Central America Central America is generally considered part of the continent of North America, but is often referred to as its own region. Central America is a narrow isthmus that is bordered by North America and the Gulf of Mexico to the north and by South America to the south. Isthmus: a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land To the east of Central America is the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean is to the west.

There are seven countries that are considered part of Central America: Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Belize is the only country that does not speak Spanish

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY OF CENTRAL AMERICA The economies of the Central American countries depend on farming and harvesting wood from their rain forests. Central America has two kinds of farms. Wealthy people and companies own plantations, which are commercial farms that grow crops for sale. Major crops include coffee, bananas, cotton, and sugarcane. Plantations export their harvest to the United States and other parts of the world. Farmers in Guatemala and Costa Rica also grow flowers and ornamental plants for export. Many farms in Central America are not plantations but subsistence farms. These are small plots of land where poor farmers grow only enough food to feed their families. Subsistence farmers typically raise livestock and grow corn, beans, and rice In Central America, both El Salvador and Nicaragua are republics, while most of the other countries are some other form of a republic. Guatemala has a constitutional democratic republic as does Honduras. Costa Rica has a democratic republic and Panama has a constitutional democracy. Lastly, Belize has a parliamentary democracy.

Geography of the Caribbean The Caribbean Islands are another region that are considered part of the continent of North America. They are located in the Caribbean Sea to the east of Central America. The largest four Caribbean Islands are Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. 

There are three Caribbean countries that speak Spanish: Cuba The Dominican Republic Puerto Rico

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY OF CARIBBEAN Cuba The country had a democratic government, but in 1959 Fidel Castro led a revolution that took control of the government. Almost immediately, he set up a communist state and turned to the Soviet Union for support. When Castro seized property belonging to American companies, the United States government responded. It put in place an embargo, or a ban on trade, against Cuba. Recently our president has started to lift these bans – including travel bans! Cuba relied on aid from the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union broke apart in 1989,it stopped giving economic support to the island. The Cuban economy is struggling, and many Cubans live in poverty.

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY OF CARIBBEAN The Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The Dominican Republic was settled by Spaniards, who brought enslaved Africans to work on sugar plantations. Sugar is still an important crop. Tourism is growing too, and many Dominicans sell goods in the country’s free trade zone. Free trade zones are areas where people can buy goods from other countries without paying taxes. The government of the Dominican Republic hopes to build up the country’s electrical power so the economy can grow more quickly. Poverty remains a problem. As a result, many Dominicans have left the country looking for work. The Dominican Republic is a democratic republic

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY OF CARIBBEAN Puerto Rico To be or not to be a state in the United States? This is the question that Puerto Ricans ask themselves every few years. The last time they voted, they said no. How did Puerto Rico become part of the United States? The island was a Spanish colony from 1508 to 1898. After the Spanish-American War in 1898, the United States won control of Puerto Rico. Since 1952 the island has been a commonwealth, or a partly self-governing territory, under U.S. protection. By law, Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. They can come and go as they wish from the island to the United States. Puerto Rico has a high standard of living compared to most other Caribbean islands. It boasts more industry, with factories producing chemicals, machinery, clothing, and more. San Juan is the capital and largest city. In rural areas, farmers grow sugarcane and coffee. Puerto Rico makes more money from tourism than any country in the region.

Spanish Words from Nahuatl (Aztec) HISTORY OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Latin America – including Central America and the Caribbean – have a Common or Shared History Latin America was once dominated by large civilizations—the Incan, Aztec, and Mayan empires. These empires left a lasting influence on architecture, food, and language. Spanish Words from Nahuatl (Aztec) coyote, chile, techalote, chicle, tomato, guacamole , Mexico, Guatamala, and many many more!

Shared History of Colonization The Mesoamerican empires were conquered and colonized by European conquistadors and European colonists, mostly from Spain and Portugal. Central America was the home of many Native Americans prior to Europe colonizing the region. The majority of the area was colonized by Spain. Spanish is still the most common language. 

Lasting Influence of Colonization: Language (Spanish), food (many items brought from Europe), religion (Catholicism) and traditions (religious holidays especially) are all things passed down that still dominate the culture of the entire region.

Let’s check ourselves… 1. What is a cultural region? 2. What makes a cultural region different than a political region? 3. How do you think cultural regions form? Cultures!