Mexico
Erica Hancock
4th Period
01/27/10
Geography
Country: México
Capital: La Ciudad de México
Location: North America;
Western Hemisphere
Religions
92.6% Roman Catholic
3.3% Protestant
3.1% Nonreligious
0.1% Jewish
0.9% Other
Appearance
Similar to United States
Many native groups wear
traditional clothing or daily for
festivals.
Man: wool pancho over shirt and
pants in cold weather, wide
brimmed straw hat.
Rural and professionals: cowboy
hats, boots and jeans.
Rural women: dress, skirt, and
apron.
Customs/Traditions
Mariachi music
Corridors (songs that tell
stories)
Bull fighting
People leave lambs at the
entrance of their houses on
New Years Eve and people
drop money by it, wishing
them a healthy new year.
Cinco de Mayo (marks the
victory of Mexico over France)
Typical Food
Main meal: soup or salad, main
dish, and dessert or “postre”.
Inappropriate for adults to eat
while walking on the street.
Spicy- “picante”
Hot- “caliente”.
Eat spicy food with bland food
to relieve burning sensation.
Some foods are eaten with
utensils, others by hand or
pieces of tortillas to scoop
food.
Not rushed
Family
On average, more than 3
children per family.
Unity and responsibility are
major priorities.
Low divorce rate
Father: leader, provides
economic support
Mother: domestic duties
Extended family lives in a
household together, usually.
Children live with their parents
until they get married.
Housing
Box-like, rectangular buildings
A lot of flowers and plants on
the walls
Cement blocks and steel bars
Sleeping area may be separated
from the rest of the house just
by a curtain.
Some homes are extremely hot
in the summer but extremely
cold in the winter.
Dating/Marriage
Teen pregnancy is common.
Man meets woman at a
prearranged place.
Man may also call on her at
home.
Parental approval of the man
and of what the couple is
planning on doing is
important.
Holiday’s/Festivals/Celebratio
ns
Quinceaños- girl’s 15th birthday.
Nacimientos- nativity scenes for
Christmas.
Lent- 40 days between Ash
Wednesday and Easter.
Government
Central government
Current president: Felipe
Calderón
Controls education, security,
and national industries.
President only serves 1 six year
term.
Economy
Experienced growth since 1993
Increased industries
Tourism brings several billions of
dollars into Mexico.
Currency
1 Mexican peso = 0.077076 U.S.
dollars
Transportation
Personal cars are common in
urban areas.
Majority of population use public
transportation.
Buses, mini buses, etc.
Education
Free education between ages 6
to 15.
Attendance to school is not
enforced.
Students may have to pay fees.
Climate/Weather
North: dry and hot
Southeast: high humidity
Rainfall in all parts comes
mainly in the summer.
Landscape/ Terrain
Three times the size of Texas
North border is shared with the
US.
Southern border shared with
Guatemala and Belize.
History
Advanced indigenous
civilizations whose
accomplishments rival those
of Egyptians and early
Europeans.
One of the first countries to
revolt against Spain
Experienced a lot of political
unrest
Gestures, Words, Slang
Thumbs up: approval
Chico: small
Gracias: thank you
