1. Human Geography: Mrs. Kooi
Mexico
Human Geography:
Mrs. Kooi

2. True or False? All of Mexico has the same warm climate.
Most people in Mexico live in poor, rural areas.

3. Misunderstandings FALSE: All of Mexico has the same warm climate.
Mexico has vertical climate zones. Even though it is located closer to the equator than the United States, its climates vary based on elevation.
FALSE: Most people in Mexico live in poor, rural areas.
Mexico City, the capital, is a megacity, and home to millions of people

4. Physical Geography: Vertical Climate Zones

5. Physical Geography

6. Mexico: History and Government
Prehispanic (Precolumbian): Mayan and Aztec civilizations
1519: Arrival of Spanish
Hernan Cortes (conquistador: conqueror)
Took resources and food to Spain
Took land: growing cash crops (cacao and maize) in order to export
Economic power
Political power for centuries
Viceroys: colonial ruler appointed by monarch
Colonialism: taking political control of another control, occupying it, and exploiting it economically

7. Government Timeline 1808 (1810)-1821: Mexican War of Independence
1821: Treaty of Cordoba--Mexican Independence!
Caudillo: military dictator
: Mexican Revolution:
Led to less military control and more civilian control
1917: New constitution
Federal Republic
3 branches of government
President: 1 six year term

8. Structure of Mexican Government

9. Government Timeline, cont.
1929: Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI)
2000: Partido Accion Nacional (PAN)
2012: PRI
Current President: Enrique Peña Nieto

10. The People
Mexico City
Megacity: a great city that is made up of several large and small cities
Primate city: a city that dominates a country’s economy, culture, and government, and in which population is concentrated; usually the capital

11. The People, cont. Official Language: Spanish Mixed ancestry
Mestizo: people of mixed indigenous and European descent
Religious beliefs: Catholic
Syncretism: a blending of beliefs and practices from different religions
into one faith
Homes:
Multi-generational
Machismo

12. Economics: Mixed Economy
1500s: Mexico as center of Spanish Empire due to resources
Power struggles
Wealthy and colonialism
Economic power
Economic diversity
NAFTA
Dependence on US
Drug Trade
Money reinvested in communities (small businesses and bribes)

13. Beltran-Levyal Cartel Sinaloa Cartel Juarez Cartel
Map of Mexican drug cartels presence in
Mexico based on a May 2010 report :
Tijuana Cartel
Beltran-Levyal Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
Juarez Cartel
La Familia Michoacana
Gulf Cartel
Los Zetas
Disputed Areas