COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE MEXICO Catedral Metropolitana, Mexico City Flickr / VV Nincic DLIFLC DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | MEXICO TABLE OF CONTENT Geography Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6 Physical Terrain and Topographic Features ........................................................... 7 Climate ........................................................................................................................... 8 Water Resources ......................................................................................................... 9 Major Cities ..................................................................................................................10 Mexico City (Distrito Federal) ..........................................................................10 Guadalajara ........................................................................................................ 11 Monterrey ............................................................................................................ 12 Puebla .................................................................................................................. 12 León ..................................................................................................................... 13 Mérida .................................................................................................................. 13 Border Towns .....................................................................................................14 Coastal Cities .....................................................................................................14 Environmental Concerns ...........................................................................................15 Natural Hazards ..........................................................................................................16 Endnotes for Chapter 1: Geography ........................................................................17 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 23 History Introduction ................................................................................................................. 24 Ancient Civilizations .................................................................................................. 25 Early Settlers ......................................................................................................25 Preclassic Period (2000 B.C.E.–200 C.E.) ...................................................26 Classic Period (200–900 C.E.) .......................................................................26 Postclassic Period (900–1520 C.E.) ..............................................................27 Spanish Conquest and Colonization ...................................................................... 28 Cortés and Moctezuma.....................................................................................28 Crown and Cross ..............................................................................................29 Colonial Economy and Society ......................................................................29 Resistance .........................................................................................................30 Independence ..............................................................................................................31 Grito de Dolores, the Cry of Independence ..................................................31 First Mexican Empire ........................................................................................31 Many Mexicos ....................................................................................................32 The Age of Santa Anna ....................................................................................32 Mexican–American War ..................................................................................33 2 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | MEXICO La Reforma ................................................................................................................ 33 Benito Juárez and the Reform Laws ..............................................................33 War of Reform and French Intervention ........................................................34 The Porfiriato ......................................................................................................34 Revolution ................................................................................................................... 35 Aftermath of Revolution ....................................................................................36 One-Party Democracy .............................................................................................. 36 The Party Rises .................................................................................................36 To the Left ...........................................................................................................37 To the Right ........................................................................................................37 Falling Down .......................................................................................................38 Multiparty Democracy ............................................................................................... 38 Current Events ...................................................................................................39 Endnotes for Chapter 2: History .............................................................................. 40 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 50 Economy Introduction ..................................................................................................................51 Agriculture ................................................................................................................... 52 Industry ........................................................................................................................ 53 Energy .................................................................................................................54 Natural Resources: Oil ............................................................................................. 54 Trade ............................................................................................................................ 55 Transportation ............................................................................................................ 55 Tourism ........................................................................................................................ 56 Banking and Finance ................................................................................................ 57 Banking and Currency ......................................................................................57 Finance and Investment ...................................................................................57 Standard of Living ..................................................................................................... 58 Employment Trends................................................................................................... 59 Public vs. Private Sector ........................................................................................... 60 Outlook ........................................................................................................................ 60 Endnotes for Chapter 3: Economy .......................................................................... 62 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 69 Society Introduction ..................................................................................................................71 Ethnic Groups and Languages ................................................................................ 72 Indigenous Peoples (Indios) and Indigenismo ..............................................72 Mestizos and Mestizaje ....................................................................................73 3 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | MEXICO Languages .......................................................................................................... 74 Religion ........................................................................................................................ 75 Catholicism .........................................................................................................75 Other Religions ..................................................................................................75 Cuisine ......................................................................................................................... 76 Traditional Dress ........................................................................................................ 77 Gender Issues ............................................................................................................ 79 Machismo .................................................................................................................... 79 Discrimination .....................................................................................................79