Quiz on Costa Rican History

In what year did Christopher Columbus land on the eastern coast of modern Limón?

• 1519

• 1492

• 1522

• 1502

Which Spanish explorer began exploring the Pacific coast in 1522?

• Hernán Cortés

• Gil González Dávila

• Francisco Pizarro

• Vasco Núñez de Balboa

What was a major reason for the failure of early Spanish colonization attempts in Costa Rica?

• Lack of mineral wealth

• Harsh climate and tropical diseases

• Abundance of Indigenous labor

• Strong Spanish military presence

By the late 16th century, where had Spain established small settlements in Costa Rica?

• Northern Highlands

• Pacific Coast

• Valle Central

• Caribbean Coast

What was the primary economic foundation of Costa Rica during the colonial period?

• Plantations

• Mining

• Small-scale agriculture

• Large encomiendas

Which of the following best describes the social structure of colonial Costa Rica?

• Dominated by enslaved Africans

• Small farmers of Spanish descent and mestizos

• Large Indigenous population

• Nobility and aristocracy

What was Costa Rica's status within the Spanish colonial administration?

• Directly governed by the Spanish Crown

• Part of the Viceroyalty of Peru

• Part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala

• Independent colony

What nickname did Costa Rica earn due to its poverty and remoteness?

• The Jewel of the Crown

• The Poorest and Most Forgotten Colony

• The Land of Gold

• The Crown's Favorite

Which global events inspired independence movements in Latin America?

• The Enlightenment

• The Renaissance

• The Industrial Revolution

• The American Revolution and the French Revolution

When did the Captaincy General of Guatemala declare independence from Spain?

• 1849

• 1838

• 1821

• 1808