Prayer
A message from Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa Fe De La Vera Cruz congratulated Pope Francis in a letter:
“Dear Jorge: Our joy springs from the faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of history, for your acceptance to serve the Church as the successor of Peter. I entrust your ministry to the protection Our Lady of Lujan."
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/archive/2013/03/14/
“Dear Jorge: Our joy springs from the faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of history, for your acceptance to serve the Church as the successor of Peter. I entrust your ministry to the protection Our Lady of Lujan."
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/archive/2013/03/14/
Flag
The national flag of Argentina has three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue with a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May centered in the white band. The colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun.
http://argentinaflag.facts.co/argentinaflagof/argentinaflag.php
http://www.olstars.com/images/flags/Big/ar.gif
http://argentinaflag.facts.co/argentinaflagof/argentinaflag.php
http://www.olstars.com/images/flags/Big/ar.gif
Geography
Second in South America only to Brazil in size and population, Argentina is a plain, rising from the Atlantic to the Chilean border and the towering Andes peaks. Aconcagua (22,834 ft, 6,960 m) is the highest peak in the world outside Asia. Argentina is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay on the north, and by Uruguay and Brazil on the east. The northern area is the swampy and partly wooded Gran Chaco, bordering Bolivia and Paraguay. South of that are the rolling, fertile Pampas, which are rich in agriculture and sheep- and cattle-grazing and support most of the population. Further south is Patagonia, a region of cool, arid steppes with some wooded and fertile sections.
http://www.infoplease.com/country/argentina.html
http://www.infoplease.com/country/argentina.html
http://www.pampasincoming.com/pampas/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Pampa-Argentina.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2651/3698312525_ac5911fa43.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/RFq5s.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2651/3698312525_ac5911fa43.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/RFq5s.jpg
Demographics
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Argentina_population_pyramid_2009.svg/2000px-Argentina_population_pyramid_2009.svg.png
http://mecometer.com/image/piechart-country-data/argentina/ethnic-groups.png
http://mr-mears.wikispaces.com/file/view/graph.png/192110600/392x332/graph.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Dialectos_del_idioma_español_en_Argentina.png
http://mecometer.com/image/piechart-country-data/argentina/ethnic-groups.png
http://mr-mears.wikispaces.com/file/view/graph.png/192110600/392x332/graph.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Dialectos_del_idioma_español_en_Argentina.png
Historical Timeline
1516
Explorer Juan Dìaz de Solis discovers Rio de la Plata. Spain later claims it and the surrounding region.
1776
Spain creates a large colony called the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata. It covers present-day Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Bolivia. Buenos Aires is named its capital.
1810
On May 25, armed citizens of Buenos Aires kick out the Spanish Viceroy and establish a government.
1816-1817
Argentina declares its independence from Spain. José de San Martín defeats Spanish forces in Chile.
1880s
Argentina becomes a major exporter of wool, wheat and beef. Soon, it becomes the richest nation in Latin America.
1943
A group of military officers seizes power.
1946
Colonel Juan Perón is elected president. He promises higher wages and better working conditions. His wife, Eva "Evita" Perón, is in charge of labor relations. She becomes a powerful political figure.
1982
Argentina goes to war with Britain over control of the Falkland Islands. Argentina’s military government collapses, ending a period of repression.
1991
The government makes the peso equal to the value of the U.S. dollar. This helps to stabilize the Argentine economy.
2001
Thousands protest soaring unemployment and increased poverty. On December 20, President Fernando de la Rua resigns. Congress names a new president, Eduardo Duhalde.
2007
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner becomes the first woman to be elected President. She succeeds her husband, Nestor Kirchner.
2009
Argentina claims a vast territory including the ocean as far as Antarctica and islands that are governed by the British. Britain refuses to negotiate its claims to the territory.
http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/argentina/history-timeline
Explorer Juan Dìaz de Solis discovers Rio de la Plata. Spain later claims it and the surrounding region.
1776
Spain creates a large colony called the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata. It covers present-day Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Bolivia. Buenos Aires is named its capital.
1810
On May 25, armed citizens of Buenos Aires kick out the Spanish Viceroy and establish a government.
1816-1817
Argentina declares its independence from Spain. José de San Martín defeats Spanish forces in Chile.
1880s
Argentina becomes a major exporter of wool, wheat and beef. Soon, it becomes the richest nation in Latin America.
1943
A group of military officers seizes power.
1946
Colonel Juan Perón is elected president. He promises higher wages and better working conditions. His wife, Eva "Evita" Perón, is in charge of labor relations. She becomes a powerful political figure.
1982
Argentina goes to war with Britain over control of the Falkland Islands. Argentina’s military government collapses, ending a period of repression.
1991
The government makes the peso equal to the value of the U.S. dollar. This helps to stabilize the Argentine economy.
2001
Thousands protest soaring unemployment and increased poverty. On December 20, President Fernando de la Rua resigns. Congress names a new president, Eduardo Duhalde.
2007
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner becomes the first woman to be elected President. She succeeds her husband, Nestor Kirchner.
2009
Argentina claims a vast territory including the ocean as far as Antarctica and islands that are governed by the British. Britain refuses to negotiate its claims to the territory.
http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/argentina/history-timeline
Current Form of Government
Argentina is composed of 23 provinces and one federal district (Buenos Aires). It is governed by the 1853 constitution as revised in 1898 and 1994, and has a federal system of government. The president and vice president are elected by popular vote for four-year terms and can be reelected once. The popularly elected bicameral national congress is composed of 72 senators (three from each province and the federal district), who serve six-year terms, and 257 deputies (based on proportional representation), who serve four-year terms. There is a nine-member supreme court. Each province has its own elected governor and legislature and its own judicial system.
Argentina: Government | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/argentina-government.html#ixzz3IsnZdbuP
Argentina: Government | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/argentina-government.html#ixzz3IsnZdbuP
Connect and Collaborate
At regional level Argentina attaches great importance to the relations with Latin America and the Caribbean countries. MERCOSUR (the Common Market set up by Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay) is a model of economic integration based on freedom and democracy, in which cooperation is at the very heart of the system. The U.S. has a positive bilateral relationship with Argentina based on many common strategic interests, including non-proliferation, counternarcotics, counterterrorism, and issues of regional stability, as well as the strength of commercial ties.
http://www.infoplease.com/country/profiles/argentina.html
http://www.argentina.org.au/foreign_policy.html
http://www.infoplease.com/country/profiles/argentina.html
http://www.argentina.org.au/foreign_policy.html
Cultural Features
Holidays:
Jan. 1 - New Years Day
March 24 - Memorial Day
April 2 - Day of the Veterans
April 18 and 20 - Good Friday and Easter Sunday
May 1 - Labor Day/May Day
May 25 (Chandler's Birthday) - Day of the First National Government
December 25 - Christmas
December 31 - New Years Eve
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/argentina/
On May 25, 1810 the citizens of Argentina overthrew the viceregal government of Spain and started a provisional government. A national constitution was adopted which gave the country its official independence in 1854. The anniversary of the revolution is celebrated as a national holiday. This gives the people a sense of national identity and pride.
http://www.units.miamioh.edu/ath175/student/MANHARCM/index.html
Jan. 1 - New Years Day
March 24 - Memorial Day
April 2 - Day of the Veterans
April 18 and 20 - Good Friday and Easter Sunday
May 1 - Labor Day/May Day
May 25 (Chandler's Birthday) - Day of the First National Government
December 25 - Christmas
December 31 - New Years Eve
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/argentina/
On May 25, 1810 the citizens of Argentina overthrew the viceregal government of Spain and started a provisional government. A national constitution was adopted which gave the country its official independence in 1854. The anniversary of the revolution is celebrated as a national holiday. This gives the people a sense of national identity and pride.
http://www.units.miamioh.edu/ath175/student/MANHARCM/index.html
Famous painting by Argentine artist Xul Solar.
http://katti99.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/xul-solar.jpg
Famous painting by Argentine artist Luis Felipe Noe.
http://www.tuverde.com/imagenes/2011/09/noé-stupia.jpg
Traditional Folk Dress
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/argentine-dancers-street-parade-folk-ensemble-raices-nuevas-el-alcazar-misiones-argentina-traditional-dress-performs-32974604.jpg
Christmas in Argentina
http://www.ornamentshop.com/christmas-blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Christmas-in-Argentia-Globos.jpg
http://katti99.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/xul-solar.jpg
Famous painting by Argentine artist Luis Felipe Noe.
http://www.tuverde.com/imagenes/2011/09/noé-stupia.jpg
Traditional Folk Dress
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/argentine-dancers-street-parade-folk-ensemble-raices-nuevas-el-alcazar-misiones-argentina-traditional-dress-performs-32974604.jpg
Christmas in Argentina
http://www.ornamentshop.com/christmas-blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Christmas-in-Argentia-Globos.jpg