2 The conquest of Mexico Quiz: Pearson Edexcel History, Unit 9

The 20 questions

1. In what year did Cortes land at Veracruz to begin his expedition?

   • 1513
   • 1532
   • 1519
   • 1521

2. Which Indigenous people were Cortes's key allies against the Aztecs?

   • Incas
   • Tainos
   • Tlaxcalans
   • Caribs

3. Which Aztec ruler met Cortes and was later killed?

   • Atahualpa
   • Montezuma II
   • Tupac Amaru
   • Huayna Capac

4. Which Aztec city did Spanish and allied forces capture in 1521?

   • Cuzco
   • Lima
   • Quito
   • Tenochtitlan

5. What title did Cortes receive in 1523 following the conquest of Mexico?

   • Viceroy of Peru
   • Captain of Cuba
   • Governor of New Spain
   • King of Aztecs

6. On what geographic feature was the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan built?

   • Coastal peninsula
   • Lake island
   • Mountain peak
   • River valley

7. Which European disease weakened Aztec resistance in 1520?

   • Yellow fever
   • Smallpox
   • Measles
   • Typhus

8. How long did the siege of Tenochtitlan last, approximately?

   • About 3 weeks
   • About 3 years
   • About 3 days
   • About 75 days

9. What gave Cortes an advantage over large Aztec armies?

   • Horses and steel
   • Poisoned arrows
   • Gunpowder artillery
   • Larger troop numbers

10. Why did Cortes seize Aztec ruler Montezuma in his palace?

    • To protect from rebels
    • To execute him publicly
    • To demand more gold
    • To control the empire

11. How did Spanish writers use accounts of Aztec human sacrifice?

    • To ally with locals
    • To justify conquest
    • To promote trade
    • To demand higher taxes

12. How did Spanish officers typically report misconduct to the crown?

    • Secret telegrams
    • Public newspapers
    • Local town meetings
    • Official letters

13. Why did Cortes found the port of Veracruz on the Mexican coast?

    • Link to shipping
    • Find freshwater springs
    • Escape tropical fever
    • Build war galleons

14. What did the Spanish do with the Aztec empire's tribute system?

    • Gave it to allies
    • Abolished it entirely
    • Replaced it with coins
    • Took over collection

15. Why were armed boats necessary to attack Tenochtitlan?

    • Surrounded by lake
    • Deep sea voyages
    • Escaping fierce storms
    • Fast river transport

16. What did Spanish control of Mexico after 1521 primarily require?

    • Maintaining Aztec laws
    • Electing native leaders
    • Abandoning colonial rule
    • Building Spanish institutions

17. Whose scrutiny and rivalry created political tensions for Cortes as governor?

    • The Spanish crown
    • The Catholic Pope
    • Local Mayan tribes
    • Portuguese merchants

18. What was the long-term effect of the Spanish invasion on Aztec religion?

    • Suppressed for Christianity
    • Banned all worship
    • Merged with Islam
    • Remained untouched

19. Which combination best explains the rapid collapse of the Aztec empire?

    • Gunpowder, famine and gold
    • Disease, allies and siege
    • Mutiny, storms and plague
    • Treachery, fire and floods

20. Where was much of the gold captured from the Aztecs sent?

    • Back to Spain
    • Distributed to slaves
    • Buried in Veracruz
    • Traded in Asia

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