1. Latin America
Mexico

3. Mexico’s people Indigenous People Mestizo
The people living in Mexico before Europeans arrived
Mestizo
From the mixture of European explorers/ settlers and natives.

4. Density and Distribution
107 Million People
Largest City: Mexico City
19 Million people!

5. Mexico City Megacity: any city with more than 10 million people
Primate City: dominates its country’s economy, culture, and political affairs.
Most polluted city in the world.
One of the Largest cities in the world

6. Mexico’s Population Density

7. Population density Most of Mexico is around 142 people per square mile
Mexico city is: 30,150 people per square mile!

8. Native American Mexican History: Maya
A.D.
Yucatan Peninsula
Abandoned all cities
We don’t know why!
Found more than 40 Mayan cities

9. Maya continued Skilled in Mathematics Accurate Calendars
Predicted Eclipses
Wrote in a series of Glyphs
“Picture Writing
Most untranslated

10. Native American Mexican History: Aztec
Highly structured class system
Emperor
Military officials
High priests
Human sacrifice

11. Aztec Continued Tenochtitlán Chinampas Aztec Capital
Located on site of present day Mexico City
By far the largest Pre-Columbian city in the Americas
Chinampas
Floating Islands
Made because farmers had cultivated all available land

12. Aztec Continued
Empire destroyed by Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés in 1521.

13. An Independent Nation 1521: Viceroys 1821: Independence from Spain
Royally appointed officials
1821: Independence from Spain
Father Miguel Hidalgo
Started in 1810
: Caudillos
Dictators
Backed by Military or wealthy landowners
1917: Constitution
on political party rules
Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI)
2000: PRI’s dominance ends
Vicente Fox elected president
Partido Acción Nacional (PAN)

14. Culture: Official Language: Spanish 90% Roman Catholic 95% speak it
More than 50 indigenous languages
90% Roman Catholic
Some still practice traditional religious beliefs
Syncretism
Blending of Traditional Beliefs (Maya, etc) with Roman Catholic Beliefs
Can be used to describe any type of blending of beliefs and practices.

15. The Arts
Native Architecture
Classical European Architecture

16. The Arts
Diego Rivera
Frida Kahlo

17. Sports and Leisure