Spanish 1 Culture Notes
Spanish 1 Culture Notes
Chapter 6:
Mexico:
Population: 103,400,165
Capital: Mexico City
Government: Federal Republic
Official Language: Spanish
Currency/Money: Mexican Peso
Geocultura:
The volcano Popocatépetl:
Found in the Central Valley of Mexico
Second tallest peak of the country
5,465 meters
Mexico City:
Also known as the Federal District (distrito federal)
Capital of Mexico
One of the biggest cities in the world (more than 20 million people)
El jarabe tapatío:
National Folkloric dance
Characterized by being very joyful/happy
La Barranca de Cobre:
A series of canyons in the western Sierra Madre Mountains
Bigger than the Grand Canyon in Arizona
Agua Azul(blue water):
Clear waters
In the state of Chiapas
Form a series of beautiful waterfalls
Tulum:
Ruins found in the Yucatán Peninsula
Ancient Mayan ruins are found throughout the Peninsula
Teotihuacán:
Ruins of the ancient city of Teotihuacán reflect the civilization that existed before the Aztecs.
El Arte:
Diego Rivera:
A famous Mexican muralist (painted big paintings on walls)
He painted the painting Vendedora de Alcatraces
Ancient Mayan murals:
Found in an ancient temple in Bonampak, Chiapas
Casa-Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo:
The house of the famous painter Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo
An example of functionalism in Mexico
Library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM):
Masterpiece done by Juan O’ Gorman
The mosaic tells the history of Mexico
Taxco:
It is the city where the colonial architecture is a testimony to the arrival of the Spanish to the Central Valley in the 1500s.
Las Celebraciones:
International Cervantino Festival:
Celebrated in Guanajuato
Dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes (famous author who wrote “Don Quijote”)
It is celebrated with dances and works of the theatre.
The Festival of the Guelaguetza or Lunes del Cerro:
Celebrated in Oaxaca
Distinct communities in the country get together to dance and celebrate their native American roots.
The Festival of the 16th of September:
Independence Day
Mexico gained their independence from Spain
La Comida:
Pumpkin Flower Empanadas (turn overs):
A typical food of Morelos
Mole Poblano:
A favorite dish
Chiles en Nogada:
Typical food served at Christmas
Extra Information:
Almost ¼ of the population of Mexico lives in the region close to Mexico City
Much of the food eaten in the world today has origins in the Americas including: potatoes, peppers, chocolate, corn, beans, pumpkin, tomatoes and turkey.
Atole:
A drink enjoyed by the Aztecs and Mayas.
Combines corn meal, milk or water, and flavoring such as chocolate or strawberry.
Very popular still.
Corn:
First varieties of corn were grown near Mexico City
Elote (corn) comes from the Aztec Language.
La comida:
In Mexico and Spain la comida (lunch) is the main meal of the day not dinner!
Served about 2:00 p.m.
Mexicans and Spaniards have a merienda (small snack) at about 6:00 p.m.
The word barbecue comes from the Taíno language (a native American language)
Chapter 7:
Argentina:
Population: 37,812,817
Capital: Buenos Aires
Government: Republic
Official Language: Spanish
Currency (money): Argentine peso
Geocultura:
Buenos Aires:
Capital of Argentina
Found at the mouth of the Río de la Plata River on the Atlantic Coast
San Carlos de Bariloche:
Foot of the Andes Mountains
Next to Lake Nahuel Huapí
Known as the Switzerland of the Andes because of mountainous terrain
La Pampa:
Land of vaqueros (cowboys)
Heart of cattle ranching in Argentina
Characterized by being very flat
Los Porteños:
People from Buenos Aires (the capital)
La Garganta del Diablo:
Most impressive waterfall of the waterfalls of Iguazú
Found on the border of Brazil
El Parque Provincial Ischigualasto:
Strange geologic formations
Triassic period fossils
Eoraptor, one of the oldest dinosaurs found here
Los Pingüinos de Magallanes (Magellan’s penguins):
Live in large colonies at the extreme south of Argentina
Ushuaia:
City in Tierra del Fuego
Most southern city in the world
In December and January some days have more than 20 hours of light
La Arquitectura:
La arquitectura Europea:
City of San Carlos
German influence
Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco de Salta (Church and Convent):
Found in the extreme north of the country
Tower designed by Italian and Spanish arquitects
One of the tallest in South America
53 meters high
La Boca, Buenos Aires:
Originally the home of Italian Immigrants
Colored houses are famous for the color and for
TANGO MUSIC!
El Arte:
La Cueva de las Manos(Cave of Hands):
Work of prehistoric cave dwellers
More than 10,000 years old
Vuel Villa:
Painting by Xul Solar
Xul Solar was of German descent had a great influence in the development of the modern art of his country
Las Celebraciones:
La Fiesta de la Semana de la Tradición:
Celebrated in San Antonio de Areco
Is the biggest party in Argentina dedicated to Gauchos (cowboys) and their customs
El Festival del Tango:
Celebrated in Buenos Aires
Dedicated to the music and dance of the Tango
Tango originated in the immigrant neighborhoods in the 1800’s
Purely Argentine!
La Comida:
Las Picadas:
Restaurants that serve a great variety of appetizers and little sandwiches prepared with cheese, meat, seafood and nuts
La parrillada:
Typical food of Argentina
Different types of meat are combined and are served on large trays
Calabacitas de mate con bombilla:
Every day between 4 and 6 in the afternoon argentines drink a tea called mate. It is served in a type of cup called a calabacita and bombilla (straw) is made from an herb called Yerba mate. Hot water is poured on the herb in a kettle called a pava and then sipped through the bombilla
Extra information:
Immigration:
Between 1857 and 1939 3.5 million people immigrated to Argentina from Italy, Spain, Germany, England, Switzerland, Austria, Norway and Syria and many other countries. In 1914 30% of the population had been born in other countries.
Skiing:
Argentina has some of the best ski resorts in the world
The city of Bariloche is well known for July ski season
In August in Bariloche they celebrate the National Snow Party (a week of celebrations)
Chapter 8:
Florida:
Geocultura:
Population: 15, 982, 378
Capital: Tallahassee
Area: 58,664 square miles
Currency: U.S. Dollar
Florida:
Florida is one of the biggest exporters of citrus fruits in the world. The first orange trees were brought to Florida by Spanish explorers in the 16th century (1500’s)
Miami:
Miami is a multicultural paradise with many Spanish speakers. It is found on the Atlantic coast of Florida only 366 kilometers from Havana, Cuba
Many people from Florida spend free time on the beach.
The Everglades is the only place in the world where crocodiles and alligators coexist (live together)
Cape Canaveral:
Kennedy Space Center coexists in harmony with Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge where there are more species in danger of extinction than in any other park in the United States.
La Pequeña Habana is a Cuban district in Miami
The Keys of Florida (Cayos de Florida) are connected by 42 bridges including the famous Puente de la Bahía Honda
Food:
Floribbean o floribeño: a culinary (having to do with food) tradition that combines the flavors of the Caribbean and of Florida. Plantains, yucca, fine herbs, spices, sea food and tropical fruit like mangos are typical ingredients.
Croquetas and Empanadas are Cuban food that are sold everywhere in Miami. The Cuban sandwich is also very popular. Cuban flan is a sweet dessert typical in restaurants in Miami.
Art:
Seminoles: A native American group from Florida that produce straw baskets.
Xavier Cortada painted Guatanameros.
Mildrey Guillot (born in Cuba came to Miami in 1962) painted Calle Ocho.
Architecture:
St. Augustine:
Founded in 1565 by the Spanish
Colonial Architecture
In Tampa Cuban immigrants founded the Cuban Circle. A building was constructed in 1917 in the neoclassical style.
Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer came to Florida in 1513
Celebrations:
Baila USA: For 4 days Latino artistic traditions are celebrated with Afro-Cuban themes
El Carnaval de Miami:
In la Pequeña Habana Hispanic culture is celebrated. The carnival ends with the Festival de la Calle Ocho (eighth street festival)
In March is a Latin Jazz Festival
Extra Information:
Most Spanish speaking countries use the metric system so clothing sizes are different from those of the U.S. Talla is clothes size, Número is shoe size
Guayaberas are embroidered, short-sleeved cotton or linen shirts. They originated in Cuba over 200 years ago.
Regatear means to bargain and it is VERY common in Latin American markets
Chapter 9:
The Dominican Republic:
Geocultura:
Population: 8,581,477
Capital: Santo Domingo
Currency/Money: Dominican peso
In Cabarete there is an annual windsurfing contest
La Güira and la Tambora are Dominican instruments
The National Park of Haitises: you must travel to them in boat
El Lago Enriquillo: The largest saltwater lake of the Antilles, 40 meters below sea level
El Pico Duarte (Duarte Peak): named after a revolutionary from the 19th century named Juan Pablo Duarte
Altos de Chavón: in the highlands of the River Chavon in the Romana is found the villa of Artists called the Altos of Chavón
Iguanas and Crocodiles are found on the Island Cabritos (Isla Cabritos) found in Lake Enriquillo
Sammy Sosa was born in San Pedro de Macorís in the Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo is on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic
Architecture:
Casas de Madera: It is common in the Dominican Republic to see houses made of wood that are painted with brilliant colors. They also have roofs of zinc ( a type of metal)
La Basilica de Higüey: A church in the modern style with a cement arch that is 75 meters tall.
El Palacio Nacional (the National Palace): Is in Santo Domingo designed in the neoclassical style
Candido Bido is a Dominican artist
Ramon Oviedo painted the painting el Once. One of the most famous in the DR
Said Musa is an artist that creates murals that are characterized by brilliant/bright colors.
Celebrations:
Carnaval of Santo Domingo: There are always carts and people in disguises at the carnival
El festival de Merengue: Merengue is the national dance and music of the Dominican Republic
El festival de Jazz (jazz festival): celebrated every year in Sosua. Participants from all over the world including the DR
La Comida:
El sancocho: a typical dish of the Dominican Republic. A type of stew.
El moro: a traditional dish of the Dominican Republic where rice and beans are combined
Puesto de Yaniqueque: Yaniqueque is a type of food similar to bread that is sold in kiosks (small booths) on the beach.
Casabe Dominicano: In the Dominican Republic a food called casabe is prepared. This is a type of bread that is prepared from the cassava root, also known as yucca.
Additional information:
El malecón is a main street in the capital Santo Domingo
Independence day is February 27th and is when carnival is celebrated. People watch a parade on the malecón in which diablos cojuelos (people dressed up in fancy costumes) are found.
Pasteles en hoja are like tamales, but they are made of plantains (a type of banana) and banana leaves. They are boiled. Made around Christmas.
A quinceañera is a huge coming of age celebration for a young girl on her 15th birthday. (Similar to sweet 16 parties) A quinceañera refers to the celebration as well as the girl herself.
Dancing is a very important part of Hispanic/Latino culture. People party until late at night with food, dancing etc. Some popular Latin dances are:
Merengue, salsa, samba, cha-cha-chá, tango, rumba, and cumbia.
Chapter 10:
Perú:
Geocultura:
Population: 27,949,639
Capital: Lima
Government: constitutional republic
Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
Money: Nuevo Sol
El río amazonas (the Amazon river): Starts in the Peruvian Andes mountains, crosses the Peruvian jungle and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil.
Lima: The capital of Perú, founded by Francisco Pizarro (a Spanish conquistador) in 1535. It is on the coast, which is the most arid part of the country. Here Miraflores, the commercial center of Lima, is found.
Cuzco: The ancient capital of the Incas. Families from Cuzco celebrate Independence day dressed up in traditional garb/costumes.
La cordillera de los Andes (the Andes mountains): Constitutes a large part of Perú. The peaks reach heights of over 6,000 meters.
Pisac: A market about 30 kilometers from Cuzco, it reflects Incan traditions and is very different from Lima.
El Parque Nacional del Manu (Manu National Park): is in the southeast of Perú.
It contains 100’s of species of birds, monkeys, felines, reptiles, fish and plants.
Lake Titicaca: The highest navigable (You can use big boats there) lake in the world. 3,810 meters above sea level. Balsas de Totora (a type of boat) is made with plants that grow on the lakeshore.
Architecture:
Machu Picchu (the lost city): An Incan city that was rediscovered in 1911. Demonstrates the advance culture before Columbus.
Cuzco: The combination of colonial and Incan styles is notable in the church of Santo Domingo, constructed on top of the ancient Temple of the Sun of the Incas. This was also known as Qoricancha.
Lima: The cathedral in the Plaza Mayor, the colonial center of the city, reflects the Spanish heritage of the city.
Art:
Los tejidos (weavings, textiles) of the Andean region are well known. Quechua (an Indian tribe) country women make valuable textiles of Alpaca wool.
The famous Nazca lines are found in the desert on the south coast. The carved forms can be observed only from the air.
Danza was painted by the Peruvian artist Julio Quispe Virhues. He is known as Quispejo and has done shows in the United States as well as many other countries.
Celebrations:
During the week of Anidinismo in the White Mountains people participate in many sports including mountain climbing, skiing and kayaking.
National Marinera (the national dance of Peru) contest: Celebrated in Trujillo at the end of January. The Marinera is the national dance.
The National Contest of the Peruvian Horse de Paso: Celebrates the national horse of Perú. A huge party with elegant parades that last a week.
Food:
El ají: A spicy pepper. A typical ingredient in the Peruvian cuisine
El ceviche: A dish of raw fish prepared with lemon juice, onion, aji peppers, and corn or camote. Served in cevicherías, typical restaurants in Perú.
Additional information:
Peru has three distinct regions, coast, jungle, mountains, and each one has different foods.
The walls of Inca buildings were made without mortar and are cut so precisely that a knife cannot fit between the stones.
The Uros islands are in Lake Titicaca and are man make out of totora (a type of grass that grows on the lake bed)
Quinoa is a popular grain in Peru and was called the Mother Grain by the Incas. It was used by the Incan armies and is still popular today.
There is a train that travels between Cuzco and Machu Picchu which reaches an elevation of 12,500 feet. People in Perú can request oxygen on the train because some trains go above 15,000 feet.
Perú’s Manu rain forest has more than 1,000 species of birds and 300 species of trees. Many native tribes also live there.
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