Quinceanera

In America, when a girl dreams of her highlight birthday party they may envision their sweet sixteen, but in Mexico girls envision their fifteenth birthday party. A quinceanera is the celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday party. The quinceanera is regarded in three ways: as an extension of particular Catholic sacraments, as a rite of passage, and as a practice that has historical continuity or "tradition."  This birthday party marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood. It also has traditional views due to it having such deep historical orgins or roots that go back to the Maya. The birthday girl is dressed up in a beautiful gown, and her make up and hair are done to perfection. The color of the dress is usually pink or white because it symbolizes her purity. The quincenera waltz with the chambelanes is the girl's first dance in the public. Many other rituals are performed then the dinner starts with contracted musical groups playing songs for the birthday girl. 

Tlatelolco massacre

The Night of Tlatelolco is know to represent the Tlatelolco massacre on October 2, 1968 in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas of Mexico City. This massacre is known as a government massacre of student and civilian protesters and bystanders ten days before the 1968 Summer Olympics celebrations in Mexico City. Many of these protestors were protesting for the repeal of Articles 145 and 145b of the Penal Code, which sanctioned imprisonment of anyone attending meetings of three or more people and deemed it to be a public order threat. Much of the government propaganda and media in Mexico stated that it was the protestors that had bveen provoking the government by shooting at them, but public government documents state that snipers had been employed by the government to stop the protestors. The number of people dead ranged from thirty to a thousand, and eyewitnesses reported hundreds dead and many more arrested. The affect of this terrible event had many negative influences on the people of Mexico. With so many people killed there would be many children either with one parent alive or now orphaned. The trust of the Mexican people in their government must have gone down due to the government killing not only protestors but innocent bystanders too. Also, the fact that these Articles exist show to the people that the government is trying to do their best with controlling the public's wants and demands.

source: texasgopvote.com

Poverty Rates

Mexico is a place filled with beautiful people and lush landscapes, but underneath all of its beauty is poverty. Mexico has 18.2% of its population under poverty, based on using food-based definitions of poverty, and 47% of its population on asset based poverty. There is a labor force of 44.71 million and 6.2% unemployment. In the years of 1994-1995, an economic crisis hit Mexico and this was the most severe in Mexico's history due to 50% of its population falling into poverty. However, rapid growth in exports initiated by NAFTA and other trade agreements helped to reduce the poverty rates, but this was only achieved in rural communities. According to World Bank, in 2004, 17.6% of Mexico's population lived in extreme poverty, while 21% lived in moderated poverty. The CIA Factbook reported 13.8% of the population being under the poverty line, and this was being measured in food-based poverty.

Women's Rights

In Santa Maria Quiegolani, Mexico there is a village named Zapotec that prohibits its women from voting in local elections. The men of this village argue that the women don't do enough work and therefore can't vote or run for local elections. Women aren't even allowed to attend town assembles. The village's board is made up of only males, and when a 27 year old woman named Eufrosina Cruz decided to become the first woman to run for mayor the board tore up ballots that cast her vote. The men state that as a woman, she wasn't a "citizen" of the town. "That is the custom here, that only citizens vote, not the women," said Valeriano Lopez, the town's mayor. Cruz decided to lauch the first , national-level challenge to traditional forms of government, known as "use and customs." Cruz says that it is every woman's right to vote because it is written in the constitution. Cruz believes that she is winning and wants the elections to be annulled and held again in order to allow the women to vote.

Visual Art in Mexico

Diego River is the most well-known figure of Mexican Muralism. Diego painted the Man at the Crossroads at the Rockefeller Center in New York City. However, this huge mural was destroyed the next year due to the inclusion of Russian communist leader Lenin. Some of Rivera's murals are displayed at the Mexican National Palace and the Palace of Fine Atrs. Post-revolutionary art in Mexcio had its expression in th eworks of renowned artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and many more influential artists. The Mesoamerican architecture is mostly noted for its pyramids which resemble the largest structures outside Ancient Egypt. Spanish colonial architecture is noted by contrast between the simple, solid construction that was needed by the new surroundings and the Baroque ornamentation exported from Spain. Mexico is seen as the center of New Spain and it has some of the most renowned buildings built in this style.

Carnivals

Within the world of Catholics, Carnivals are celebrated before a time of solemnity that is called Lent. The purpose of Carnivals is to get all of the people's craziness out of their systems in order to be ready for Lent. One of the many countries that have Carnivals is Mexico, and they hold some of the most exuberant celebrations. The Carnival dates vary from year to year, but for the up coming years they are 2011- March 3 to March 9, 2012 - February 15 to 21, 2013 - February 6 to 12, and 2014 - February 26 to March 4. Each Carnival celebration varies by destination. For example, Quema del Mal Humor is the start of the biggest Carnivals. This Carnival is known for the effigy of an unpopular political figure and it symbolicaly represents leaving behind everyday worries and concerns. The biggest Carnival celebrations take place in Veracruz and Mazatlan. Within the Carnivals there is a crowning of the Carnival Queen and the King, and there are parades, live entertainment, dances, and carnival games. The Carnivals end on Mardi Gras, "Fat Tuesday." Carnivals also serve as a way for many people to escape their everyday lives and live in a world that is dreamed of all year long.