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The Yucatán Peninsula Facts & Worksheets

The Yucatán Peninsula is well renowned for its tropical rainforests and jungles, as well as being the Maya people's original home.

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The Yucatán Peninsula, also known as the Peninsula de Yucatán in Spanish, is a northeastern extension of Central America lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The Yucatán Peninsula is well renowned for its tropical rainforests and jungles, as well as being the Maya people’s original home.

See the fact file below for more information on The Yucatán Peninsula or you can download our 30-page The Yucatán Peninsula worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • The Mayans were one of the most evolved indigenous cultures of the ancient Americas, beginning as hunter-gatherers and migrating into Yucatán approximately 2500 BCE. 
  • They first emerged in Quintana Roo during the pre-classic period (500 BCE-250 CE) when they constructed ceremonial sites at Coba, Dzibanche, and Kohunlich. 
  • Quintana Roo was thought to be the entrance to the Mayan realm. The Mayans built multiple towns in the Yucatán area between 300 and 900, the most remarkable of which were Chichén Itzá and Uxmal. 
  • The Toltecs came to the region around 987, thinking they were following their god Quetzalcóatl. Quetzalcóatl, according to Toltec legend, wanted human hearts as a sacrifice, and the Toltecs complied by performing mass human sacrifices. 
  • The Toltecs had a significant cultural impact on the Mayans of Yucatán, and their architectural influences may be seen at Chichén-Itzá. Despite mixing with Mayans and other ethnicities, the Toltec civilization finally ruled the region.
  • In the 12th century, the Mayan city-state of Mayapán fought a war against and vanquished the citizens of Chichén Itzá. 
  • Mayapán’s authority spread over the area, and the Mayan Cocom dynasty lasted until the mid-13th century. 
  • Most towns were abandoned after the post-classic Mayan era ended in about 1250—individuals who stayed engaged in inter-city armed confrontations. 
  • The destiny of these vast Mayan civilizations is unknown; if the Spaniards had not destroyed the bulk of Mayan codices and other writings, we might know the Mayans’ fate today.
  • On his way to Florida in 1513, Juan Ponce de León sailed close to Yucatán but never landed. 
  • A Spanish conqueror, Francisco Hernández de Córdova, came to the Peninsula in 1517 on an expedition to obtain enslaved people and asked some of the local inhabitants where he was. 
  • “Tetec dtan,” they replied, which meant, “You talk really quickly; we don’t understand your language.” He thought they were responding to his query. 
  • Due to difficulties pronouncing their terms, Córdova eventually named the area Yucatán. 
  • In 1519, Hernán Cortés led an expedition that stopped at Yucatán to rescue Jerónimo de Aguilar, a shipwrecked Franciscan monk, before continuing north to Veracruz.
  • The indigenous peoples defeated Francisco de Montejo in his effort to capture Yucatán in 1527. After three years, he returned with Francisco de Montejo y León, his son, but he was unable to re-conquer the indigenous inhabitants. 
  • Ultimately, in 1537, a third effort was successful, and de Montejo established the cities of Campeche in 1540 and Mérida, the current capital, in 1542. 
  • Spain’s conquest of the area was completed by Gaspar Pacheco, infamous for his brutal treatment of the Indians.
  • Franciscan missionaries erected over 30 convents in Yucatán to convert indigenous people to Catholicism and replace Mayan culture with Christianity. 
  • In 1562, Franciscan friar Fray Diego De Landa ordered the destruction of all handcrafted Mayan literature and sculptures. 
  • Few of these priceless cultural treasures have survived. Furthermore, the indigenous population was estimated to have been reduced from 5 million in 1500 to 3.5 million a century later due to Spanish oppression and epidemics.
  • In 1761, Jacinto Canek, a Mayan trained in convents, launched an indigenous insurrection against the government. 
  • Many indigenous people were killed in the war, and Canek was executed in Mérida. 
  • Several indigenous revolts during the colonial period established Yucatán’s inhabitants as ferocious and difficult-to-conquer fighters.
  • When Mexico gained independence from the Spanish in February 1821, Yucatán became an affiliate of the Independent Mexican Empire. Still, it remained a distant province until 1824, when they partitioned it into Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán.
  • In 1835, Mexico established a conservative unitary government and granted control to Yucatán. 
  • In May 1838, an insurgency seeking Yucatecan independence started in Tizimn; in 1840, the local Congress accepted Yucatán’s proclamation of independence. 
  • To settle the dispute, Mexico’s President Antonio López de Santa Anna dispatched Andrés Quintana Roo to Mérida in 1841.
  • Quintana Roo signed a deal with the local administration, which Santa Anna ignored. Governor Méndez directed that all Mexican flags be removed from Yucatán buildings and ships and replaced with the flag of the “Sovereign Nation of the Republic of Yucatán.”
  • Santa Anna ordered the blockade of Yucatán’s ports because he refused to acknowledge the country’s independence. In 1843, he also ordered an army to attack Yucatán. 
  • The Yucatecans beat the Mexican force, but the loss of trade relations with Mexico significantly impacted Yucatecan commerce. 
  • The governor of Yucatán, Miguel Barbachano, intended to utilize the triumph to bargain with Santa Anna’s administration from a position of strength. During the discussions, he decided that Yucatán would rejoin Mexico if Mexico City respected its constitution and right to self-government. 
  • In December 1843, the treaty reuniting Yucatán with México was signed. Nevertheless, the central government withdrew past accords, and Yucatán declared independence from the Mexican government on January 1, 1846.
  • Yucatán, an independent nation, proclaimed neutrality during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). But, the Caste War (Guerra de Castas) erupted on the Peninsula in 1847. 
  • Throughout this battle, the Mayans launched a strong insurrection against the Spanish population in political and economic authority. 
  • Save for those in the walled city of Mérida and Campeche, the revolution had pushed all Hispanic Yucatecans out of the Peninsula by 1848.
  • Governor Méndez addressed letters to Britain, Spain, and the United States, pledging dominion over Yucatán to whatever country could assist in halting the Mayans. 
  • The plan drew considerable attention in Washington, D.C., where it was debated in Congress. Yet, the United States’ only move was to advise European nations not to meddle in the Peninsula.
  • Towards the end of the Mexican-American War, Yucatecan Governor Barbachano requested assistance from Mexican President José Joaquin de Herrera in defeating the uprising. 
  • Mexico accepted, and Yucatán once again recognized the authority of the Mexican government, rejoining Mexico on August 17, 1848. 
  • Warfare continued between Yucatecan government troops and autonomous Mayans until 1901 when the Mexican army took Chán Santa Cruz, the Maya capital. 
  • Over the next decade, several Mayan groups in Quintana Roo refused to recognize Ladino (Jews of Spanish descent) or Mexican sovereignty.

ABOUT

LANDMARKS

  • Because Yucatán has a long history of ancient cultures, there are archaeological sites all throughout the place.
  • Chichén Itzá, Mexico’s most restored archaeological park, spans four square kilometers. Chichén Itzá was founded by a warrior tribe known as the Itzáe and displayed a fusion of Mayan, Toltec, Puuc, and Uxmal architectural elements. 
  • Chichén Itzá was once a mighty metropolis, with features such as Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors), El Castillo (Pyramid of Kukulcán), and Juego de Pelota (ball court). 
  • The neighboring Cenote of Sacrifice supplied water to the residents and was occasionally used to sacrifice victims.
  • Uxmal, a Yucatán archaeological park, is usually referred to as the most magnificent of the ancient monuments. 
  • Uxmal was built around 700 CE and had Mayan chultunes (or cisterns) that contained water for the community. Chaac, the rain god, may also be found in several sculptures. 
  • Kabah, Sayil, Xklapak, and Labna are four lesser ancient sites within a 10-mile radius of Uxmal. These ruins, along with Uxmal, form the Ruta Puuc (Puuc Road), called for the hills in which they are set.

ECOTOURISM

The Río Lagartos National Wildlife Refuge is home to North America’s most significant flamingo population. The 118,000-acre National Park, established in 1979, contains a variety of geological formations, ranging from coastal dunes to mangrove swamps.

From April to August, the sanctuary is home to thousands of flamingos, over 200 bird species, and enormous populations of sea turtles and jaguars.

URBAN AREAS

  • Mérida, Yucatán’s central city, has around 750,000 people. It has luxurious hotels, restaurants, retail complexes, modest shops, and a significant market. 
  • The city boasts a vibrant cultural scene celebrating its variety with free concerts, plays, and other public events.
  • Tourists and explorers worldwide visit to appreciate the city’s colonial charm, historic ruins, and tropical environment. Merida, rich in history and romantic mystique, is an ideal starting point for exploring the area’s historical monuments, natural reserves, towns, beaches, and cenotes.
  • Tourists may enjoy the music and crafts of local craftsmen in smaller cities such as Valladolid, Progreso, and Tulum, as well as dine at restaurants serving local specialties such as Pollo Pibil (a delectable marinated chicken wrapped in banana leaves and baked) and Poc Chuc (Pork tenders marinated in sour orange juice, served with a tangy sauce and pickled onions).

YUCATAN TODAY

  • Yucatán’s only communication with the outside world was by water until the mid-nineteenth century. 
  • As a result, Yucatán’s commerce with the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean islands was significantly more profitable than that of the rest of Mexico. 
  • Yucatán was first connected to the rest of Mexico via train in the 1950s and then by the highway a decade later. 
  • Yucatán’s culture is still distinct from that of the other Mexican states.
  • The first commercial jets landed in Mérida in the 1960s. In the 1980s, international airports were built in Cozumel and Cancun, providing significant tourist revenue to the region. 
  • The Yucatán peninsula has one of Mexico’s most significant indigenous populations and has the highest visitor traffic.
  • For decades, gubernatorial elections were mostly determined by the purity of the candidates’ Hispanic origin. Unfortunately, this resulted in corruption and persecution of Yucatán’s indigenous majority people. 
  • Francisco Luna Kan, Yucatán’s first governor of the entire Mayan heritage, was elected in 1976. His win was a political departure from the norm.

FUN FACTS

  • The green and yellow coat of arms of Yucatán portrays a native Mayan deer jumping over an agave plant, a once-significant crop in the area. 
  • The top and bottom borders have Mayan arches, while the left and right are adorned with Spanish bell towers. They represent the state’s shared Mayan and Spanish ancestors.
  • The Mayans, North America’s largest indigenous people, live on the Yucatán Peninsula. Yucatán has the country’s largest percentage of indigenous language speakers.
  • When Francisco Hernández de Córdova landed on the Yucatán shore, he asked the indigenous where he was. They responded in their native language, stating they couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. Córdova named the region Yucatán because he felt their response sounded like the term.
  • The Ra Celestn Biosphere Reserve, located near the fishing hamlet of Celestn, is home to thousands of vivid pink flamingos, as well as several other bird species and unique vegetation. During the winter, up to 30,000 flamingos may be spotted there.
  • The Mayan ruins, between 2,600 and 2,700, are the state’s most notable feature. Seventeen sites, the most significant of which are Chichén Itzá, Ek Balam, and Uxmal, have been restored and are available to the public.
  • Yucatán features over 2,600 freshwater ponds called cenotes, which the original Indians used for drinking water and offering sacrifices. The pools are now major tourist destinations.

Yucatán Peninsula Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about The Yucatán Peninsula across 30 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about The Yucatán Peninsula, also known as the Peninsula de Yucatán in Spanish, is a northeastern extension of Central America lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Yucatan Peninsula Facts
  2. Vocab Practice
  3. Complete the Passage
  4. Yucatan’s History
  5. Peninsula States
  6. Mayan, Toltec, and Aztec
  7. Human Sacrifice
  8. The Feathered Serpent
  9. Virtual Tour
  10. Song Composition
  11. Pop-Up Book

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Yucatan Peninsula?

The Yucatan Peninsula is a large region in southeastern Mexico that is comprised of the Mexican states of Yucatan, Quintana Roo, and Campeche, as well as parts of Belize and Guatemala. It is a popular tourist destination due to its beautiful beaches, rich history, and cultural attractions.

What are some popular tourist destinations on the Yucatan Peninsula?

Some popular tourist destinations on the Yucatan Peninsula include the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Uxmal, as well as the beaches of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel. The region is also known for its natural beauty, including the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and the Cenotes, which are natural sinkholes filled with freshwater.

What is the climate like on the Yucatan Peninsula?

The climate on the Yucatan Peninsula is tropical, with hot and humid weather year-round. The rainy season typically runs from May to October, while the dry season runs from November to April. Temperatures can range from the mid-70s to the mid-90s Fahrenheit, with high humidity.

What is the history of the Yucatan Peninsula?

The Yucatan Peninsula has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. The region was home to the ancient Maya civilization, and many impressive ruins and archaeological sites can still be seen today. During the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, the Yucatan Peninsula became a part of the Spanish Empire, and many colonial buildings and churches were constructed.

What is the cuisine like on the Yucatan Peninsula?

The cuisine of the Yucatan Peninsula is a blend of Mayan, Spanish, and Caribbean influences. Some popular dishes include cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish, and papadzules, a dish of hard-boiled eggs wrapped in tortillas and topped with a pumpkin seed sauce. Other popular ingredients include seafood, citrus fruits, and chiles.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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