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Mexico
A Place of Three
Cultures
What are the three cultures that make up Modern Mexico?
• Indian• Spanish • Modern
Indian
Indian
• Aztecs built the most powerful empire in Mexico– In the 1400s they controlled most of south
central Mexico– Tenochtitlan was their capital– Built on an island in a lake. It was were
modern day Mexico City is.– In 1519 the Spanish conquered the Aztecs and
left their empire in ruins
Tenochtitlan
Spanish
SpanishSpanish established four social classes in Mexico1. Peninsulares – Those born in Spain.
• They held high official positions
2. Criollos – People of Spanish ancestry3. Mestizos – People of mixed ancestry
• Mixed Spanish and Native American heritage
4. Indians – Native to Mexico• They were the lowest level of society• Indians worked on haciendas or large Spanish-owned
estates• Most of the time they didn’t get much money and
lived almost a slaves existence
Spanish
• Mexico became independent in 1821
• In 1910 the Mexican Revolution occurred– They got rid of the dictatorship that was
running the country– They established a democratic government– They tried to establish the thought of “land,
bread and justice for all”
Mexico Today
Mexico Today
• Large estates were purchased and broken up so more people could work the land– They redistributed it to groups that owned the
land or Ejidos– Most of these people practice subsistence
farming
• The rest are large commercial farms or Latifundios or Haciendas
Mexico Today
• Urban Life– Upper class – small group
• Well educated
• Most are descendents of Criollos
– Middle class – Skilled workers • This group is growing
– Lower class – Very poor • This is the largest group
Mexico Today• Mexico’s economy
– Three major industries• Tourism
• Petroleum
• Manufacturing
– Maquiladoras • Factories that make products for sale in the U.S.
• Many of these factories are located near the U.S. Mexican border
Mexico Today
• NAFTA– North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement– Trade agreement between U.S., Canada Mexico– Reduces or takes away tariffs on trade
Mexico Today
• Emigration– Many workers go to the U.S. to work and make
money– Mexico is quickly urbanizing
• Mexico City is the largest city in the world
• Mexico City is also one of the dirtiest cities in the world
• Mexicans move to the city in search of jobs