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Capitals of Spanish-speaking Countries
Quiz by Tricia Moloney
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Mexico Where Is It? Mexico is a country in North America. To the north of it is the United States. To the south of it is Central America. To the east and west of Mexico is the sea. More than 120 million people live in Mexico. Most of them live in cities. The capital of Mexico is Mexico City. It is one of the oldest cities in North America. It also has more people than any other city in North America! People. Most people in Mexico speak Spanish. More people speak Spanish in Mexico than anywhere else. Land. Mountains and canyons cover much of Mexico. Dry deserts are in the north. Forests cover land to the south. Two pieces of land stretch into the ocean. Baja (BAH-hah) is like a long finger. Yucatán (yoo-kah-TAHN) is more like a thumb. Animals. Many different animals call Mexico home. Parrots, frogs, and many other animals live in the hot, wet forests. Foxes, lizards, and other animals live in the hot, dry deserts. Celebrations. People in Mexico celebrate many special days. The Day of the Dead lasts three days. It is a happy time. People remember their loved ones. They light candles and wear masks. People also remember the day long ago when Mexico began its fight to be free. They dress up and walk in parades. They light fireworks to celebrate.Food. Corn is an important food in Mexico. It is in almost every meal. People in Mexico also eat parts of cactus. They eat chicken and pork. Some people eat food from the sea. People in Mexico often use peppers in their food. Some peppers are hot, like chile (CHIH-lee) peppers. Some peppers just make food taste different. Conclusion. Mexico is an exciting country. Many different people and animals live there. What is your favorite thing about Mexico?Argentina Where Is It? Argentina is the second-largest country in South America. It is the eighth-largest country in the world. Five countries share borders with Argentina. About forty-three million people live in Argentina. The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires. Its name means "fair winds." About fifteen million people live in Buenos Aires. People. Most people in Argentina live in large cities. Other people live in the country. Some of these people are farmers. They grow crops such as wheat and grapes. Men, women, and children from all over the world live in Argentina. Many people are from Europе. Most people in Argentina speak Spanish. Land. Argentina has mountains, lakes, and rivers. The Andes Mountains are in the west. They are the longest group of mountains in the world. Argentina has many different kinds of animals. Monkeys, wild cats, and many other animals live there. Some of the most beautiful places in Argentina are rivers. Some of the river water falls from very high places. The falls are some of the biggest in the world. History. People have lived in Argentina for thousands of years. Long ago, the Spanish ruled the country. Then, army leaders took control. The army leaders did not let people have any say in their rules. This was unfair for most people. Today, people in Argentina can help make rules. They choose leaders who share their ways of thinking. Celebration. One of the biggest parties in Argentina lasts for days. People dress up as clowns and animals. They have a lot of fun. There is music, dancing, and a big parade. Food. Argentine pies can be filled with lots of different things. A family cooks meat on a grill. People in Argentina eat meat cooked on a grill. They also eat little pies filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese. Conclusion. Argentina is a country with people from all over the world. They help to make it a great place with a bright tomorrow.Honduras is a Central American nation bordered by Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The Caribbean Sea forms its northern coastline. The Pacific Ocean borders a small southern strip of land. Almanaque Nombre oficial: República de Honduras Área total: 112.090 km2 Población: 9.038.741 Ciudad capital: Tegucigalpa Moneda: lempira Lenguas: español, dialectos amerindios Early History Explorer Christopher Columbus came to Honduras in 1502 on his fourth trip to the New World. As was the case in North America, Honduras, in Central America, had been home to many native indigenous groups including the Sumu and Lenca. Some estimates suggest an indigenous population of up to 2,000,000 before the Europeans arrived. Among these indigenous groups were the Maya. Their civilization spread from the Yucatán area of Mexico to Honduras’ ancient city of Copán. Spain’s conquest of Honduras began in 1525, but it was not easy. It took until 1539 to fully conquer it. There were conflicts with the native population, who were forced into labor. Many died from disease and abuse. Others were enslaved and sent to the Caribbean islands. In addition, there were pirate attacks and in-fighting among the Spaniards. Phawat/Shutterstock Gold and silver deposits were discovered in Honduras in the 1530s, attracting more settlers. By the mid-16th century, mining was an important industry, mainly in the towns of Gracias and Comayagua. More native labor was needed, taking its toll on the dwindling indigenous population. As a solution, enslaved Africans were introduced in the 1540s. This was well before 1619, when enslaved Africans first arrived in Jamestown in the American colonies. The 17th century was filled with conflicts, primarily between the Spanish and the British. Britain wanted to establish colonies on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. They eventually seized the coast with help from the native Sambo and Miskito peoples. However, Spain later regained control. Independence In the early 1800s in Honduras, resentment toward Spain grew. One reason was that Honduras was subject to more taxes to help pay for conflicts that were happening between Spain and France. Other Spanish colonies were also increasingly resentful toward Spain. In 1776 in North America, the 13 colonies banded together to declare their independence from Britain. Similarly, Honduras joined other Central American provinces. Together, they declared independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. Honduras briefly became a part of Mexico, but in 1823, it became independent from Mexico. It then joined the United Provinces of Central America. This included other former Spanish colonies: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. But the federation did not last, partially due to divisions in political beliefs. In 1838, Honduras declared its independence from the federation. By the early 1900s, the United States had economic interests in Honduras. American fruit corporations like the Standard Fruit Company and United Fruit Company began investing in Honduras to export bananas. To protect American investments, the United States became more involved in Honduras’ political affairs. When Nicaragua appeared to threaten the stability in Honduras, US President Taft sent forces to Honduras to protect American interests. The Great Depression caused economic havoc in the United States and elsewhere. In Honduras, this meant economic problems and political turmoil. During this time, General Tiburcio Carías Andino was elected president, in 1932. He worked to strengthen the military and pay off Honduran debt. Yet he also worked to gather and maintain his own power. He changed the constitution so that he could extend his term in office as president until 1949. His advanced age and pressure from the United States forced him to allow free elections in 1948. General Francisco Morazán In 1823, Honduras joined the United Provinces of Central America. In 1830, Tegucigalpa-born General José Francisco Morazán was elected president of the federation. He remained president until just before the federation disbanded in 1840. aalezk/Shutterstock Morazán favored liberal policies and the reduced power of the church. Morazán was a self-educated man. He recognized the importance of education and the need for schools in Honduras. He believed that girls and boys should have an equal opportunity for education. During his presidency, he tried to make improvements in education. He opened schools that were free to attend. In addition to improving education, he established a system of trial by jury. It was based on the Livingston Code, created in Louisiana. This was a set of reforms to the system of legal punishment. Today, Honduras celebrates the Day of the Honduran Soldier on October 3, Morazán’s birthday. This holiday honors Morazán for his fight for democracy, liberalism, and the nation. Modern Honduras The last half of the 20th century was a political rollercoaster. There were various coups (government takeovers), conflicts, and changing leaders. Starting in 1963, Honduras was primarily led by military governments. This continued for almost 20 years. In 1969, Honduras fought a four-day war with El Salvador. The conflict was over immigration and the shared border. Though the war was brief, the two nations didn’t sign a peace treaty until 1980. With the election of president Roberto Suazo Córdova in 1981, Honduras returned to a civilian government. In the 1980s Honduras was tangled in conflicts of Nicaragua and El Salvador, partly because of the United States. Nicaraguan Contras, who wanted to overthrow the Sandinista government in Nicaragua, were using US-approved bases in Honduras. The United States was also running training camps in Honduras for Salvadoran forces facing their own civil war. This sparked anti-American protests and a desire to reduce the US presence in Honduras. Over the next few decades, Honduras continued to experience political instability. In 2009, President Manuel Zelaya was removed from power by a military coup. People were upset because he called for a referendum to change the constitution. The international community condemned this coup. As a result, Honduras cut diplomatic ties with several countries. In 2010, the United States recognized President Porfirio Lobo Sosa as a democratically elected leader. He was followed by Juan Orlando Hernández in 2014. However, protests in 2015 called for his resignation over claims of campaign fraud. In 2017, Orlando Hernández was re-elected in a disputed election.Capitals of Caribbean CountriesCapitals of Southern StatesCapitals of europecapitals of statesCapitals of the Southwest!