Exploring Mexico Exploring Mexico and Central and Central

AmericaAmerica

MexicoMexicoOne Family’s Move To The CityOne Family’s Move To The City

Move to the CityMove to the City

• 75% of Mexico’s population is Urban– 25% is Rural

• When they come to the city’s these people are poor and usually have nothing– They become squatters - a person who settles

on someone else’s land without permission.

• Most huts are constructed of scrap metal

Rural AreasRural Areas• Plaza - small villages had a public square

– Could buy and sell things at the market

• Rural people grew all of their own food, everything else they bought at the market

• Many people work as migrant farm workers– They travel around picking crops that are in

season

• The lack of jobs in Mexico has sent many people to the city to find work.

Mexico CityMexico City• Over 20 million

people– One of the largest

cities in the world

• Most residents are poor.

• Overcrowded• Spread out over 20

miles

PollutionPollution• Over 4 million cars jam

Mexico City’s narrow streets

• The city is spread across a bowl shaped valley

• Mountains surrounding the valley stop winds from carrying away smoke, fumes, and pollution

Mexico CityMexico CityResort Low income housing

What houses??Wall built to keep off hill

Section 2Guatemala

Descendents of an Ancient People

Struggle for Land

• Many Maya decedents live in Guatemala.

• Many live in the mountains because it’s the only land available to Native Americans

• Ladinos - mestizos that are rich landowners Taking the land away from the Maya’s

Losing their homes

• Civil war has been going on between the Maya and the ladinos

• Many Maya can’t read and write, so they have never filed papers with the government claiming their land. Wealthy landowners are pushing them

off

• Mayan people often end up leaving to other country's to start over.

500 year struggle

• Started with Spanish Killed, died from disease, hunger,

slavery Very few indigenousness people left

• In Guatemala, Native Americans are majority

• More than 23 ethnic groups Share the same language, ancestors,

culture, or religion

Peace Process

• In recent years there has been great steps taken to ensure peace between the Maya and Ladinos

• Political movements, strikes, and protests have helped bring about change in Guatemala

• God’s Child Project - Bismarck Helps children in Guatemala

Section 3Section 3PanamaPanama

Where Two Oceans MeetWhere Two Oceans Meet

Going through the canalGoing through the canal

Shortcut of 7800 milesShortcut of 7800 miles Wait up to 20 hours to go throughWait up to 20 hours to go through Eight hour trip through (40 miles)Eight hour trip through (40 miles) Tolls (Average $34,000)Tolls (Average $34,000) Open 24 hrs a day, 365 days a yearOpen 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year Highest toll - $141,344.91Highest toll - $141,344.91

Crown PrincessCrown Princess Lowest Toll - $0.36Lowest Toll - $0.36

Richard Halliburton - 1928 - Swam itRichard Halliburton - 1928 - Swam it

Going through the canalGoing through the canal

Must go through locksMust go through locks section of the waterway in which ships are section of the waterway in which ships are

raised and lowered by adjusting the water raised and lowered by adjusting the water levellevel

Miraflores Lock - Pacific sideMiraflores Lock - Pacific side Time lapse of Miraflores LockTime lapse of Miraflores Lock

http://video.http://video.googlegoogle.com/.com/videoplayvideoplay??dociddocid=-9040875966564826702=-9040875966564826702

Galliard Cut - 8 mile zigzag through Galliard Cut - 8 mile zigzag through mountains, blasted out the rockmountains, blasted out the rock

Limon Bay, city of Colon, Atlantic OceanLimon Bay, city of Colon, Atlantic Ocean

Idea of a canalIdea of a canal

Ideas about the canal came up in the Ideas about the canal came up in the 1500’s1500’s

Engineers didn’t have the technology to Engineers didn’t have the technology to build it until the 1900’sbuild it until the 1900’s

Right to buildRight to build 1881 panama was part of Colombia1881 panama was part of Colombia

• Gave a French company the right to build a canalGave a French company the right to build a canal Problems: mud slides, mountains, disease, Problems: mud slides, mountains, disease,

bankruptbankrupt

The U.S. steps inThe U.S. steps in

1902 - The U.S. government bought the 1902 - The U.S. government bought the French Company, started talks with French Company, started talks with Columbia to have the right to buildColumbia to have the right to build They refusedThey refused

People of Panama wanted to be free of People of Panama wanted to be free of Columbia’s ruleColumbia’s rule 1903 - U.S. helped Panama revolt against 1903 - U.S. helped Panama revolt against

ColumbiaColumbia 2 weeks after Panama’s independence, 2 weeks after Panama’s independence,

U.S. was given right to buildU.S. was given right to build

BuildingBuilding

Had to build a dam to form a lakeHad to build a dam to form a lake Soft earth, would slide into holesSoft earth, would slide into holes DiseaseDisease

Killed 25,000 FrenchKilled 25,000 French Malaria and yellow fever - carried by mosquitoes.Malaria and yellow fever - carried by mosquitoes. Doctors didn’t realize this until the 1900’sDoctors didn’t realize this until the 1900’s

U.S. brought in 4500 workers to deal with U.S. brought in 4500 workers to deal with mosquitoes. Fill in swamps, burned sulfur, mosquitoes. Fill in swamps, burned sulfur, covered drinking water.covered drinking water.

BuildingBuilding

Took 8 years and 45,000 workers to Took 8 years and 45,000 workers to complete the canalcomplete the canal

Most workers were Caribbean IslandersMost workers were Caribbean Islanders How the canal worksHow the canal works

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/http://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/howitworks/index.htmlhowitworks/index.html

OwnershipOwnership

The treaty the U.S. signed with Panama The treaty the U.S. signed with Panama gave the U.S. sole control over the canalgave the U.S. sole control over the canal

Military bases to control and police it.Military bases to control and police it. Panamanians rioted in the 1960’s-70’sPanamanians rioted in the 1960’s-70’s 1978 Pres. Jimmy Carter signed two 1978 Pres. Jimmy Carter signed two

treaties to give Panama more control over treaties to give Panama more control over the canalthe canal

1999, Panama gained full control over the 1999, Panama gained full control over the canalcanal