Chapter 7 lesson 2 Human Geography of Mexico

Chapter 7 : lesson 2 Human Geography of Mexico

Essential Question What influenced Mexico’s political and social structures?

Vocabulary Conquistador : Spanish for “conqueror” Spanish soldier who participated in the conquest of the indigenous peoples of Latin America

Human Geography of Mexico History and Government • Regional distinctions from Maya, Aztec, and nomadic people developed Mexican cultures seen today. • In 1821 Mexico became the first Spanish territory to win its independence.

Vocabulary Syncretism: a blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith

Vocabulary Mestizo: refers to people of mixed indigenous and European descent

Human Geography of Mexico • The current Mexican government is a federal republic with power divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. • Over the past few decades, drug cartels have come to control different regions of Mexico, leading to internal warfare.

Human Geography of Mexico Population Patterns • The Spanish used Catholic missions to spread Christian ideas and to expand communities in Mexico. • Spanish landowners took advantage of indigenous communities, paying them little to work on their estates, known as haciendas. • Rural-to-urban migration over time has greatly altered Mexico’s population distribution; today 78 percent of Mexican citizens live in urban areas. • Mexico City is the political capital of Mexico, as well as the cultural and economic center of Mexico.

Vocabulary Extended Family: household made up of several generations of family members.

Population Density by State, Mexico

Vocabulary Megacity: a great city that is made up of several large cities

Historic Center – Mexico, D. F. (Mexico City)

Outlying Suburbs – Mexico, D. F. (Mexico City)

Vocabulary Primate City: a city that dominates a country’s economy, culture, and government and in which population is concentrated

Vocabulary Maquiladoras: in Mexico, a manufacturing plant owned by a foreign company.

Vocabulary Free Trade Zone: an area of a country in which trade restrictions do not apply

Vocabulary Cash Crop: farm product grown to be sold or traded rather than used by the farm family.

Liberation of the Peon, Rivera developed a harrowing narrative of corporal punishment. A laborer, beaten and left to die, is cut down from a post by sympathetic revolutionary soldiers, who tend to his broken body. In the distance, smoke rises from a hacienda, which stands for a hated system of exploitation that has been consumed by revolutionary fires.

Mini Research Project Explore the work of Diego Rivera in greater depth. Conduct in online research to locate examples of Rivera’s paintings and frescos. Pick one of Rivera’s painting write a short interpretation on the perspective of the subject matter and an explanation of how you feel about this piece of art uses images to reflect Mexico’s cultural heritage. Upload it to Google Classroom. I will spin the Wheel for presentations!

1. What is being shown or interpreted in the painting? 2. How you feel about this piece of art? 3. How does this image reflect Mexico’s cultural heritage?

Review Question: Chapter 7 : Lesson 2 Read pages 180 -186 and answer Review Questions on page 186 Hand in Google Class Room.