Nayarit

We just learned about the Mexico state of Tlaxcala.

Another Mexico state is Nayarit.
It is a smaller state on the west coast of Mexico on the Pacific ocean, and includes the islands of Marías and Marietas.


(from: wikipedia - nayarit)

The coat of arms of Nayarit has a corn plant on the top left. This is for the capital city of Tepic, which comes from the Aztec word for corn, "tepictu".
The top right has a picture of a bow and arrow. The Cora people in this state believed in a mythical being called Nayarit, who their legends say invented the bow and arrow.
The bottom has white mountains, for the Sierra Madre Occidental montains.
The middle has the symbol of Mexico, an eagle eating a snake on a cactus.


(from: wikipedia - nayarit)

One of the islands named Marías has a prison on it, built in 1905 that is supposed to be "escape proof".


(from: wikipedia - islas marías)

On the island of Marietas, there is a hidden beach called "love beach" that is a place people go to visit.


(from: wikipedia - islas marietas national park)

There is a place named Ahuacatlan, that means "place where there is a lot of avocado".
In the Nahuatl language, the word ahua means avocado, and the word tlan means place.


(from: wikipedia - ahuacatlán)

Like many other states in Mexico, in Ixtlán del Río there are ancient ruins from people who used to live there thousands of years ago.

(from: wikipedia - ixtlán del rio (archaeological site))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Laramide Belt

Tlaxcala

We just learned about the Mexican state of Aguascalientes.

Another state in Mexico is called Tlaxcala.

Not counting the federal district of Mexico City, Tlaxcala is the smallest state in Mexico.

The name Tlaxcala is either from an ancient word that meant crag, a steep cliff face.
Or it comes from the Nahuatl word meaning "place of corn tortillas".


(from: wikipedia - tlaxcala)

The Tlaxcala coat of arms has the letters I K F with crowns on the top.
This is for the kings and queens of Spain, Doña Juana I de Catilla, King Carlos I and King Felipe II.
The yellow castle is for the Castile in Spain, and the flag has an eagle on it because King Carlos was the head of the Holy Roman empire.
The skull and crossbones are for the people who died fighting for their freedom.


(from: wikipedia - tlaxcala)

There is a volcano called Malinche in Tlaxcala.


(from: wikipedia - malinche (volcano))

There is an ancient town about 3,000 years old called Xochitecatl, with some pyramids full of carvings and sculptures.


(from: wikipedia - xochitecatl)

Another ancient town was called Cacaxtla, which had some very old paintings in the Aztec style.


(from: wikipedia - cacaxtla)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Interior System of Canada

Aguascalientes

We just learned about the Mexico state of Quintana Roo.

Another Mexico state is Aguascalientes.

This is a state in the middle of the country.
It's name means "hot waters" because of the hot springs in the area.


(from: wikipedia - aguascalientes)

The coat of arms has the Latin words "Bona Terra, Bona Gens, Aqua Clara, Clarum Coelum", which means "Good land, good people, clear water, clear sky".

The helmet on top of the crest is for Jauan de Montoro who started the village of Aguascalientes.
Under the helmet is a blue area that shows mother Mary held up by two cherubim, next to a water fountain for the hot springs and a gold chain and lips for freedom and independence.

The bottom left has a dam and some grapes for the farming and rivers.
The bottom right has a gear and a bee, for factories and hard working people.


(from: wikipedia - aguascalientes)

The INEGI is in Aguascalientes, where the government of Mexico works to keep track of how many people are in the country, how much money the country makes, and what kind of jobs everyone has.


(from: wikipedia - national institute of statistics and geography)

There is a large statue called El Cristo Rojo in the town of San José de Gracia.
The name means "The Broken Christ", and it is a 90 foot statue of Jesus on the cross.

(from: wikipedia - el cristo rojo)

The Museo Espacio of the MECA is a giant 86 hectare area filled with museums, a library, an auditorium, and old industrial buildings and sports facilities.


(from: wikipedia - aguascalientes)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nevadan Belt

Quintana Roo

We just learned about the Mexico State of Zacatecas.

Another Mexico State is Quintana Roo.

This state is on the eastern part of the bottom of Mexico, on what is called the Yucatan Peninsula.
It borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the country of Belize on the south.


(from: wikipedia - quintana roo)

The coat of arms shows the four elements that were important to the Mayan people, Day, Night, Earth and Wind.
The day is the sun at the top, the night is the star on the middle right, the earth is the snail on the middle left in the red, and the wind is the bottom.


(from: wikipedia - quintana roo)

The city of Cancun is one of the most popular places for people to visit and enjoy the beaches.


(from: wikipedia - cancun)

Another famous beach and tourist place is Playa del Carmen


(from: wikipedia - playa del carmen)

In the city of Tulum, there are many castles and ancient ruins.


(from: wikipedia - tulum)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sierra Madre Occidental

Zacatecas

We just learned about the Mexico state of Durango.

Another Mexico state is Zacatecas.

This state is right in the middle of Mexico.
It is known for the mining of riches like silver, and for being an important place in Mexico's battle for freedom.


(from: wikipedia - zacatecas)

The coat of arms has the Cerro de la Bufa hill with a cross on top of it, and a bunch of soldiers standing around a statue of the Virgin Mary.


(from: wikipedia - zacatecas)

There is a large hill with a rock formation on top that is called the Cerro de la Bufa.
It was an important place in many battles, and some important churches and other places have been built around it.


(from: wikipedia - cerro de la bufa)

Just like many other parts of Mexico, there are ancient ruins, like Las Columnas in the city of La Quemada.


(from: wikipedia - zacatecas)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Peninsular Ranges

Durango

We just learned about the Mexico State of Morelos.

Another Mexico State is Durango.

This state is in the north central of Mexico, and is mostly plains in between the two mountain ranges the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental.


(from: wikipedia - durango)

The coat of arms shows a tree with two wolves around it.
These pictures came from the places in Spain where people came from before they moved to Mexico.
The tree is a special tree that lived for over 400 years in Biscay Spain. People would hold special meetings at the tree, like making promises to fight for freedom.
The wolves are from an old story that said before a famous battle there were two wolves that came along, and that would mean they would win the battle.


(from: wikipedia - durango)

Mexiquillo is a special natural park with waterfalls and rock formations.


(from: wikipedia - durango)

There is a suspension bridge called Ojuela bridge that is over 100 years old, and is over 800 feet long.

(from: wikipedia - ojuela bridge)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Transverse Ranges

Morelos

We just learned about the Mexico state of Querétaro.

Another state in Mexico is Morelos.

This is one of the smallest states in Mexico, in the southern part of the country, not on the coast.


(from: wikipedia - morelos)

The coat of arms has a cornstalk growing in the dirt, for the good farmland of the state.
The words around the center mean "The land will be returned to those who work it with their hands."


(from: wikipedia - morelos)

This state has some of the oldest ruins found ever in North America, over 8,000 years old!


(from: wikipedia - morelos)

There is a special type of dance called Chinelos that is in Morelos, where dancers wear fancy costumes and march in parades.


(from: wikipedia - chinelos)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: California Coast Ranges

Querétaro

We just learned about the Mexico State of Yucatán..

Another Mexico state is Querétaro.

This state is in the south central part of Mexico, and has a lot of types of land like forests, deserts and rainforest.


(from: wikipedia - querétaro)

The coat of arms of Querétaro tells of a legend where there was a solar eclipse during a battle between the Spanish and the natives.
During the eclipse the saint of Spain and a holy cross showed up.
The bottom left shows the saint in battle, and the bottom right has wheat and grapes for the farming in the area.

(from: wikipedia - querétaro)

Just like other parts of Mexico, there are large pyramids in this state in the city of El Cerrito.


(from: wikipedia - querétaro)

Gustav Eiffel who made the Eiffel tower made a famous fountain in Zocalo.


(from: wikipedia - querétaro)

There is a large gorge in the Sierra Gorda called Sótano del Barro.


(from: wikipedia - querétaro)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Northern Coast Ranges

Yucatán

We just learned about the Mexican state of Tabasco where the Spanish first landed in Mexico.

Another state in Mexico is Yucatán.

This state is on north end of the bottom tail of Mexico, right on the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.


(from: wikipedia - yucatán)

Yucatán's coat of arms is green and yellow.
It shows a deer for the native Mayan people, jumping over an agave plant which grows in the area.
On the top and bottom are Mayan arches, and the left and right are Spanish towers, for the two different people that live there.


(from: wikipedia - yucatán)

There are ancient buildings in the city of Chichen Itza, like an ancient pyramid nicknamed "el castillo" which means "the castle"


(from: wikipedia - el castillo, chichen itza)

In Cuzuma and some other cities are some caves on the water that people can go tour.

(from: wikipedia - yucatán)

Another big pyramid on Yucatán is the Pyramid of the Magician in the town of Uxmal, which is over 13 stories tall.
The name of the pyramid comes from old legends that said a magician built it in one night.

(from: wikipedia - pyramid of the magician)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Klamath-Siskyou Mountains

Tabasco

We just learned about the San Luis Potosí where they have many gold and silver mines.

Another Mexico state is Tabasco.

This state is on the south part of Mexico, right on the Gulf of Mexico which opens up to the Atlantic Ocean.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

The coat of arms of Tabasco has a picture of the Virgin Mary in the middle, for Catholic church.
The top left has four castles, for the Spanish kingdom of Castile.
The top right has a sword and shield for the power of the Spanish.
The bottom left has a native holding flowers for the farms.
The bottom right has a lion for the Spanish kingdom of León


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

There are many ancient pyramids in Tabasco, like the one in the city of Comalcalco.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

There is a special dance in Tabasco called "Zapateo" which means "toe tapping" and is a type of tap dancing.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

Tabasco was the place where the Spanish people first landed over 500 years ago, and met the Native people who lived there.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Calapooya Mountains

San Luis Potosí

We just learned about the Mexico state Sonora, where they do the Deer Dance.

Another Mexico State is San Luis Potosí.
It was named after Louis IX of France, and because they found gold and silver in this state they compared it to the mines in Potosi, Bolivia.


(from: wikipedia - san luis potosí)

The coat of arms of San Luis Potosí shows Louis IX of France on a mining hill, with gold and silver bars on either side for the mining in the area. The blue and yellow backgrounds are for night and day.


(from: wikipedia - san luis potosí)

There are many old gold and silver mines in the area that are not used anymore.


(from: wikipedia - san luis potosí)

There are some beautiful waterfalls and natural swimming places in the town of Tamasopo.


(from: wikipedia - tamasopo)

In the Wirikuta mountains, the Huichol people celebrate their ancient traditions with art, song and food.


(from: wikipedia - huichol)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Oregon Coast Range