Mexico

Key Terms Plateau – an area of high flat land Peninsula – a strip of land that juts out into the ocean Irrigation – artificial watering of farmland by storing and distributing water drawn from reservoirs or rivers Sinkhole – when the roof of a limestone cavern falls in it creates a sinkhole

Physical Characteristics Sierra Madre Occidental Baja California Sierra Madre Oriental Plateau of Mexico Yucatan Peninsula Isthmus of Tehuantepec

What is the Weather Like? Precipitation Climate Northern Mexico gets lower amounts of rainfall than southern Mexico Northern Mexico has a dry climate with desert and semi-desert regions Southern Mexico is tropical with rain forests and savanas

Where are all the People? Tijuana Monterrey Leon Guadalajara Veracruz

The Heartland Region Natural Hazards 1 The Heartland Region Natural Hazards Mexico’s central plateau, or area of high, flat land, is geologically unstable. Mexico is located at intersection of four tectonic plates. Some mountains are active volcanoes. Frequent earthquakes shake the land. Climate Factors The mountains block rainfall in much of the central plateau. The southern end of the plateau receives more rain than the arid north. High elevation keeps temperatures mild year-round.

The Coastal Regions Northern Pacific Coast 1 The Coastal Regions Northern Pacific Coast It has a hot and arid climate. Irrigation, or artificial watering, gives this region some of the best farmland in Mexico. Southern Pacific Coast The Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range edges a narrow coast. There is little farmland, but a spectacular setting and tropical climate favor tourism. Gulf Coastal Plain Vast deposits of petroleum and natural gas are under the plain and Gulf of Mexico. It is one of the major oil-producing regions of the world. Yucatán Peninsula Rainfall dissolves the limestone bedrock, producing underground caverns that sometimes collapse, forming sinkholes. Mayan ruins attract tourists and archaeologists.

Section 1 Review The geological instability of the central plateau a) is slowly dividing the plateau in half. b) produces dangerous volcanoes and earthquakes. c) causes heavy rainfalls. d) has created a flat, low land. Mayan ruins have attracted tourists and archaeologists to which region? a) the northern Pacific coastal plain b) the Gulf coastal plain c) the southern Pacific coastal plain d) the Yucatán peninsula Want to connect to the World Geography link for this section? Click Here!

Section 1 Review The geological instability of the central plateau a) is slowly dividing the plateau in half. b) produces dangerous volcanoes and earthquakes. c) causes heavy rainfalls. d) has created a flat, low land. Mayan ruins have attracted tourists and archaeologists to which region? a) the northern Pacific coastal plain b) the Gulf coastal plain c) the southern Pacific coastal plain d) the Yucatán peninsula Want to connect to the World Geography link for this section? Click Here!

1 Geography of Mexico What are the main physical characteristics that affect daily life in Mexico’s heartland region? How do Mexico’s four coastal plains regions differ?

Key Terms Hacienda – a large Spanish-owned estate, often run as a farm or cattle ranch Land redistribution – a policy by which land is taken from those who own large amounts and redistributed to those who have little or none Ejido – farmland owned collectively by members of a rural community Substance farming – farming that produces only enough for the needs of a family or a village

Key Terms Latifundio – a large commercial farm owned by a private individual or a farming company Cash crop – a farm crop grown for sale and profit Migrant worker – a worker who travels from place to place, working where extra help is needed to cultivate or harvest crop Maquiladora – a factory in Mexico along the United States boarder, that assembles goods for export

2 Aztecs and Spaniards The Aztecs had built a powerful empire in central Mexico. Tenochtitlán occupied the site of modern Mexico City. Tenochtitlan was built on an island in the middle of a lake. Hernán Cortés, a Spanish adventurer, marched his soldiers into Tenochtitlán in 1519, making allies with the Aztec’s enemies. Within two years, the Aztec empire was destroyed. The territory won by Cortés became the colony of New Spain. Four social classes emerged in New Spain: the peninsulares, the criollos, the mestizos, and the Indians. Indians provided labor on Spanish-owned haciendas, large estates run as farms or cattle ranches. The Spanish king rewarded the conquistadors by granting them both haciendas and the Indians who worked them in a system known as encomienda. Under encomienda, Indians lived a slave-like existence.

2 Road to Democracy Criollo resentment of the privileges of peninsulares erupted into conflict in the early 1800s. Mexico achieved independence by 1821, but was not democratic. The Mexican Revolution began in 1910 when Peasants and middle-class Mexicans rebelled. The gap between the rich and the poor was a central reason for the rebellion. The new Mexican government was a federal republic with an elected president and congress. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) controlled Mexican politics until the election in 2000.

2 Social Conditions After the Mexican Revolution, the government divided haciendas among landless peasants in policy of land redistribution. The government awarded most of the redistributed land in ejidos, land held collectively by members of a rural community. In an ejidos, farmers generally practice subsistence farming, only growing enough to meet their own needs. One third of Mexico’s farms are huge commercial farms called latifundios, which, along with some ejidos, raise cash crops-crops raised for sale and profit. Many landless, jobless peasants travel from place to place as migrant workers. Cities offer better job opportunities and chances for education than the countryside, but most urban dwellers in Mexico are very poor and struggle to survive.

2 Economic Activities Since NAFTA was passed, manufacturing has increased and unemployment has declined in Mexico. Major Industries Petroleum extraction and tourism are important to Mexico’s economy. The state-owned oil company provides revenue that rises or falls along with oil prices. Climate, scenery, and cultural history make tourism an important source of income for Mexico. Tourism is a cleaner alternative to industry; Mexicans call tourism the “smokeless industry.” Border Industries Maquiladoras, factories that assemble products for export to the United States, are clustered along the United States-Mexico border. People have raised concerns about work and pay in maquiladoras, but employment has increased and workers’ skills have improved. Concerns have been raised about pollution from factories and the damage to health and the environment.

Section 2 Review How did Hernán Cortés affect the Aztec empire? a) He traded European goods with the Aztecs. b) He conquered the Aztec empire for Spain. c) He exchanged ideas and technology with the Aztecs. d) He gave the Aztecs tribute from the Spanish king. What are two of the most important industries in Mexico? a) diamond mining and electronics b) petroleum extraction and timber cutting c) steel and tourism d) petroleum extraction and tourism Want to connect to the World Geography link for this section? Click Here!

Section 2 Review How did Hernán Cortés affect the Aztec empire? a) He traded European goods with the Aztecs. b) He conquered the Aztec empire for Spain. c) He exchanged ideas and technology with the Aztecs. d) He gave the Aztecs tribute from the Spanish king. What are two of the most important industries in Mexico? a) diamond mining and electronics b) petroleum extraction and timber cutting c) steel and tourism d) petroleum extraction and tourism Want to connect to the World Geography link for this section? Click Here!

A Place of Three Cultures 2 A Place of Three Cultures How did Mexico become a Spanish colony? What were key political events in the development of democracy in Mexico? What social problems face Mexico today? What are the main characteristics of the Mexican economy?