1. Chapter 5 - Lesson 1 A Rugged Land
Mexico

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. Mexico’s Landforms pg 172 - 174
Popocatepetl erupts
Eruption

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

10. 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

11. 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, ,000 ft

12. 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, ,000 ft to 6,000 ft

13. 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

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

15. Remember Tierra templada Tierra Caliante Frost Tierra Frio Isthmus
Peninsula
Sierra