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MEXICAN CULTURE STUDY QUESTIONS
VICEREGAL PERIOD
SPAIN AND THE CONQUEST
1. Why was Isabella and Fernando called the Catholic Kings? How did they unite Spain? Who was
the Spanish King in power during the Conquest of Mexico? Who was the King during Mexico’s
fight for Independence?
2. Define "Patronato Real" and explain what rights it gave to the king and queen of Spain. How did
this document later affect Mexico?
3. What was the Inquisition? Who established it? When? Why? How did it affect Mexico?
4. Explain and give examples of what is meant by the statement: “Spain and Mesoamerica blended
into a New Mestizo Culture”. In other words, how did Spain influence Mexican culture?
5. How do Indigenous groups in Mexico today continue to play a role in its cultural process?
6. Explain at least three or more reasons that motivated the Spanish conquistadors to conquer the
New World.
7. Reflect on the role played by Cortes during the Conquest? View his position from positive and
negative perspectives.
8. Exactly how did the "Legend of Quetzalcoatl" facilitate the defeat of the Aztecs?
9. Following the route, starting with Cuba, that Cortes took to reach Tenochtitlan and eventually to
the confrontation with the Aztecs, which events or factors affected the Conquest the most and
where did these take place?
10. Who was Malintzin? Why is the role played by La Malinche in the Conquest considered
controversial? Where did she get the name Dona Marina?
11. Why did Cortes leave the city of Tenochtitlan when he had already been invited to stay there?
Who did he leave in charge?
12. Explain the events that led to the “Noche Triste” and what were the consequences?
13. Who were the Aztec kings that had contact with the Spaniards? Explain their roles and fate.
14. List and explain the 5-6 reasons that are attributed for the success of by Hernan Cortes. Be sure
to give exact details or reasons as to how each helped the Conquest.
15. Both Bartolome de las Casas and Bernal Diaz del Castillo wrote about the Conquest. Who were
these men? Explain the differences in their books?
16. What was the Black Legend and who started it? How did it affect European politics?
17. Why were the Spanish explorations into the Southwest limited in scope? Identify 3-4 famous
Spanish explorers and their feats.
18. What was the economic, political and social importance of the Conquest on Europe?
COLONIAL RULE
19. What political, economic and social systems were established by Spain in the New World to
maintain their control?
20. What role did the Viceroy play in Mexico?
21. Define the economic policy of Mercantilism imposed by Spain on Mexico? What could Mexico
do and not do? How did this policy affect Mexico after it gained its independence from Spain?
22. What are the differences between the “Casa de Contratacion” (House of Trade) and the “Consejo
Supremo de las Indies” (Supreme Council of the Indies”? Where were these two bodies located?
23. How did mining affect the economic development of Mexico during the Colonial period?
24. Describe the Encomienda system and its impact upon the Indigenous population? How did it
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differ from the Repartamiento?
25. What were the main birth or racial "labels" used to determine social positions in the society of
New Spain?
26. How, when and where did Africans arrive in New Spain? What was their social status? How did
they influence Mexican culture? How did slavery differ between U.S. and New Spain? What
three religious orders led the effort to Christianize the Indigenous populations of Mexico?
27. What were the main religious orders that led the effort to Christianize the Indigenous populations
of the New World? How did they help the Indigenous populations?
28. How were the Mesoamerican religious beliefs similar to the teachings of the Catholic Church?
Give examples.
29. Why was the Catholic Church an important political, social and economic institution in Colonial
New Spain? Explain each point thoroughly.
30. What were the Fuero Laws and how did these help keep the Catholic Church in a position of
political and economic power in New Spain?
31. In what ways did the Catholic Church help the Indigenous populations?
32. How can you explain the statement “the Catholic church in Mexico is a blending of European
and Indigenous practices?
33. Who was the Virgin de Guadalupe and how is she significant to Mexican culture? What is her
story? Explain the symbols found in her image.
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
34. What four factors determined the architectural styles in Mexico during the Colonial period?
35. What are the basic Mexican colonial architectural styles? Describe and give one example for
each.
36. Draw the basic floor plan of a “Fortress Monastic Complex”. Indicate each of its elements and
define them.
37. Describe the decorative characteristics or basic elements that can be found in a Fortress Monastic
Complex
38. Explain the basic differences between the Baroque and the Churriqueresque styles of
architecture.
39. Define the “Gridiron Plan” and explain how it affected the society of Mexico.
40. What is meant by minor arts? How did they develop in Mexico? Which ones are still produced?
MAJOR HISTORICAL EVENTS
41. Between 1810-1867 five major events had a great deal to do with the formation of Mexico as a
nation. Name each one and explain them briefly giving the names of AT LEAST THREE of the
most important personalities involved, the external and internal causes and the results of each
event.
42. Describe the political, economic, and social conditions of Mexico before and immediately
following the War of Independence.
43. Explain the causes in Europe and in Mexico that led to the 1810 Mexican War of Independence.
44. What was the Queretaro Society6 and what role did it play in Mexico’s history?
45. Who was Father Hidalgo and why is he considered the Father of Mexican Independence? What
was El Grito de Dolores?
46. What events occurred in the town of Guanajuato? Who was El Pipila?
47. Name 5 principal leaders in the Mexican Independence movement and discuss the role each
played.
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48. How did Agustin Iturbide manage to rise to power as emperor of Mexico? Why did he fail?
49. Explain the term “Age of Santa Ana”. What led to his popularity? How did he manage to hold
on to his political power?
50. What were the 5-6 main historical events that occurred during the Age of Santa Ana and what
role did he play in each?
51. Why was Spain so willing to grant Moses Austin the right to colonize Texas? Who was Steven
Austin?
52. How did the Colonization Laws passed by Mexico increase the desire of Texans for
independence?
53. What were the series of events that led to Mexico's loss of Texas?
54. What roles did the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto play in the loss of Texas?
55. Who were the leaders in Texas that were able to succeed in breaking away from Mexico?
56. What was the Pastry War? What role did Santa Ana play here?
57. What events and/or conditions, both in Mexico and in the U.S., led to the Mexican-American
war?
58. What three U.S. generals are noted for playing a significant role in the Mexican-American War
and where did each do battle?
59. Who were the "Ninos Heroes" and why are they considered heroes in Mexico?
60. What territories and rights did Mexicans lose to the U.S. as a result of the Mexican American
war and the Treaty of Guadalupe? What effect did this loss have on Mexicans both in the
Southwest and in Mexico, politically, socially and economically?
61. Explain the rights that were guaranteed to the Mexicans in the U.S. southwest under the three
controversial articles of the Treaty of Guadalupe.
62. What was the Gadsden Purchase? How did it affect Mexico?
63. Explain the ideological ideas and/or political differences between the liberals and the
conservatives in Mexico during the War of Reform? Who held those ideas?
64. Who was Benito Juarez and what role did he play in Mexican history? What was his
background?
65. What were the ideological ideas and/or political differences between the liberals and
conservatives in Mexico during the War of Reform? Name specific persons who held those
ideas.
66. Explain the aims of the Reform movement in Mexico as written through each of these
documents: Plan of Ayutla, Ley Juarez, Ley Lerdo, and Ley Iglesias.
67. Explain the reasons why Napoleon was so interested in invading Mexico.
68. What is the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo? Who were the Mexican heroes? Who led
the French troo9ps? Why do we celebrate it in the U.S?
69. Why can one say that Maximilian and Carlota were tragic figures in the history of Mexico? How
did the French control end in Mexico?
70. Despite the short period of French occupation of Mexico, how did they affect Mexican culture?
71. Name three women that have been important in Mexican history and relate what they each did?
72. Explain the historical differences between the 16th of September and Cinco de Mayo.
MEXICAN LITERATURE OVERVIEW
73. What kinds of writings did Mesoamericans have before the Conquest? What were the principal
themes found in their literature?
74. List the various types of literature of New Spain between 1519-1908 and what specific factors
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influenced each?
75. What are the four types of writers of the Colonial-Conquest period of literature? Give names and
cite works as examples of each.
76. Why is Cortes famous in Mexican literature? What did he write?
77. Identify the author and give your personal reaction on the opinions expressed in the following:
"When each is guilty of sin, which is the most to blame? She who sins for payment, or he who
pays for the sin?
78. Romanticism (1828-1888) and Modernism (1888-1910) were two literary movements. Define
each and tell what role the played in Mexican literature?
79. What are the high lights of Mexican literature after 1910? What does the term “Novels of the
Revolution” mean?
80. Name three contemporary Mexican writers and discuss one work of each?
BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. Alcalde
22. Cuatlihuac
2. Alhondiga de Guanajuato
23. Cuautemoc
3. Audiencias
24. Diego Velasquez
4. Augustin Iturbide
25. Dona Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez
5. Bartolome de las Casas
26. Dona Marina or La Malinche
6. Battle of San Jacinto
27. El Grito de Dolores
7. Battle of the Alamo
28. El Pipila
8. Benito Juarez
29. Encomienda
9. Bernal Diaz del Castillo
30. Enlightenment
10. Black Legend
31. Estipite
11. Cabildo
32. Estofado
12. Carlotta
33. Father Miguel Hidalgo
13. Cartas de Relaciones
34. Fernando & Isabella
14. Casa de Contratacion
35. Fortress Monastic Complex
15. Catholic Kings
36. Freemasons
16. Chapultepec
37. Fuero Laws
17. Chapultepec Castle
38. Gachupin
18. Charles I
39. Gadsden Purchase
19. Cinco de Mayo
40. Gothic
20. Consejo de las Indias
41. Gridiron Plan
21. Criollo
42. Guadalupe Victoria
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43. Hernan Cortes
77. Porfirio Diaz
44. Ignacio Allende
78. Queretaro Society
45. Ignacio Zaragoza
79. Reconquista
46. Inquisition
80. Repartamiento
47. James Polk
81. Salomonic
48. Jeronimo de Aguilar
82. Santa Anna
49. John Fremont
83. Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz
50. Jose Maria Morelos
84. Supreme Council of the Indies
51. Joseph Bonaparte
85. Syncretism
52. Juan Aldama
86. Treaty of Cordoba
53. Ley Iglesias
87. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
54. Ley Juarez
88. Viceroy
55. Ley Lerdo
89. Virgin de Guadalupe
56. Manifest Destiny
90. Winfield Scott
57. Maximilian
91. Zachary Taylor
58. Men of the Reform
92. Zambo
59. Mercantilism
60. Mestizo
61. Moctezuma II
62. Moses Austin
63. Mulatto
64. Napoleon I
65. Napoleon III
66. Ninos Heroes
67. Noche Triste
68. Nueva Espana
69. Pastry War
70. Patronato Real
71. Pedro de Alvarado
72. Peninsular
73. Phillip II
74. Plan de Ayutla
75. Plan of Iguala
76. Plan of three Guarantees