1. Unit 3 Day 3 - Mexico
CHAPTER 10 SECTION 1

2. Aztecs & the Spanish Aztecs inhabited Mexico
Quetzcoatl – god worshipped by Aztecs
1519: Hernando Cortes (Spanish Conquistador) lands in Mexico and conquers Aztecs by 1521
Abundant resources such as gold and silver
Father Miguel Hidalgo led the Mexican Revolution in 1810
Made colony a great prize

3. From colony to country Achieved independence from Spain in 1821
Agustin de Iturbide helped Mexico gain independence, made himself emperor
Mid 18oos: Benito Juarez led reform, became president
Land was unequally distributed
Large haciendas(estates or ranches) covered most of Mexico’s farmland
Institutional Revolutionary Party (1929) controlled for 71 years
Enrique Peña Nieto México, current President of Mexico
Benito worked for separation of church and state, better educational opportunities, and a more even distribution of the land.
---Under Spanish rule, and even after Independence, land had been unequally distributed. A few rich landowners owned haciendas (estates or ranches) that covered most of Mexico’s farmland.

4. Mexican Painters Famous murals painted by Diego Rivera and Jose Orozco
Frida Kahlo was an important Mexican painters
Known for her self portraits
Painting became public art in 1900s
Famous murals painted by Diego Rivera and Jose Orozco
Most of the important Mexican painters blended European and Native American influences.
In the 20th century, Mexico’s tradition of painting took the form of public art.

6. Architecture
Aztecs built temples/public buildings in the shape of pyramids
Tenochtitlan (Aztec) was filled with palaces & temples
Demolished by the Spanish
Spanish built large cathedrals and missions
Mexico City built by the Spanish where Tenochtitlan was
Human sacrifices were preformed in Tenochtitlan.
---In spite of Spanish cultural diffusion, Mexico’s Indian heritage remains very strong.
Mexico has a large mestizo population.
---Mestizo- people of mixed Spanish and Native American heritage.

7. Economy Very large population that is VERY young Oil industry is large
Manufacturing is most important
NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement
Maquiladoras: Factories that assemble materials and ship the finished product
Electronics, clothing and furniture
NAFTA- a trade agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico that created a trilateral rules-based trade system in North America and Mexico.

8. Challenges in Mexico Drug cartels try to control illegal drug trade
Increased trafficking = increased violence; affects tourism
Many leave Mexico and come to the US
High unemployment, cause of poor education attendance