MEXICO

HISTORY Mexico's Independence Day - September 16 In the early nineteenth century, Mexico, with a little influence from the US and France, began talking about a revolt against Spain. Father Miguel Hidalgo from Dolores, Mexico, was a leader of one of the rallying groups. Hidalgo and his officers were planning a revolt for late fall of The Spanish people found out about the revolt which led the Spanish Government to order the arrest of Hidalgo and his officers. When Hidalgo found out, he called a meeting at his church. He rang the church bell on the night of September 15, 1810 to call his congregation to mass. Here Father Hidalgo rallied the people to fight. He gave the speech which is now known as 'Grito de Delores', saying "Viva Mexico" and "Viva la independencia!" These famous words have been remembered and are said each year at the Independence Day celebrations. Everyone fought together, including the Criollos (wealthy Mexicans of Spanish descent), Mesizos (children born from the marriage of a Spaniard and an Indian), and Indians. Armed with clubs, knives, stone slings, and ancient guns, they fought as they marched to Mexico City. A battle took place in Guanajuato between the Spanish soldiers and Hidalgo's followers. The army sacked the town, killing the Spaniards. They continued to fight on their way to the capital. When they finally reached Mexico City, the army hesitated before going in to fight and some of them even disserted the army. Before the year was over Father Hidalgo was captured and executed. Some people continued to fight for the cause and Father Hidalgo's Grito de Delores (Cry of Delores) became the battle cry of the Mexican War of Independence. The people fought for eleven years before they finally won their freedom. Today Mexican Independence Day is a major celebration in Mexico and is bigger than Cinco de Mayo. It is celebrated with a fiesta (party). The celebrating begins on September 15 (the eve of Independence Day) where crowds of people gather in the zocalos (town meeting place) of cities, towns, and villages. In Mexico City a huge square is decorated with flags, flowers and lights of red, white, and green. People sell confetti, whistles, horns, paper-machete helmets, and toys in the colors of red, white and green. There is also plenty of feasting! When the clock strikes eleven o'clock the crowd gets silent. On the last strike of eleven the president of Mexico steps out on the palace balcony, and rings the historic liberty bell that Father Hidalgo rang to call the people. Then the president gives the Grito de Delores. He shouts "Viva Mexico" "Viva la independencia" and the crowd echoes back. People do this at the same time all across Mexico. While the crowd says this they fill the air with confetti, streamers and hoopla. Castillos explode in showers of red, white, and green. The actual day of September 16 is similar to July Fourth in the US. There are rodeos, parades, bullfights, horseback rider performances and grand feasts. The statues in memory of Father Hidalgo are decorated with red, white, and green flowers. The Mexican Flag is made up of green, white, and red. The green is on the left side of the flag and symbolizes independence. White is the color in the middle of the flag and symbolizes religion. The red is on the right side of the flag and symbolizes union. These colors are used often in decorating for the Mexican Independence Day fiesta.

EL ANGEL DE LA INDEPENDENCIA The direction of the project was in charge of the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, also author of the Juárez Theater of the City of Guanajuato. This monument is inspired by a project to pay tribute to the heroes of the independence that consisted of in the heat of constructing to a stone socle with a column corintia crowned by an angel Seat of the Constitution during the government of Antonio Lopez of Santa Ana. That project could not take shape, and already for end of century XIX, the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, it retook it being inspired in addition by some famous columns to the world like the one of Trajano in Rome, the one of Plaza Vendome of Paris and the Alexander in San Petesburgo. All those columns were raised to commemorate, the triumph of an ideal in their respective countries. This monument was inaugurated the 16 of September of 1910 like culminating event of the celebrations of the centenary of the Independence, same which they attended important diplomats, ambassadors, employees public and the town in general to enjoy the games pyrotechnicses, parades and concerts that were made in the Stroll of the Reformation in that occasion. Years more behind schedule, in 1957, the monument to Independence, known popularly as the Angel lived his more difficult moment when falling this sculpture golden because of a strong earthquake. Nevertheless, for glory of the city and its inhabitants the sculpture was replaced just a short time later and has resisted since then all the attacks of the nature.

CULTURE Mexicos culture si really interesting and fun for some examples we have : Cinco de mayo 16 de septiembre Dia de los muertos Dia de la virgen de guadalupe Posadas Navidad Carnaval Semana santa Dia de los santo reyes

POPULATION Mexicos area is 1,958,200 sq km And its population is 101,000,000

SPORTS A famouse sport in mexico is soccer every mexican loves to play socer or atleast ahs a favorite soccer team and watches soccer. Socer teams: Las chivas El america El toluca Santos Pumas Atlante Chiapas Tigres Monterrey Monarcas San luis potosi Necaxa

FOODS SOME FOODS IN MEXICO ARE COMMON IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE MOLE POBLANO, POSOLE, ARROZ, Y FRIJOLES, POLLO COCIDO, TAMALES, HUEVOS RANCHEROS, TOSTADAS, AND SOME OTHER FOODS ALSO.

MONEY In mexico theres two types of different money the first is pesos which are like coins and the second is billetes here in the united states we say dollars and cents but in mexico we say pesos.

CLOTHING Typical mexican clothing are dresses for folk dances or other events that are celebrated in Mexico.

ATTRACTIONS Some attractions in mexico that are visited the most from tourists are Cancun, Acapulco, and Mexico City

MUSICA In mexico the music is spanish weahter if it is rock, pop, reggeaton, salsa, cumbia, duranguense, merengue, ranchera, romantic music and much more. Like some of our famouse singers in mexico like Paulina Rubio, Thalia, Vicente Fernandez, Luis Miguel, Juan Gabriel, Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Pedro Fernandez, Valentin Elizalde, Alejandr Guzman, Montez De Durango, K- paz De La Sierra, Horoscopos de durango, Alacranes Musical, Ana Barbara, Timbiriche, Marco Antonio Solis.

VIVA MEXICO GRACIAS POR SUS ATTENCIONES