Chapter 5 - Lesson 1 A Rugged Land Mexico

Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174 In 1528 the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes returned to Spain after a long journey in what is today Mexico The Spanish king Charles the V, asked Cortes to describe the land, Cortes crumbled a piece of paper and said there is the land I was in What do you think that meant? Bio

Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174 Isthmus – narrow strip of land that connects two larger land areas Mexico shares a 2,000 mile border with the United States The Rio Grande flows along a large portion of the U.S. border To the south the land narrows at the Isthmus Tehuantepec At this point only 140 miles separates the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean

Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174 Peninsula – a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides West of the Mexican mainland is a narrow strip of land known as Baja California, which is a peninsula The Gulf of California separates Baja California from mainland Mexico

Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174 Plateau – a high, flat, raised plain The Plateau of Mexico is Mexico’s largest physical feature Most of the Mexican people live on the plateau Two of the largest cities, Mexico City and Guadalajara, are located here

Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174 Sierra – a rugged chain of mountains The Plateau of Mexico is located between the mountain ranges called the Sierra Madre The Sierra Madre mountains are in the shape of a V and consist of “Sierra Madre Occidental (western), Sierra Madre Oriental (eastern) and Sierra Madre del Sur (southern)

Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174 Where the Sierra Madres come together, by the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a chain of volcanoes extends across the country Many of the volcanoes are active, one famous Mexican volcano is Popocatepetl, this word means “smoking mountain” For many years people lived on the side of this volcano until it erupted in 1996, forcing people to move Most volcanoes form by the movement of tectonic plates

Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174 Popocatepetl erupts Eruption

What causes volcanoes and earthquakes in Mexico? (pg.174)

Climate and Vegetation pg 175 -176 Mexico’s climate varies greatly from the deserts in the northern Sonoran Desert to the southern rain forests of the Yucatan Peninsula

Climate and Vegetation pg 175 -176 Tierra Caliente – “hot land” - hot climate zone in Mexico, mild winters and hot summers Mexico has three climate zones: tierra caliente, tierra templada, tierra fria Tierra Caliente includes elevations that extend from sea level to 2,500 - 3,000 ft

Climate and Vegetation pg 175 -176 Tierra Templada – “temperate land” – temperatures between 50 degrees and 80 degrees F Most of Mexico’s farms are in this zone Tierra Templada includes elevations that extend from 2,500 - 3,000 ft to 6,000 ft

Climate and Vegetation pg 175 -176 Tierra Fria – “cold Land” – Not actually cold because this climate zone is in the tropics Temperatures do not get very hot nor very cold Tierra Fria includes elevations that extend above 6,000ft Frost – a covering of tiny ice crystals that form a surface when dew or water freezes

In what climate zone do most people like to live in V? Why? (pg.172)

Remember Tierra templada Tierra Caliante Frost Tierra Frio Isthmus Peninsula Sierra