Mexico - culture and geography

second longest international border in the world (1st = Canada / USA)

length border between USA and Mexico

halfway between Equator and Arctic Circle

location of Mexico on the globe

food and beverages, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, clothing, motor vehicles, and tourism.

main industries

Spanish and many indigenous languages; 68 national languages recognized by government

main language/s spoken in Mexico

Sierra Madre

main mountain system of Mexico that includes three mountain ranges

silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton, oil and oil products

major exports

mestizos

majority of Mexicans today; have a mix of Native American and Spanish blood

most popular sport in Mexico is association football (soccer) followed by boxing. However - baseball, most popular sport in the northwest and the southeast; basketball, American football and bull riding (called "Jaripeo") are also popular

most popular sports in Mexico

high mountains / deep canyons

landforms in the center of the country

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (in office : 2018-), Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-18), Felipe Calderon (2006-12)

last 3 presidents starting with the current one

Quetzalcoatl

"feathered serpent" or "plumed serpent" god of the Aztecs from a Mesoamerican myth; a mythical culture hero from whom almost all mesoamerican peoples claim descent

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe; Our Lady of Guadalupe

..... is Roman Catholic church, basilica, and National shrine of Mexico in north of Mexico City which houses the cloak containing the image of ..... ; 1709 shrine built near hill of Tepeyac, where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared to Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin; basilica contains Diego's cloak; completed in 1974; site also known as La Villa de Guadalupe or La Villa, and has several churches and buildings; very important pilgrimage site of Catholicism; basilica and tilma (cloak) are visited by several million people every year, especially around 12 December, Our Lady of Guadalupe's Feast day

Guanajuato

..... is a city in central Mexico. It's known for its silver mining history and colonial architecture. Its network of narrow streets, alleyways and tunnels contain balconies that are close enough for people to reach across and touch. In a former granary, the Alhóndiga de Granaditas is an art and local history museum with pre-Columbian exhibits.

Cinco de Mayo; May 5

..... is an annual celebration held in the spring; to commemorate the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on ..... , 1862; Parades, food, music, folkloric dancing, battle reenactments; sometimes confused with Mexican Independence Day (Sept. 16)

Central Mexican Plateau (Mexican Altiplano); Northern Plateau; Central Plateau

..... is small mountain ranges between Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental; begins at US border and extends to volcanic belt in south; northern/central Mexico; mostly desert/shrublands surrounded by mountains of forests; stretches north to south; small east-west mountain range divides it into 2 : ..... (Mesa del Norte) and ..... (Mesa Central); home to largest metro areas including Mexico City and Puebla

gray whales (Every winter, hundreds of Pacific gray whales return to their traditional breeding and birthing grounds in sheltered San Ignacio Lagoon on Mexico's Baja Peninsula. Their 6,000-mile migration from Alaska's Bering Sea to the warm waters of Baja's Pacific lagoons is the longest mammal migration on Earth.)

..... visit west coast of Mexico annually from Alaska

STONE TOOLS have been found in Mexico that suggest the existence of humans there around 23000 years ago.

.........have been found in Mexico that suggest the existence of humans there around 23000 years ago.

Brazil and Argentina (both in South America)

2 countries in Latin America that are larger than Mexico

Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl

2 volcanoes near Mexico City; the Aztec Romeo and Juliet - denied their love while they were living but destined to spend eternity together. Now, as two volcanoes that set the backdrop for Mexico City, Izta and Popo, as they are affectionately called, are a symbol of love everlasting

Maya, the Toltec, and the Aztec peoples

3 groups who came after the Olmec (after 400BC)

September 16

Mexican Independence Day; celebrates independence from Spain following the Mexican War for Independence (1808-1821); The day is marked by a national holiday in Mexico, a reenactment of a historic moment from the revolution's leader, and an array of performances from fireworks to dance routines. Often confused with Cinco de Mayo by people living in the United States, Mexico's independence day is actually .......

Teotihuacan

Mexican archaeological complex northeast of Mexico City; pre-Columbian city; links the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent god), the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun

green vertical stripe, white vertical stripe with eagle, red vertical stripe; adopted in 1968 but overall design used since 1821; red, white, green are national army colors; Aztec emblem in center, symbolizes Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City); emblem depicts eagle on cactus with snake in mouth

Mexican flag

lucha libre

Mexican wrestling sport; 20th century, it has developed into a unique form of the genre, characterized by colorful masks, rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, as well as "high-flying" maneuvers

California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas

The 4 U.S. states along the Mexican / American border, from west to east

Olmec people

Mexico's first complex society, emerged in the southeastern part of the country around 1200 BC; lived in the tropical lowlands on Gulf of Mexico in present-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco; ..... (name of people) is a Nahuatl—the Aztec language—word; name means the rubber people

September 15 - October 15; the Bronx; Queens; Fifth Avenue; Washington DC

National Hispanic Heritage Month (Spanish: Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana) is a period from ..... to ..... in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States; some events include El Barrio Latin Jazz festival in ..... , Carnaval De La Cultura Latina in ..... , Hispanic Day Parade on ..... in NYC, Smithsonian Zoo Fiesta in .....

Sonoran Desert

North American desert; covers large parts of the Southwestern United States in Arizona and California and of Northwestern Mexico, Baja California, and Baja California Sur; hottest desert in Mexico

Día de los Muertos

October 31 - November 2; holiday celebrated in Mexico to honor ancestors; traditional foods for it include pan de muerto and sugar skulls which are also used as ofrendas for the altars and tamales, champurrado (thick hot chocolate), moles, etc; marigolds with bright colors to guide spirits back; monarch butterflies hold spirits of departed; celebration not sadness because deceased celebrate with them

Yucatán Península

Peninsula in the southeast of Mexico; encompassing 3 Mexican states, plus portions of Belize and Guatemala. On the Caribbean, Mexico's Riviera Maya resort has 2 popular destinations: Cancún, with its high-rise hotels and entertainment, and, down the coast, quieter Tulum, a rare seaside example of the Mayan ruins found throughout the peninsula's interior

Latino, Latina

Preferred term for referring to individuals who claim a heritage from a Spanish-speaking country other than Spain; actors : Jennifer Lopez (& singer), Eva Longoria, Mario Lopez

Mexican War; 1808 - 1821; Spain

The ..... of Independence was an armed conflict and political process, lasting from ..... to ..... , resulting in Mexico's independence from ...... It was not a single, coherent event, but local and regional struggles that occurred within the same time period, and can be considered a revolutionary civil war

The largest source of immigration to THE UNITED STATES is from Mexico.

The largest source of immigration to [which country] is from Mexico

Tula

a Mesoamerican (includes Central America) archeological site; capital of the Toltec Empire between900-1150; northwest of Mexico City; site consists of a museum, remains of an earlier settlement and a ceremonial site; main attraction is the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl, which is topped by four 4 13ft basalt columns carved in the shape of Toltec warriors; area fell around 1150, but it had influence in the following Aztec Empire; feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl is linked to this city and Central America

Cancun

a Mexican city on the Yucatán Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea; known for its beaches, numerous resorts

Hispanic

a Spanish-speaking person living in the US, especially one of Latin American descent; word used to describe people from or descending from Spanish-speaking countries. It includes Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela and in Africa - Equatorial Guinea; Jennifer Lopez (actress), Justice Sonia Sotomayor (U.S. Supreme Court), Selena (singer), Shakira (singer)

Sierra Madre Occidental

a major mountain range system of the North American Cordillera, that runs through northwestern and western Mexico, and along the Gulf of California; part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, Central America, South America and Antarctica

Cozumel

a mostly undeveloped Mexican island in the Caribbean Sea, is a popular cruise ship port of call famed for its scuba diving; Arrecifes de ..... (island) National Park has diving spots around a section of Mesoamerican Reef and the Museo Subacuático de Arte's submerged sculptures; Chankanaab is an eco park surrounding a lagoon with underwater caverns, home to dolphins, manatees and sea turtles

Sierra Madre Oriental

a mountain range in northeastern Mexico; part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, Central America, South America and Antarctica

El Arco

a natural rock formation in Cabo San Lucas; (Cabo San Lucas - resort city; southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula; west on Pacific coast)

Baja California

a peninsula in Northwestern Mexico. It separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The peninsula extends 1,247 km from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south; The peninsula (a Mexican state) to the west of mainland Mexico; Over 120 species of cactus; Towns near U.S. border = Tijuana, famous for shopping, and Rosarito, with its Pacific beaches

Usumacinta River

a river in southeastern Mexico and northwestern Guatemala; this river valley was home to centuries of Maya history. Today, the river defines the border between Guatemala and Chiapas (southern Mexican state), but in antiquity its waters lay between the rival Maya cities of Piedras Negras and Yaxchilán

Tulum

a town on the Caribbean coastline of Yucatán Peninsula; pop. about 30,000; beaches and well-preserved ruins of an ancient pre-Columbian Mayan walled port city; main building called El Castillo (castle), perched on a rocky cliff above beach; Temple of the God of Wind (with sanctuary and small altar); mangroves and cenotes (natural limestone sinkholes); one of last cities built by Mayans; height in 13th and 15th centuries; survived 70 years after Spanish arrival; fatalities from Spanish diseases

Chapultepec

also called the "Bosque (forest) de Chapultepec" in Mexico City, one of largest city parks in Western Hemisphere. Centered on rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of park's main functions is an ecological space; considered most important of Mexico City's "lungs", with trees that replenish oxygen to the Valley of Mexico; site of an 1847 battle between the United States and Mexico; contains castle atop hill and monument (Monumento a los Niños Héroes) to fallen soldiers of Mexican-American War in 1800s

Chichen Itza

an ancient Mayan city located on the Yucatan Peninsula; known for temple called El Castillo (The Castle) that contains jaguar throne inside and feathered serpent gods (Kukulcan) on sides; contains observatory and ancient ball courts

The Lacandon Jungle (Spanish: Selva Lacandona)

an area of rainforest which stretches from Chiapas (southern state bordering Guatemala), into Honduras and into the southern part of the Yucatán Peninsula; largest mountain rainforest in North America

Mayan

ancient civilization on the Yucatan Peninsula that dates from about 2000BC; a Mesoamerican civilization noted for its logosyllabic script—the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in pre-Columbian Americas—as well as for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system

125 million

approximate population of Mexico

center of the country; not as arid as north and not as tropical as south

area of Mexico where more than 50% of the people live

north

area where many deserts are found

Gulf of California

body of water between Baja California and mainland of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico

body of water to the east of Mexico; marginal sea of Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by North American continent

The Aztec or Mexica calendar

calendrical system used by Aztecs as well as other Pre-Columbian peoples of central Mexico; one of Mesoamerican calendars (generally Central America); Aztec sun stone (also called the calendar stone) on display at National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City; 365-day calendar cycle called xiuhpōhualli (year count) and a 260-day ritual cycle called tōnalpōhualli (day count); These two cycles together formed 52-year "century", called "calendar round"; xiuhpōhualli is considered to be agricultural calendar, since it is based on sun, and tōnalpōhualli is considered to be sacred calendar

Mexico City (located in the center towards the south); - pop. 8.8 million; densely populated, high-altitude; Templo Mayor (a 13th-century Aztec temple); baroque Catedral Metropolitana de México of the Spanish conquistadors; Palacio Nacional, which houses historic murals by Diego Rivera. All of these situated around Plaza de la Constitución, main square also known as the Zócalo

capital of Mexico

Puebla

city in east-central Mexico, southeast of Mexico City; known for food, architecture and pottery; painted Talavera tiles decorate buildings; Puebla Cathedral overlooks central square, the Zócalo. Museo Amparo displays pre-Hispanic art, such as ceramics

Guadalajara

city in west-central Mexico; known mariachi music; capital of state of Jalisco; historic center with plazas and landmarks such as Teatro Degollado (theater) and a cathedral with twin gold spires; Palacio del Gobierno has murals by painter José Clemente Orozco; San Juan de Dios Market—the largest indoor market in Latin America

Mexico City

city known for Templo Mayor (Aztec temple), baroque Catedral Metropolitana de México, and the Palacio Nacional (displays murals by Diego Rivera) - All of these situated around the Plaza de la Constitución (also called Zócalo)

tropical with a rainy and dry season; temperature in all areas ranges between 50°F and 90°F throughout the year; Average humidity around 70%; climate zones that include deserts, steppes (grasslands), savannas, and tropical rain forests; north of country usually receives less precipitation than south

climate

Playa del Carmen

coastal resort town in Mexico, along the Yucatán Peninsula's Riviera Maya region of Caribbean shoreline. In the state of Quintana Roo, it's known for its palm-lined beaches and coral reefs. Its Quinta Avenida pedestrian thoroughfare runs parallel to the beach, with blocks of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues

Latin America

consists of the entire continent of South America in addition to Mexico, Central America, and the islands of the Caribbean whose inhabitants speak a Romance language (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, etc)

United States of America (country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation's presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking)

country bordering Mexico to the north

USA

country to the north; this border is largest economic divide on Earth; other country is richest in the world with the largest wealth gap

peso (Mexican Bank notes are printed in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 pesos. Most common : 50, 100, 200. Mexican cent coins are minted in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 centavo (cent) pieces; however, it's rare to see coins of less than 50 centavos. Peso coins in denominations of $1 $2, $5, and $10 are used frequently. There is a limited edition of $20 peso coin (rarely used).)

currency in Mexico

Baja California Desert

desert ecoregion of Mexico's western peninsula; climate is dry, but its proximity of the Pacific Ocean provides humidity and moderates the temperature. The flora mostly consists of xeric shrubs and over 500 species of recorded vascular plants.

Chihuahuan Desert

desert with over 90% of its area within Mexico; largest desert in North America, extending from south of Albuquerque, New Mexico to north of Mexico City

smallpox (flu-like symptoms, rash appears first on the face, hands and forearms, and then later on trunk; no treatment or cure; vaccine

disease that Spanish brought to Aztecs in the 1500s; native people of Americas, including Aztecs, were vulnerable to it because they'd never been exposed to the virus and thus possessed no immunity

1 United States Dollar = over 20 Pesos

exchange rate (how much American currency is worth compared to Mexican currency)

Río Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande in English)

famous river forming an international border with the U.S. state of Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. A very short stretch of the river serves as part of the boundary between the U.S. states of Texas and New Mexico.; is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwest US and northern Mexico; starts in CO and flows into Gulf of Mexico

jaguar

feline in tropical rainforest of Mexico; largest native cat species of the New World and the third largest in the world; also in Southwestern United States and much of Central America, and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America; closely resembles leopard, but is usually larger and sturdier; enjoys swimming and is largely a solitary predator at the top of food chain

Pozole (a thick soup of corn, chicken or pork and chilies and greens), roast turkey, roast pork, tamales, bacalao (salt cod), romeritos (a green vegetable in a mole sauce with potatoes and shrimps) and Ensalada Nochebuena (Christmas Eve salad); dessert : bunuelos (fried round or flat pastries with sugar and cinnamon); Ponche (a punch made with fruit) and Rompope (a drink like egg nog)

foods for Mexican Christmas celebrations

3 centuries (1500s-1800s); After fall of Aztec Empire, Spain renamed conquered lands as Viceroyalty of New Spain and ruled Mexico for 300 years; In 1521, Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes conquered Aztecs and Mexico became Spanish colony; Spain ruled land until early 1800s, then local Mexicans revolted against Spanish rule; independence gained in 1821

for how long Mexico was under Spanish rule

federal republic (federation of states with a republican form of government; a country that is governed by elected representatives and by an elected leader rather than by a king or queen); two legislative houses (Senate [128]; Chamber of Deputies [500])

form of government in Mexico

Grijalva River (named for the Spaniard Juan de Grijalva, who discovered it in 1518)

formerly known as Tabasco River; long river in southeastern Mexico to the west of the Usumacinta River

Pico de Orizaba

highest peak in Mexico; volcano; third largest in Northern America after Denali of Alaska and Mount Logan of Canada; also called 'Volcan Citlaltepetl'; in the south, towards Yucatan Peninsula; second most prominent volcanic peak in world after Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro

Copper Canyon

in northern Mexico; series of massive canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains; gets its name from the .....-green hue of the canyon walls. The famous Chepe train connects the region via over 80 tunnels and nearly 40 bridges; "Grand Canyon of Mexico"

Rocky Mountains (stretches from British Columbia and Alberta in Canada through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and down to New Mexico in the U.S.; dramatic wilderness, diverse wildlife and alpine lakes. Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park is traversed by numerous hiking trails and the famously scenic Trail Ridge Road, a 48-mile highway; highest point - Mount Elbert in CO)

mountain range from which the Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental extend

The national symbol of Mexico is the golden eagle which features prominently on the coat of arms.

national symbol of Mexico

oil, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, wood and agricultural products

natural resources

The Great Pyramid of Cholula, also known as Tlachihualtepetl (Nahuatl for "made-by-hand mountain")

near Puebla city in central Mexico; largest pyramid in world by volume; equivalent to 9 Olympic swimming pools; dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent); architecture resembles that of Teotihuacan northeast of capital; dates from over 2000 years ago; built by Aztecs; contains altars, murals, tombs; base 4 times larger than Giza's and 2 times its volume; hidden under dirt making it look like mountain

Tenochtilán

now Mexico City; former Aztec's capital city; founded in 1325 on island in Lake Texcoco; served as capital until Aztecs were conquered by Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes in 1520; the largest city in all of the new world in the 1400s; Today, ruins are in historic center of Mexican capital; Templo Mayor ("Greater Temple") was main temple of the Mexica peoples; Zócalo, the Plaza de la Constitución, is located at site of original central plaza

31 plus Mexico City

number of states in Mexico

Pacific Ocean

ocean to the west of Mexico; largest and deepest of Earth's oceanic divisions; extends from Arctic Ocean in north to Southern Ocean in south and is bounded by continents of Asia and Australia in west and the Americas in east

Estados Unidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States)

official name of Mexico

North America - which includes Canada, Greenland, USA, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands (Mexico is south of USA, north of Central America)

on which continent Mexico is found

Río Colorado

one of the principal rivers in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The 1,450-mile-long river drains an expansive, arid watershed (where water collects) that encompasses parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states; starts in the USA's Rocky Mountains and flows into the Gulf of California; also passes through Grand Canyon in AZ

Sierra Madre del Sur

plateau mountain range; south/southwestern edge of Mexico; Pacific coast; spans 3 southern states : Guerrero, where the highest point can be found, Michoacán to the west and Oaxaca to the east

Acapulco

pop. 687,608; beach resort town on Mexico's Pacific coast, is set on a large bay backed by high-rises and the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains.; famous during jet set era of 1950s and 60s as getaway for Hollywood stars and millionaires; professional diving popular from la Quebrada cliff; Mexico's largest beach and balneario (Iberian / Latin American resort city) resort town; La Roqueta Island popular for vacationers off coast of city; star-shaped Fort of San Diego built by Spanish in 17-18th centuries

rodeo (events : tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing)

rather dangerous sport invented in Mexico; a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later Central America, South America, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines; first played in 1869

Ring of Fire

region on which Mexico is situated; world's most prominent volcano and earthquake region; major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean; in a large horseshoe shape; continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and plate movements; 452 volcanoes (more than 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes)

no official religion; dominant religion is Catholicism (82.7%); other religions : Protestant (6.6%); Jehovah's Witness (1.4%); Other Religion (1.9%); No religion (4.7%); Unspecified (2.7%)

religion in Mexico

Cabo San Lucas

resort city on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula; known for its beaches, water-based activities and entertainment. Playa El Médano is Cabo's main beach, with outdoor restaurants and numerous cafes. Past the marina is Land's End promontory, site of Playa del Amor and El Arco, a natural archway in the seacliffs

Mexico City (capital 8.8 million, south/center of country), Ecatepec (northeast of Mexico City), Guadalajara (center/west), Puebla City (south of capital), Ciudad Juárez (north/center on USA border), Tijuana (northwest on USA/Pacific border)

six most populous cities (from most to least populous)

The Olmec colossal heads

stone representations of human heads sculpted from large basalt boulders; height from 1.17 to 3.4 metres (3.8 to 11.2 ft);date from at least 900 BC and are a distinctive feature of civilization from ancient Mesoamerica; portray mature individuals with fleshy cheeks, flat noses, and slightly crossed eyes; physical characteristics correspond to a type that is still common among inhabitants of Tabasco (southeast) and Veracruz (southeast); backs of monuments often are flat

dense rainforests; The Lacandon Jungle is area of rainforest stretching from southeastern state of Chiapas into Guatemala and into southern part of Yucatán Peninsula; largest mountain rainforest in North America; one of last rainforests large enough to support jaguars; many species of trees, birds, butterflies and fish; endangered species like red macaw, tapir, spider monkey; high deforestation; population mostly subsistence peasants; ancient Mayan archeological sites like Bonampak with its murals

terrain in the south and east along Atlantic coast

Chihuahua

the smallest breed of dog, and is named after the Mexican state of the same name; longhair and shorthair; have large, round eyes and large, tall ears, set in a high, dramatically rounded skull; apple head and deer head (longer nose); lifespan 12-20 years; usually less than 10 lbs; usually less than 10 inches high; any color except merle (type of spots); may have come from the Tenchichi dog in the Toltec Civilization near Mexico City around 5th century BC

Posadas (9 processions - Mary and Joseph searching for housing); luminarias / farolitos (candles in paper bags with designs); piñatas (shape - ball with 7 spikes); Pastorelas (plays - shepherds searching for Jesus); Nacimiento (nativity scenes); Nochebuena (Christmas Eve - final posada); poinsettia flowers; Misa de Gallo (midnight mass); Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes - radishes carved into figurines); eat 12 grapes on New Years with each clock strike (brought from Spain); Rosca de Reyes (King Cake) on January 6 (Epiphany)

traditions for Christmas and New Years in Mexico

altars called ofrendas, calaveras (decorations : skulls), aztec marigolds, favorite foods and beverages of the departed, visiting graves; marigolds to guide spirits by their bright colors; monarch butterflies that contain spirits of ancestors

traditions for Dia de los Muertos (Oct 31-Nov 2)

quetzal bird

tropical bird of vibrant colors in Mexican rainforest; iridescent green or golden-green wing coverts, back, chest and head, with a red belly

Belize (southeast; capital : Belmopan) and Guatemala (southwest; capital : Guatemala City)

two countries bordering Mexico to the South

Spanish (Spanish immigration to Mexico began in early 1500s and spans to present day; first Spanish colonial settlement established in February 1519 by Hernán Cortés in Yucatan Peninsula with 11 ships, 500 men, 13 horses and small number of cannons)

who arrived in the 1500s