Chapter 10 A Blending of Cultures

Section 1 Mexico

Colonialism and Independence Several different groups of Native people originally settled Mexico. The Mayan, Toltec, and the Aztecs were the most well known. The Spanish conquest began when Hernando Cortez landed on the coast of Mexico in 1519. Cortez kept marching inland to Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) and the Spanish conquered the Aztec’s by 1521.

Mayan Calendar Tenochtitlan Hernan Cortez Aztec Warrior

Colony and Country For years after the conquest of the Aztec, Mexico would be under Spanish rule. Mexico rich supply of gold, silver, and other resources made it a rich prize. Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. Augustin de Iturbide was the first emperor in 1822. Benito Juarez led a reform movement in the 19th century (separation of church and state).

Colony and Country Under Spanish rule and even after independence land was unequally divided between the rich and poor. Rich land owners owned Haciendas and poor peasants work for them. Juarez tried to give land back to the peasants. He was eventually replaced by Porfirio Diaz, who was a very corrupt ruler. His rule led to a civil war led by Pancho Villa , Emiliano Zapata They redistributed over ½ of Mexico’s farmland to peasants.

One Party Rule In 1929 a new political part known as the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) arose. This party helped maintain democracy and stability for much of the 20th century. The PRI eventually became very corrupt and fixed elections so the opposition would not win. In 1997 two parties won a large number of seats in congress. In 2000 Vicente Fox became the first non PRI president in 71 years.

A Meeting of Cultures The Aztecs built a large empire. They were known for extravagant temples and human sacrifice. Cortez tore down many temples but some still exist today. When the Spanish came their language and the Catholic religion dominated Mexico. Mexico has a large Meztizo population, which is Native and Spanish mix.

Economic: Cities and Factories Mexico struggles against to economic challenges. 1st the gap between rich and poor is two large. 2nd they have had problems creating a modern industrial economy. Many Mexicans are moving to cities for economic opportunities. Most of the population is young.

Economics: Cities and Factories Oil is Mexico’s most important export. Maquiladoras are factories in Mexico that assemble imported materials into a finished product and export them back to the United States. NAFTA has greatly reduced tariffs and opened up trade between U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Mexican Life Today Emigration is a huge issue facing Mexico. Many people cross over the 2,000 mile border into the U.S. in search of better paying jobs. Many send money back home to Mexico. The rapid growing population has created a lack of jobs. Education is very important in fixing this problem. Mexico’s school attendance has increased to 85%

Central America and The Caribbean Section 2

Native and Colonial Central America Central America is a Cultural Hearth( a place where important ideas spread from). The great Mayan civilization stretched throughout Central America. No one knows why the Mayans began to abandon their cities in the 800’s.

Mayan Influence The Mayan built many cities and temples in present day Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Tikal is believed to be the center of Mayan civilization. It is located in the dense jungles of Guatemala. The pyramids at Tikal were the tallest structures in the Americas until the 20th century.

The Spanish in Central America The Spanish ruled Central America along with Mexico. In 1823 the whole region declared independence from Mexico and took on the name United Provinces of Central America. By the late 1930’s the Provinces split into separate nations including; Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Native and Colonial Caribbean When Christopher Columbus reached the islands in 1492 he thought he had reached Asia. The islands were known as the West Indies. The Spanish established sugar cane plantations on the islands and forced the natives (Taino) to work on the plantations. Many natives died from the diseases brought by the Spaniards. The Spanish then brought African slaves to work the plantations.

Native and Colonial Caribbean African and Taino culture had a lasting influece on the Caribbean Islands. Many European nations including the Spanish, Dutch, French, British, and Danish claimed islands in the Caribbean. Most of the countries operated sugar plantations. Independence in the Caribbean began with a slave revolt on Haiti. Cuba got independence after the Spanish American War. Jamaica, Trinidad, and Tobago, gained full independence in 1962.

Toussaint Louverture