1. Latin America
Human Geography

2. Mexico

3. History and Government

4. Mexican History
Regional distinctions from developed Mexican cultures seen today.
Maya
Aztec
Nomadic
In 1821 Mexico became the first Spanish territory to win its independence.

5. Government
The current Mexican government is a federal republic with power divided into three branches:
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
Over the past few decades, drug cartels have come to control different regions of Mexico, leading to internal warfare

7. Population

8. Population Catholic Missions Haciendas
The Spanish used to spread Christian ideas and to expand communities in Mexico.
Haciendas
Spanish landowners took advantage of indigenous communities, paying them little to work on their estates.

9. Catholic Spanish Mission
Hacienda

10. Population
Rural-to-urban migration over time has greatly altered Mexico’s population distribution
today 78 percent of Mexican citizens live in urban areas.
Mexico City
political capital of Mexico
cultural and economic center of Mexico.

13. Society

14. Society
Mexican culture values family with many Mexican homes holding three to four generations.
In Mexico, men dominate while women's primary obligation is the family.

15. Art
Mexico's arts are influenced by both the indigenous cultures of their ancient history and the new Spanish cultures.
Murals are an important art form in Mexico

16. Diego Rivera being one of Mexico's most famous muralists
Dream of a Sunday Afternoon, 1947

17. Economy

18. Economy
Mexico has a higher standard of living than many Latin American countries, still remaining challenges:
Industry
Transportation
communication
1992- Mexico, the United States, and Canada signed NAFTA
improving Mexico's economy
keeping it reliant on foreign countries.
The illegal drug trade remains an influential part of the Mexican economy.

19. Central America and Caribbean

20. History

21. History
Christopher Columbus's voyages from 1492 to brought Spanish colonization.
The establishment of colonies wiping out much of the Native American population:
Great Britain
France
Netherlands
Portugal

22. Government
During the 1800s, the fight for independence from European rulers began, resulting in new countries.
Today, many Central Americans have demanded positive change in an effort to improve their economies and living conditions.

23. Population

24. Population Populations in this region blend many ethnic groups.
Since 1900, the numbers of people migrating away from this region has risen due:
escape civil wars
poor economies
instability

25. A majority of the Central America population lives in highland cities and towns.
Caribbean population is highest in Latin America.
Despite economic difficulties and low life expectancy, Central America has one of the highest population growth rates in the world.

27. Society and Culture

28. Society
A blending of language, traditions, and art is found in Central America and the Caribbean.
Religions:
Majority- Roman Catholic
Protestant
Hinduism
Islam

29. The quality of education and health care varies greatly from country to country and from urban to rural areas.
Artwork, music, and dance reflect the history of both native and European cultures

30. Economy

31. Economy
Wealth is unevenly distributed in Central America and the Caribbean, with agriculture employing many of the workers.
Many countries in the region are still considered developing countries.
Recently, service and technology industries along with ecotourism have grown rapidly.

32. South America

34. History
The Inca Empire’s wealth and highly developed infrastructure attracted Spanish conquistadors.
Indigenous population reduced because of European settlers:
Portuguese
British
French
Dutch

36. Government
In the 1800s, independence movements led by Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín emerged.
Dictatorships dominated the postcolonial period.
Today, democratically elected governments struggle with economic and social justice issues.

37. Population

38. Population The once-high population growth has moderated.
Most people live in cities in the coastal regions because:
favorable climate
fertile land
access to transportation.

39. Highly populated urban areas make finding jobs and affordable housing difficult for migrants.
Brain Drain-
South America is the losing many highly educated and skilled workers North America and Europe.

40. Society and Culture

41. Language and Tradition
South America is a blend of:
native
European
Asian
African

42. Religion
The majority of people are Roman Catholic, though less common religions include
Protestantism
Buddhism
Hinduism
Judaism
Shinto
Islam
Eastern Orthodox Christianity

43. The quality of education and health care varies greatly from country to country and from urban to rural areas.
Indigenous crafts, art, and architecture reflect the history of the native cultures.

44. Economy

45. South America’s economic development resources:
Oil resources
Agriculture
mining of the abundant natural resources.
Manufacturing is growing rapidly, but physical geography influences commercial activity.

46. Many countries in the region are still considered developing countries.
Increased cooperation between countries through trade partnerships and infrastructure is improving economic growth.