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
Spanish
Spanish established four social classes in Mexico
1. Peninsulares – Those born in Spain.
•
They held high official positions
2. Criollos – People of Spanish ancestry
3. 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