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Published byJonas Sims Modified over 9 years ago
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Growth of Mexican Culture
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Aztecs and Spaniards Aztec Empire –Built the most powerful empire in Mesoamerica –Capital was Tenochtitlan –In the 1400s city was one of the largest in the world Spanish Conquest –Hernan Cortes came to Tenochtitlan in 1519 –Made allies of Aztec enemies –Aztec Empire was destroyed in two years –Conquistadors moved on to other groups in Mexico
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Aztecs and Spaniards contd. New Spain –Four social classes were created Peninsulares – born in Spain, held office positions Criollos – people of Spanish ancestry born in America Mestizos – people of mixed ancestry Indians – ranked lowest –Indians worked on haciendas (large Spanish-owned estates) –Under the encomienda system landowners were required to care for worker’s welfare
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Road to Democracy In 1800s middle-class crillos began to resent upper-class peninsulares Miguel Hidalgo began a rebellion against Spanish Government in 1810 Independent Mexico was established in 1821 Early Mexico was unstable and controlled by dictators and military leaders By 1900, Mexico was stable and began building industry –Railroads built –Ranches expanded –Oil reserves developed
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The Mexican Revolution Peasants and middle-class rebelled against the landowners in 1910 Fighting ended in 1920 Mexico today has a federal republic Only one party controlled country (Institutional Revolutionary Party) until 2000 when Vincente Fox was elected President today: Filepe Calderon
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Social Conditions Mexico wants to preserve their heritage –Spanish is official language –Native people still use old languages –Most Mexicans are Roman Catholic Rural Life –Most people in the countryside work in agriculture –After the revolution, haciendas were broken up and redistributed by the government
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Land Redistribution Most land was given in the form of ejidos –Owned collectively by members of a community –Practice subsistence farming One-third of farms are large commercial farms –Latifudios raise cash crops for profit Many people cannot afford land –They become migrant workers moving from farm to farm throughout growing seasons –Some come to the US during harvest time
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Social Conditions contd. Urban Life –Mexico City is one of the largest urban areas in the world –Job opportunities are greater here –Upper-class is educated but small in the cities –Most city dwellers are lower-class and poor –Middle class is growing Government workers Professionals Business owners
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Economic Activities NAFTA has helped double trade and increase manufacturing and decrease unemployment in Mexico Major Industries –Petroleum and Tourism are the most important –Tourism has brought money back into a struggling Mexican economy –Mexico has had to change from manufacturing to tourism to combat growing pollution problem in the cities
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Economic Activities contd. Border Industries –Maquiladoras are factories along the US- Mexico border that produce goods primarily for US consumption –Maquiladoras have brought higher levels of employment in Northern Mexico –They have also increased the pollution problem in this region
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