Colonial Mexico: From Conquest to Independence

What was the primary reason for the Spanish to establish Mexico City on the ruins of Tenochtitlan?

• To avoid building a new city from scratch

• To honor the Aztec civilization

• To create a center of power for further conquests

• To preserve Aztec culture

Which indigenous group was known for their fierce resistance against the Spanish during the Mixton War?

• The Caxcan

• The Mixtecs

• The Zapotecs

• The Maya

What was the main goal of the missionaries who arrived in Mexico after the Spanish conquest?

• To learn about native religions

• To convert indigenous peoples to Christianity

• To establish trade relations

• To build new cities

What was the encomienda system primarily used for in colonial Mexico?

• To trade goods with Europe

• To extract labor from indigenous peoples

• To reward Spanish settlers with land

• To convert natives to Christianity

Who was a notable critic of the encomienda system, describing it as a 'moral pestilence'?

• Agustin de Iturbide

• Miguel Hidalgo

• Bartolomé de Las Casas

• Diego De Landa

Which group sat at the top of the social hierarchy in colonial Mexican society?

• Peninsulares and criollos

• Indigenous Mexicans

• Mestizos

• African slaves

What was a significant cultural development in mid-17th century Mexico?

• The decline of baroque architecture

• The rise of a unique Mexican literary tradition

• The end of Spanish influence in art

• The complete assimilation of indigenous cultures

What was the main purpose of the Bourbon Reforms in the mid-1700s?

• To abolish the encomienda system

• To promote indigenous rights

• To grant independence to Mexico

• To reassert Spanish control over its colonies

Who initiated the call for Mexican independence with a speech at Dolores in 1810?

• Vicente Gurrero

• José María Morelos

• Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

• Agustin de Iturbide

What was the outcome of the Treaty of Cordoba signed in 1821?

• The continuation of Spanish rule

• The end of the Mexican Revolution

• The birth of an independent Mexico

• The start of the encomienda system