MEXICO

• GEOGRAPHY• HISTORY• ECONOMY• GOVERMENT• DEMOGRAPHICS• CULTURE• MY HOME TOWN• LIVING IN THE USA

AGENDA

GEOGRAPHY

GEOGRAPHY

GEOGRAPHY

GEOGRAPHY

• Official Name is United States of Mexico (Spanish: Estados Unidos de México)• Mexico is located in North America.

• Bordering to the North by United States of America,• to the South with Belize, Guatemala and the Caribbean Sea,• to the West with the Pacific Ocean,• to the East with the Gulf of Mexico.

• Mexico is the fifth largest country in the Americas.• Covering over 760,000 square miles.• With an estimated population of over 112 million.

HISTORY – Ancient Cultures

The Olmec culture

The Toltec cultureThe Aztec culture

The Mayan culture

The Zapotec culture

HISTORY – Conquest

The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire began in February 1519 when Hernán Cortés arrived on the coast of Veracruz. Following a strategy of allying with Indigenous city states that were subject to the Aztec empire and supporting them in a rebellion against the Aztecs, Cortés and his men were able to defeat the Aztecs after two years of campaigning on August 13, 1521.

Hernán Cortés The Aztec calendar

HISTORY – Independence

On September 16, 1810, independence from Spain was declared by priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato. The first insurgent group was formed by Hidalgo, the Spanish viceregal army captain Ignacio Allende, the militia captain Juan Aldama and "La Corregidora" Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Ignacio Allende Juan Aldama Josefe Ortiz de Dominguez

Mexican Independence Day is one of the biggest holidays. Much like the fourth of July in the USA.

HISTORY – Revolution

The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in November 20, 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz, and lasted for the better part of two decades until around 1929. Over time the Revolution changed from a revolt against the established order to a multi-sided civil war.

GOVERMENT

• Mexico is a Federal Republic constituted by 31 states and a Federal District. • The president is directly elected to a non-renewable six-year term.• Branches of Government: Executive, Legislative and Judicial • Current President 20012-2018 Enrique Peña Nieto• As of 2011, Mexico has seven nationally recognized political parties by the Federal

Electoral Institute.• PAN - National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional).• PRI - Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional).• PRD - Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática).• PT Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo).• PVEM - Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (Partido Verde Ecologista de México).• MC - Citizens' Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano).• NA - New Alliance (Nueva Alianza).

The flag of Mexico is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe.The meaning of the colors are:

• Green: represents hope for a better nation, where people join together to achieve and maintain peace between them.

• White: represents the purity of catholic faith. • Red: the color of blood. With the inclusion of this color

on their flag, Mexican people pay a tribute to those who died during the terrible war for independence.

The Coat of Arms features: an eagle, holding a serpent in its talon, is perched on top of a prickly pear cactus; the cactus is situated on a rock that rises above a lake. The coat of arms is derived from an Aztec legend that their gods told them to build a city where they spot an eagle on a nopal eating a serpent, which is now Mexico City.

GOVERMENT

DEMOGRAPHICS – Ethnic Groups

DEMOGRAPHICS – Religions

With the Spanish conquest and colonization of Mexico, Catholicism was established as the dominant religion of Mexico.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, is a 16th century Roman Catholic Mexican icon depicting an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

DEMOGRAPHICS – Dialects/Sublanguages

DEMOGRAPHICS - Literacy

Percent of Persons Aged 15+ Who Are Literate

CULTURE

The culture of Mexico reflects the complexity of their history through the blending of pre-Hispanic civilizations and the culture of Spain, imparted during Spain’s 300-year colonization of Mexico.

Mexicans put a high value on hierarchy and structure in business and family matters. Especially outside of cities, families are typically large and Mexicans are very conscious of their responsibilities to immediate family members and extended family such as cousins and even close friends. Family is very important and comes before everything else.

Most Mexican families are highly traditional, with the father as the authority figure. The country remains a male-centric society, and machismo, a word derived from Mexican and Portuguese meaning male supremacy, is prevalent.

CULTURE - Celebrations

• Januray 6th : The 3 Wise Man.• February 2nd: Calendaria Day.• February 24th: Flag Day.• May 10th: Mothers Day.• 3rd Sunday of June: Fathers Day.• September 16th: Independence Day.• November 2nd: The Day Of The Dead.• November 20th: Revolution Day.• December 1st: The Posadas.• December 12th : Lady of Guadalupe

Day.• December 25th: Christmas Day.

CULTURE - Cuisine

Mexican Cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors, colorful decoration and variety of spices.

Mexican food varies by region, because of local climate, geography and ethnic differences.

Chocolate was invented in Mexico.

CULTURE – More Facts When Visiting

• Try to speak at least a little bit of Spanish.• Show acknowledge and appreciation of Mexican culture.• Personal relationships are very important. • Always greet people otherwise they may be offended.• If you are a guy, always open doors to women. • Look into the others eyes when talking to them.• Always respect the elderly.• Do not ask if they speak Mexican, it is Spanish.

MY HOME TOWN

Tijuana, Mexico

San Diego, CA. USA

MY HOME TOWN

MY HOME TOWN

LIVING IN THE USA

• Language barriers depending on where you live.• Cultural barriers.• Appearance.• When you immigrate you need to be able to adjust to a different weather,

language, culture, people, lifestyle, currency, etc.