RESEARCH AND NOTE TAKING
| Assignment: Choose a country of interest to you. Research and present information about its Economy (e.g. money and finances), Politics (e.g. type and structure of government), Society (e.g. religions, education, health) and Physical Environment (e.g. mountains, rivers, bioshpere). Step 1:Selecting and categorizing important information The page below was copied from page 30, ‘Discovering Mexico’ by Marion Morrison. Shelf number 972 MOR Mexico - Fact file Government Mexico is a federal republic. Mexico has 31 states as well as the Federal District of Mexico City. Each state has a governor and a Chamber of Deputies elected by the people. The Mexican head of state is the President who is elected every six years but cannot serve twice. The President governs with the National Congress. The National Congress is made up of two houses. The Senate has 64 members who are elected every six years. The Chamber of Deputies has 500 members who are elected every three years. Every adult over 18 years of age is obliged to vote. Flag The Mexican flag has green, white and red vertical stripes, with the national emblem in the centre of the white stripe. The emblem is made up of a brown eagle holding a snake in its beak, standing on a green cactus, with a wreath of oak and laurel beneath. It is based on an ancient Aztec legend. National Anthem The Mexican national anthem is Mexicanos, al grito de guerra, which dates back to 1854. Words are by F Gonzalez Bocanegra and music by Jaime Nuno'. Religion Mexico has no official religion but 90 per cent of the population are Roman Catholics, Money The unit of Mexican currency is the peso, which is made up of 100 centapos. Education Most of the schools in Mexico are run by the government or by the church, and are free. School is divided into primary and secondary levels. All children are expected to attend at primary level which is from the age of 6 to 12. They are not obliged to do the secondary level which starts at the age of 12 and lasts for up to six years. It is probable that soon the law will be changed so that all children will have to go to school until they are sixteen. About 90 per cent of children now go to primary school and in rural areas children are helped with educational programmes on the radio. Many schools run evening sessions for people who have missed out on part of their schooling. Newspapers and broadcasting Mexico has over 280 daily newspapers and many weekly newspapers. Mexico's national television network, Televisa, is based in Mexico City and there are over 400 stations around the country. There are more than 800 commercial radio stations and over 21 million people own a radio. Colour coding key: (If you use this method, you MUST copy, print or photocopy onto other paper. NEVER mark or damage books!)
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The information below was copied from the Internet http://www.tgmag.ca/ap/country/apmex.html Area: 1,972,547 km2 Population: 93.7 million (1995) Population Growth:1.8% Capital: Mexico City System of Government: Constitutional Federal Republic Head of State: President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León Key Government Ministers: José Angel Gurría Treviño, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guillermo Ortiz Martínez, Minister of Finance, Herminio Blanco, Minister of Trade and Industrial Planning Language: Spanish is the official language. There are about 13 Indian languages with many different dialects, the main one being Nahuatl, or Aztec. Literacy Rate: 89.4% Ethnic Background: The Mexican population is composed of three main groups: the people of Spanish descent (approx 10%), Mestizo, or mixed European and Native descent (60%) and Indígena (Native Americans or Indians - including Nahua, Maya, Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Totonacs and Tarascos or Purépecha) (30%) Religion: Romal Catholicism is the faith of more than 90% of the people. Currency: C $1 = 5.7493 Pesos (as of July 9/97) |
Step 2: Organizing Notes
The above pages do NOT have enough information about all of the sub topics. You would have to find more information in other books or on the Internet. Organize all of the important information you found by colour. Economic unit of Mexican currency is the peso (you will need to search for more information on this subtopic) Political federal republic. 31 states as well as the Federal District of Mexico City. head of state is the President elected every six years but cannot serve twice. The National Congress is made up of two houses. The Senate The Chamber of Deputies 18 years of age is obliged to vote. System of Government: Constitutional Federal Republic Social Mexico has no official religion 90 per cent of the population are Roman Catholics schools run by the government or by the church, and are free. not obliged to do the secondary level which starts at the age of 12. probable that soon the law will be changed so that all children will have to go to school until they are sixteen. Ethnic Background: f three main groups: the people of Spanish descent (approx 10%), Mestizo, or mixed European and Native descent (60%) and Indígena (Native Americans or Indians - (30%) Population: 93.7 million (1995) Population Growth:1.8% Physical Area: 1,972,547 km2 (you will need to search for more information on this subtopic) |
Step 3: Make your own meaning
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Write up jot notes in your own words. An example is given below for Political and Social information about Mexico. My information about Mexico: Political Mexico is a federal republic made up of 31 states and the Federal District of Mexico City. The head of state is the President and elections for president are held every six years. Voting in elections is compulsory for people 18 years and older. Social Although there is no official religion in Mexico, 90 per cent of the people are Roman Catholic. Most schools are run by either the government or the church and it is free to attend these schools. Children have to attend school until at least age 12. There are three main groups of people in Mexico: 1) people of Spanish descent, 2) people of mixed European and Native descent, and 3) people of Native American descent. |