Transcript Mexico Daily Life

Mexico Daily Life
2.1 Daily Life
• A blend of traditional and modern cultures
• Ethnicity
– Native American
– Spanish
– Mestizos
• Language
– 9 out of 10 Mexicans speak Spanish( official
language)
– More than 50 native languages
Daily life
• Religion
– 90 % Roman Catholic
– Many practice traditional religions
– Mixed religious practices- Day of the Dead
• Arts
– Native and European cultures blended
• Diego Rivera
• David Siqueiros
Daily Life
• Architecture
– Mexico has preserved Aztec and Maya art, artifacts
and architecture
– Spanish influence can be seen at National palace and
many churches.
– Modern buildings mostly in large cities- Lighthouse of
Commerce in Monterrey
• Food
– Staple foods like corn, beans, squash and tortillas
– Traditional large midday meal must now fit into
modern society
2.2 Mexico’s Economy
• Farming
– Some large scale operation, but mostly subsistence
farming
• Nationalized industry- 1900s
– Owned by government
– Oil, banking, transportation, and telecommunications
• Free enterprise- 1980s
– Many industries sold to private or foreign investors
– Better wages, increased production and the passing of
NAFTA
Economic sectors
• Agriculture produces tropical fruits, coffee,
sugar cane, and cotton
• Natural resources exported are silver and oil
• Manufacturing
– includes cars, food processing, and metal
products.
– Foreign companies own – Maquiladoras- parts
shipped in and put together in Mexico.
Economy
• Service industries such as banking,
transportation and tourism
• Economic challenges
– High unemployment
– Low wages in nationalized industries
– Out sourcing jobs to other countries
2.3 Reaching Toward Democracy
• Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)
– 1929- 2000
– Dominated politics in Mexico
– Common people did not have a choice in elections
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Multi Party Democracy 1990 – Present
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Rebellion against PRI economic policies which hurt all
poor people
Rival parties formed
2000 – Vicente Fox becomes president, he is from a
minority party
2006 – Felipe Calderon elected using multi party system
Challenges to Mexico’s Democracy
• Illegal drug trade
– Violence along U.S. border
– Troops and drug cartels fight
• Zapatista Liberation Army
– Control many Mexican states
– Formed their own governments
Positive effects of Democracy
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Increased literacy rate
Education- more children going to school
Informed voters
Public is better qualified for jobs