A Blending of Cultures

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Chapter 10

• A Blending of Cultures

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MexicoColonialism and Independence

• Spanish Conquest
• The native way of life was destroyed
• In 1519, Hernando Cortes marched into
  Tenochtitlan or present day Mexico City and
  conquered the Aztec people living there
• Mexico became part of the Spanish Empire
• Independence from Spain
• Achieved independence from Spain under Agustin de
  Iturbide in 1821.

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Colonialism and Independence

• Pre-Mexican Revolution
• Land continues to be unequally distributed
• A few rich landowners owned haciendas (estates or
  ranches ) which were worked by peasants
• Corrupt Politicians ruled until the Mexican
  Revolution
• Mexican Revolution
• Occurred in 1917, led by Pancho Villa
• A new constitution was adopted and nearly half of
  Mexicos farmland was redistributed to peasants

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Colonialism and Independence

• One-Party Rule - Institutional Revolutionary
  Party arose in 1929
• Introduced Democracy
• Made some reforms and continued redistributing
  land to peasants
• Fraud and corruption undermined the Democratic
  process
• National Action Party
• In 2000, Vicente Fox was elected president
• 1st time in 71 years, the PRI did not control
  Mexicos congress or presidency

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A Meeting of Cultures

• The Aztecs
• The Aztec Empire in the Valley of Mexico
• Arrived in the valley around A.D. 1200
• Tenochtitlan was capital where they practiced
  human sacrifice in their temples
• The Spanish
• Cortes destroyed most of Tenochtitlan and
  Spaniards built Mexico City on top of the ruins
• Ancient Aztec ruins and relics keep turning up as
  modern projects in Mexico City are built

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A Meeting of Cultures

• Spanish Native American Culture
• Spain brought its language and religion to this
  region creating a majority Catholic population
• Spanish elements, such as architecture, blended
  with native elements
• Native heritage remains strong
• There is a large mestizo population ( the mixing
  of Spanish Native American heritage )
• Painters, like some architects, blended Native
  American and Spanish influences

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Economics Cities and Factories

• Two Economic Challenges
• Closing a long-standing gap between the rich and
  poor
• Developing a modern industrial economy
• Population and the Cities
• Populations are increasing as citizens are moving
  into cities for job opportunities

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Economics Cities and Factories

• Oil
• Oil reserves along the coast of the Gulf of
  Mexico
• Oil industry is an important part of developing
  its industrial economy
• Profits have helped develop manufacturing
  industries
• Manufacturing
• Most new factories are located in the North
• Maquiladoras assemble imported materials into
  finished products for exporting
• NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement

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Mexican Life Today

• Emigration
• Many workers (thousands) leave Mexico and travel
  to the U.S. to find work
• These emigrants send money back home to families
• Major problem in Mexico
• School
• About 85 of school-age children attend school
• Education is a necessity for finding good jobs
• Govt is trying to improve education to improve
  their populations way of life

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Mexican Life Today

• Jobs
• Most jobs in Mexico today are found in
  Maquiladoras or factories
• Cities
• Many people are moving into the cities to find
  better employment opportunities

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Central America and the Caribbean

• Central America Land Bridge between North and
  South America
• Native people include Mayas and Aztecs
• Spanish settlers and people from Africa have
  influenced the culture
• Spain and Britian were colonial powers
• Catholicism was major religion
• Spanish is main language

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Central America and the Caribbean

• Caribbean
• Native people were the Taino
• Africans, Spanish, French, British, Dutch, and
  Danish groups have all influenced the culture of
  this region
• Colonial powers included Spain, Britain, France,
  Netherlands, and Denmark
• Major religions include Catholicism,
  Protestantism, Santeria, Voodoo, and
  Rastafarianism
• Major languages include Spanish, French, English,
  Dutch, and Danish

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Native and Colonial Central America

• Central America A Cultural Hearth
• A heartland or place of origin of a major culture
• Mayan Influence
• Civilization stretched from southern Mexico into
  northern Central America
• Built many cities with temples and palaces
• Tikal, northern Guatemala, considered the center
  of Mayan civilization

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Native and Colonial Central America

• The Spanish in Central America
• Spain ruled Central America until the 19th
  Century
• Mexico declared its independence from Spain in
  1821
• In 1823, Central America declared its
  independence from Spain and took the name United
  Provinces of Central America
• By late 1830s, United Provinces had split into
  separate nations
• These nations became El Salvador, Nicaragua,
  Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras
• Later, Panama broke off from Colombia and became
  independent
• Belize broke away from British Honduras

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Native and Colonial Caribbean

• Caribbean Influences
• Columbus reached the Caribbean Islands in 1492
• Inhabitants called themselves the Taino
• Spanish settled some islands and established
  sugar plantations
• After many natives died from diseases, African
  slaves were used as a replacement for forced
  labor
• The result is Africans have a lasting influence
  on Caribbean life and culture

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Native and Colonial Caribbean

• Colonial Mosaic
• Spanish, French, British, Dutch, and Danish all
  claimed islands in the Caribbean
• Wanted to profit from the sugar trade
• Caribbean Independence
• In the 1790s, Toussaint LOuverture led a slave
  revolt in Haiti and took over the government
• Haiti achieved independence from France by 1804
• Cuba achieved independence from Spain in 1898
• After U.S. occupation, the island became self
  governing in 1902.
• Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago did not achieve full
  independence from Great Britain until 1962

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Cultural Blends

• The Culture of Central America
• Two distinct cultures Native American Spanish
• Spanish Language, Catholic Religion, some
  Protestant Missionaries
• Cut down forests, opened up land for grazing
  livestock, new crops such as wheat
• The Culture of the Caribbean
• Residents of Islands are of European, African,
  Native American ancestry
• Religions, languages, village life, markets,
  crops have all been influenced by these three
  groups

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Economics Jobs and People

• Farming and Trade
• Largest export crop is sugar cane
• Other important crops are bananas, citrus fruits,
  coffee, spices
• Caribbean Central American region are very poor
• Panama Canal
• Canal that cuts through Panama
• Links the hemispheres
• Makes Panama a crossroads for world trade

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Popular Culture, Tourism, Jobs

• Music of the Caribbean
• Calypso Began in Trinidad combines elements
  from Africa, Spain, and the U.S.
• Reggae Began in Jamaica, combines Caribbean,
  African, and U.S. influences, and often focuses
  on religion and social problems
• Tourism and the Informal Economy
• Tourism provides locals with jobs
• Informal jobs include street vending, shining
  shoes, other jobs which provide income

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Spanish Speaking South America

• History
• Native people dominated, but their language,
  Quechua, remains
• Many aspects of Spanish culture survive
• Spanish Language
• Catholic Religion
• Independence Movements brought liberation, but
  not ability to work together toward common goals
• Government by the few characterize many countries
  of South America

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Spanish Speaking South America

• Economics
• Subregion produces a wide variety of products
• Oil is most important economic asset
• Chile has been leader in economic success and
  cooperation in the region
• Education
• Most countries have high rates of education and
  literacy
• Chile has an especially high rate of literacy

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Conquest the End of Spanish Rule

• The Inca
• Located in rugged Andes Mountains of Peru
• Build an advanced civilization
• By 1500, Inca empire stretched 2500 miles along
  west coast of South America
• Ran from present-day Ecuador to Argentina
• Empire was linked by 20,000 miles of road
• The Spanish Conquest
• Conquered by Pizarro and his soldiers
• Primarily interested in Inca gold and silver

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Climate and Vegetation

• Climate Zones range from hot and humid Amazon
  River basin to dry and desert-like conditions of
  northern Mexico
• 2 million sq mi covered by Amazon rain forest
• Savannas
• Found in Brazil, Colombia, Argentina

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Human Environment Interaction

• Terraced Farming- ancient technique for growing
  crops on hillsides or mountain slopes
• Slash and burn- trees, brush, and grasses cut and
  burned to clear fields.
• Effective in humid and tropical areas
• Amazon River basin

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Human Environment Interaction

• Argentina, Chile, Uruguay
• 3 most urbanized countries
• People are moving from rural areas into cities
• In search off jobs and a better life
• Push/pull factors

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Human Environment Interaction

• Tourism
• increased employment
• more money introduced into local economy
• - congestion
• - pollution