Mexico Name Period 2 World Geography IB Mr. Johnson Spring, 2009 (remove all italicized text as you answer the questions in this slideshow)

National Symbols Insert Mexico’s flag, Coat of Arms, and any other emblem you deem important. What is the significance of the colors/design of Mexico’s flag? What does its Coat of Arms represent? (Answer both of these questions)

What is the significance of the colors/design of

Mexico’s flag?

What does its Coat of Arms represent?

Tell which countries are its neighbors and the major bodies of water on its coastline. Is it landlocked ? Insert a political map here that is more detailed than the one lower left. Mexico’s Location (Answer both of these questions)

Tell which countries are its neighbors and the major bodies of water on its coastline.

Is it landlocked ?

Tectonic Activity Discuss the significance of Mexico’s position on the Pacific Ring of Fire . How important is tectonic activity to Mexico’s past and present? (Answer at least one of these questions) Illustrate the effects of these volcanoes on the Mexican landscape.

Discuss the significance of Mexico’s position on the Pacific Ring of Fire .

How important is tectonic activity to Mexico’s past and present?

Mexico’s Geographic features Show the unique geographic features that can be found in the unstable volcanic terrain. Tell how Mexico’s geography affects its weather and climate. Insert a physical map of Mexico here.

Show the unique geographic features that can be found in the unstable volcanic terrain.

Tell how Mexico’s geography affects its weather and climate.

Climate of Mexico Tell about the typical weather patterns in Mexico throughout the calendar year. How do ocean currents affect the climate and sailing patterns of Mexico’s coastal regions? Insert a climograph or a picture that illustrates Mexico’s weather here.

Tell about the typical weather patterns in Mexico throughout the calendar year.

How do ocean currents affect the climate and sailing patterns of Mexico’s coastal regions?

Capital City What is Mexico’s largest city ? What is its absolute location? What are its other important functions besides government? Post a large picture of the capital including its latitude and longitude. (Answer at least two of these questions)

What is Mexico’s largest city ?

What is its absolute location?

What are its other important functions besides government?

Government of Mexico Describe the law-making body of Mexico and tell whether or not it is democratic. Tell how people are chosen to lead the country and for how long their terms should be. Insert picture of Mexico’s political leader along with his name and the political party he/she represents (Answer both of these questions)

Describe the law-making body of Mexico and tell whether or not it is democratic.

Tell how people are chosen to lead the country and for how long their terms should be.

Describe Mexico’s economy and growth . What is a maquiladora ? What problems are associated with this program? Economy of Mexico (Answer at least two of these questions)

Describe Mexico’s economy and growth .

What is a maquiladora ?

What problems are associated with this program?

Living Standard According to a study, how does the Mexican Standard of Living compare with that of other countries? What is its Human Development Index ? What stalls Mexican development? (Answer at least two of these questions)

According to a study, how does the Mexican Standard of Living compare with that of other countries?

What is its Human Development Index ?

What stalls Mexican development?

Mexico’s foreign policy What’s the official exchange rate with the U.S. dollar? What does it mean to be an OAS member ? Illustrate Mexico’s currency

What’s the official exchange rate with the U.S. dollar?

What does it mean to be an OAS member ?

Mexican Agriculture What percent of the land is arable ? What proportion of Mexico’s workforce is involved in agriculture? How does agriculture figure into Mexico’s GDP? Insert a picture showing this Mexico’s agricultural methods/crops. (Answer at least two of these questions)

What percent of the land is arable ?

What proportion of Mexico’s workforce is involved in agriculture?

How does agriculture figure into Mexico’s GDP?

Cowboys What’s a charro ?

Environmentalism What are some of Mexico’s ecological issues being addressed? What is beneficial about ecotourism ? (Answer both of these questions)

What are some of Mexico’s ecological issues being addressed?

What is beneficial about ecotourism ?

Population Pyramid What major trends do recent bar graph changes indicate relating to: birth rate? health care? the elderly? (Answer at least two of these questions) Insert a Mexican population pyramid then analyze it.

What major trends do recent bar graph changes indicate relating to:

birth rate?

health care?

the elderly?

Mexican Military What percent of its GDP does Mexico spend annually on defense ? What was the result of a recent face-off at the U.S.-Mexican border?

What percent of its GDP does Mexico spend annually on defense ?

What was the result of a recent face-off at the U.S.-Mexican border?

Customs and Traditions Tell about the important customs and traditions celebrated in Mexico. Include information about who celebrates and when they celebrate.

Tell about the important customs and traditions celebrated in Mexico. Include information about who celebrates and when they celebrate.

Cuisine What kinds of traditional food do the people of Mexico prepare? Insert a picture of specialty cultural dishes . If you post an entire recipe in this space, be sure to attribute it using the links page.

What kinds of traditional food do the people of Mexico prepare?

Sports and recreation Is football (soccer) important in Mexico? Tennis? Basketball? Golf? Baseball? Any other major sport?

Is football (soccer) important in Mexico? Tennis?

Basketball?

Golf?

Baseball?

Any other major sport?

Tourism in Mexico Tell about the points of interest in your country that people from other countries may be interested in visiting. What sites do the tour guides recommend?

Tell about the points of interest in your country that people from other countries may be interested in visiting.

What sites do the tour guides recommend?

Pre-Colombian What civilizations existed in Mexico before the Europeans arrived? What caused their demise ?

What civilizations existed in Mexico before the Europeans arrived?

What caused their demise ?

History of Mexico Make a timeline of the important historical events of Mexico. Description of Event Description of Event Description of Event Description of Event Description of Event 5th Date 4th Date 3rd Date 2nd Date 1st Date Name of Event 5 Name of Event 4 Name of Event 3 Name of Event 2 Name of Event 1

Colonial history What evidence does Mexico show of its colonial past?

What evidence does Mexico show of its colonial past?

Dictatorship? When did Mexico have a King? Discuss Mexican caudillos Insert picture of last dictator or caudillo

When did Mexico have a King?

Discuss Mexican caudillos

Current Event What is an important current event involving Mexico? Post and caption a picture this event has generated.

What is an important current event involving Mexico?

Summary What new insight did you get while researching this project? Anything totally unexpected? If you were to visit Mexico, where would you most want to go?

What new insight did you get while researching this project? Anything totally unexpected?

If you were to visit Mexico, where would you most want to go?

Links CIA.gov/the-world-factbook/Guatemala Maps-of- mexico.com / Instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/Art454L-49-Jalisco/ Needham.k12.ma.us/caudillos.htm VOA News.com/english/MexicoPolitics2006-12-12 BBC.co.uk/schools/twocities/mexico / BBC.co.uk/country_profiles/Mexico Wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico World Atlas.com/camerica/Mexico State Department.gov /Mexico Lonely Planet.com /Mexico Travel National Geographic.com /photos/Mexico Trekearth.com /gallery/Mexico Background designs are the property of Geetesh Bajaj. Used with permission. © Copyright, Geetesh Bajaj. All Rights Reserved.

CIA.gov/the-world-factbook/Guatemala

Maps-of- mexico.com /

Instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/Art454L-49-Jalisco/

Needham.k12.ma.us/caudillos.htm

VOA News.com/english/MexicoPolitics2006-12-12

BBC.co.uk/schools/twocities/mexico /

BBC.co.uk/country_profiles/Mexico

Wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico

World Atlas.com/camerica/Mexico

State Department.gov /Mexico

Lonely Planet.com /Mexico

Travel National Geographic.com /photos/Mexico

Trekearth.com /gallery/Mexico