Study Guide for History Exam

and Culture of Mexico for the Process of

Naturalization.

1. Deity of ancient Mexico known as the "Feathered Serpent":

a) Coatlicue
b) Huitzilopochtli
c) Quetzalcoatl
d) Tlaloc

2. Culture that took place in the city of Palenque:

a) Maya
b) Mexica
c) Olmeca
d) Tolteca

3. Colossal heads are creations of culture:

a) Mexica
b) Mixteca
c) Olmeca
d) Tolteca

4. Land built on the lagoons of the Valley of Mexico that served as the basis for the productive system of the
central highlands. At present, it can be found in Xochimilco:
a) Chinampa
b) Encomienda
c) Ejido
d) Treasury

5. Manuscript on amate paper or on leather with pictorial representations relating historical and religious
matters of ancient Mexico:
a) Hieroglyphic
b) Pictogram
c) Book
d) Codex

6. Where are the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon located?
a) Palenque
b) Chichen Itza
c) Teotihuacan
d) Uxmal

7. The mythical place from where the Mexicas departed and began their migration is known as:
a) Aztlan
b) Tula
c) Mictlan
d) Tenochtitlan

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

8. The food base of the Mesoamerican peoples was:

a) Potato
b) Wheat
c) Rice
d) Corn

9. Chichén Itzá was a powerful city:

a) Tolteca
b) Maya
c) Totonaca
d) Olmeca

10. Year in which the Spaniards conquered Mexico-Tenochtitlan:

a) 1521
b) 1555
c) 1650
d) 1689

11. Name of Mexico during the colonial period:

a) Mexico
b) New Spain
c) Tenochtitlan
d) New Grenada

12. Name of the conquistador who defeated the Mexica Empire:

a) Hernán Cortés
b) Francisco Pizarro
c) Panfilo de Narvaez
d) Christopher Columbus

13. Name of the last Mexica emperor, whose feet were burned by the Spanish conquistadors:
a) Montezuma
b) Cuauhtémoc
c) Cuitláhuac
d) Tizoc

14. "La Malinche" was:

a) An indigenous woman who served as interpreter to Cortés
b) A heroine in the fight for Independence
c) A famous healer from Oaxaca
d) The first woman to be elected to a federal congressional seat

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

15. Name of the battle in which the Spanish are said to have lost men, horses and cannons in 1520. Cortes wept
as he reached the shore of the lake:
a) From the Tacuba Causeway
b) Defeat of Atizapán
c) Of the Sad Night
d) Cholula Massacre

16. The highest civil authority in New Spain was the:

a) Viceroy
b) Governor
c) Chairman
d) Prime Minister

17. The "encomienda" and the "visitador" were institutions:

a) Prehispanic
b) Colonials
c) From newly independent Mexico
d) From the government of Lázaro Cárdenas

18. In Mexico, from the time of the Viceroyalty onwards, the following were called criollos:
a) Children of a Spanish father and an indigenous mother
b) Children of black slaves
c) All persons who did not have a fair skin complexion
d) Children of Spaniards born in New Spain

19. Acapulco was during the XVII and XVIII centuries an important port because it controlled navigation in
the:
a) Pacific Ocean
b) Gulf of Mexico
c) Atlantic Ocean
d) Caribbean Sea

20. The main religious cult of the novo-Hispanic society and that lasts today is:
a) Our Lady of Remedies
b) The Virgin of Guadalupe
c) The Black Christ of Chalma
d) St. Jude Thaddeus

21. The most extracted mineral in New Spain was:

a) Nickel
b) Copper
c) Tin
d) La plata

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

22. Name of the most important poetess of the novo-Hispanic era:

a) Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz
b) Maria Anna Agueda de San Ignacio
c) La Malinche
d) Tonantzin

23. Date on which the Independence of Mexico is celebrated:

a) May 5
b) February 5
c) September 16
d) November 20

24. The Independence of Mexico began in:

a) 1810
b) 1821
c) 1910
d) 1921

25. What was the importance of the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in the history of Mexico?
a) The War of Independence began
b) The Mexican Revolution began
c) Enacted a new constitution
d) Led the Reform War

26. Who is known as "The Father of the Nation"?

a) Francisco I. Madero
b) Benito Juarez
c) Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
d) George Washington

27. Military cadets who defended Chapultepec Castle from the U.S. invasion in 1847:
a) Insurgentes
b) Children heroes
c) Defenders of the Homeland
d) Liberals

28. In Mexico, May 5 is celebrated:

a) The Battle of Puebla
b) The Mexican Revolution
c) The promulgation of the Constitution
d) Mexican Independence

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

29. Mexican President who is credited with the phrase "Among individuals as among nations, respect for the
rights of others is peace":
a) Benito Juarez
b) Francisco I. Madero
c) Emiliano Zapata
d) Lazaro Cardenas

30. Mexico lost half of its territory in the mid-nineteenth century, as a result of the confrontation with:
a) France
b) Spain
c) Portugal
d) United States

31. The Reform War was between:

a) Mexico and the United States
b) Liberals and conservatives
c) The Mexican Army and the French Army
d) Mexico and France

32. The president who lasted more than thirty years in power in Mexico was:
a) Antonio López de Santa Anna
b) Porfirio Diaz
c) Benito Juarez
d) Francisco I. Madero

33. The Porfiriato is known as a period of extension of:

a) The railroads
b) Slavery
c) El Ejido
d) The radio

34. Date on which the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution is celebrated:

a) February 5
b) May 5
c) September 16
d) November 20
35. Name of the agrarian leader who headed the Mexican Revolution in the state of Morelos:
a) Venustiano Carranza
b) Emiliano Zapata
c) Francisco I. Madero
d) Francisco Villa

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

36. The slogan "Sufragio efectivo, no reelection" was the political banner of:
a) Francisco I. Madero
b) Benito Juarez
c) Plutarch E. Streets
d) Francisco Villa

37. Who was Francisco Villa?

a) A famous bandit of the 19th century
b) A leader of the Mexican Revolution
c) A character from the novel Sálvese quien pueda (Every man for himself).
d) A singer of vernacular music

38. The "Adelitas" accompanied their men to combat in:

a) The Cake War
b) The War of Independence
c) The Revolution of 1910
d) The War of 1847

39. Musical composition characteristic of the revolutionary period:

a) The corrido
b) The waltz
c) Tapatio syrup
d) The mariachi

40. On March 18, 1938 President Lázaro Cárdenas:

a) Expropriated oil
b) Drafted the Reform Laws
c) Nationalized banking
d) The Mexican Revolution began

41. Point out the correct chronological order of the following historical events:
a) Mexican Revolution, Independence, Conquest, Mexican Revolution
b) Conquest, Mexican Revolution, Mexican Independence
c) Independence, Conquest, Mexican Revolution
d) Conquest, Independence, Mexican Revolution

42. Representative of Mexican muralism:

a) Diego Rivera
b) Octavio Paz
c) Luis Barragan
d) Agustin Lara

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

43. Name of the political party that governed for seven decades in the 20th century:
a) Communist Party
b) Partido Socialista Único de México
c) Institutional Revolutionary Party
d) Authentic Party of the Mexican Revolution

44. In which international war conflict did "Squadron 201" participate?

a) Texas War
b) Cake Wars
c) World War I
d) World War II

45. The Treaty of Tlatelolco, an achievement of Mexican diplomacy, concerns:

a) Rights over the patrimonial sea
b) The rights of indigenous peoples
c) Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons
d) Trade in Latin America

46. The patriotic symbols of Mexico are:

a) The Coat of Arms, Flag and National Anthem
b) The Flag, the Coin and the National Anthem
c) The Royal Eagle, the Coat of Arms and the National Palace
d) The Angel of Independence, the National Anthem and the Flag

47. The dominant theme of the Mexican national anthem is:

a) The celebration of Latin American unity
b) An exhortation to defensive warfare
c) The exaltation of miscegenation in Mexico
d) A call for international peace

48. In the national anthem, the expression "Mas si osare un extraño enemigo" means:
a) Our enemies are worse than bears
b) The bones of our enemies abound
c) But should a foreign enemy dare
d) All the more so if the enemy were extravagant.

49. The eagle and the serpent that appear in the Mexican national coat of arms, included in the white stripe of
the flag:
a) They were on the coat of arms of a Spanish conquistador.
b) They are a nationalistic response to the U.S. eagle.
c) Evoking a pre-Hispanic legend
d) Appeared on the banner of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

50. How many states does the Mexican Republic have?

a) 22
b) 31
c) 36
d) 50

51. Mexico has borders with:

a) United States, Guatemala and Belize
b) United States and Guatemala
c) United States and Belize
d) United States, Guatemala and Honduras

52. The state of the Republic with the largest territorial extension is:
a) Tlaxcala
b) Nuevo León
c) Chihuahua
d) Jalisco
53. The port of Acapulco is in:
a) Oaxaca
b) Veracruz
c) Baja California
d) Guerrero

54. The ruins of Monte Alban are located in:

a) Guerrero
b) Chiapas
c) Veracruz
d) Oaxaca

55. The three largest and most populated cities in the country are:
a) Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey
b) Mexico City, Guadalajara and Torreón
c) Mexico City, Puebla and Toluca
d) Mexico City, Toluca and Monterrey

56. In what state of the Republic is the city of Guadalajara located?

a) State of Mexico
b) Jalisco
c) Nuevo León
d) Sonora

57. Three beach destinations in Mexico are:

a) Acapulco, Huatulco and Cancun
b) Acapulco, Varadero and Rio de Janeiro
c) Hermosillo, Los Cabos and Playa del Carmen
d) Cancun, Ixtapan de la Sal and Xalapa

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

58. How many peninsulas does Mexico have?

a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4

59. In what state of the Republic are the ruins of Palenque located?
a) Chiapas
b) Yucatan
c) Quintana Roo
d) Puebla

60. Capital of the state of Nuevo León:

a) Saltillo
b) San Luis Potosi
c) Hermosillo
d) Monterrey

61. City of the Mexican Republic with abundant colonial architecture:

a) Puebla
b) Villahermosa
c) Tepic
d) La Paz

62. In what state of the Republic is the "Cañón del Sumidero" located?
a) Yucatan
b) Tamaulipas
c) Chiapas
d) Morelos

63. Name of the volcano located between Morelos, Puebla and the State of Mexico:
a) Orizaba Peak
b) Tepozteco
c) Chichonal
d) Popocatepetl

64. The presidential term in Mexico lasts:

a) Four years
b) Four years with the possibility of reelection
c) Six years
d) Six years with the possibility of reelection

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

65. The three levels of government in Mexico are:

a) State, Department and Capital
b) Federation, State and Municipality
c) Federation, Department and Capital
d) Federation, State and Department

66. The body in charge of regulating the participation of political parties in elections is:
a) The Federal Institute of Access to Information (IFAI)
b) The Federal Electoral Institute (IFE)
c) Ministry of the Interior (Segob)
d) H. Chamber of Deputies

67. "Los Pinos", in the capital of Mexico, is the name of:

a) A public garden in the San Angel neighborhood
b) The Legislative Palace
c) The official residence of the President of the Republic
d) An art museum

68. List in order the most recent presidents of Mexico:

a) Felipe Calderón, Vicente Fox, Ernesto Zedillo, Carlos Salinas
b) Ernesto Zedillo, Carlos Salinas, Felipe Calderón, Vicente Fox
c) Vicente Fox, Ernesto Zedillo, Felipe Calderón, Miguel de la Madrid
d) Carlos Salinas, Miguel de la Madrid, Vicente Fox, Felipe Calderón

69. State the official name of Mexico:

a) United Mexican States
b) Mexican Republic
c) Mexico
d) United States of Mexico
70. What is the name of Mexico's fundamental law?
a) Political Constitution of the United Mexican States
b) Fundamental Charter of the Mexican Republic
c) Federative Political Regime of the Territory of Mexico
d) Regulatory Framework for the United States of Mexico

71. With which countries did Mexico enter into the trade agreement known as NAFTA?
a) United States and Canada
b) United States, Germany and Spain
c) Thailand, Lebanon and Canada
d) Nicaragua, Argentina, Philippines, Turkey and Germany

72. Mexico is an important exporter of:

a) Silver, gold and paper
b) Textiles, shoes and toys
c) Crude petroleum oil, auto parts and copper products
d) Gasoline, butane gas and agricultural products

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

73. In today's Mexico, the number of indigenous languages spoken adds up:
a) Less than 10
b) Between 15 and 20
c) Between 30 and 45
d) More than 60

74. Which of the following statements about Mexico is false?

a) Mexico is one of the countries with the lowest social inequality in Latin America
b) Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world
c) Mexico has a wide network of free trade agreements in the world.
d) Mexico has three Nobel Prize winners

75. The verse Foolish men who accuse women without reason is from:
a) Pita Amor
b) Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz
c) Irma Gonzalez
d) La "Güera" Rodríguez
76. El llano en llamas was written by:
a) Juan Rulfo
b) Mariano Azuela
c) Alfonso Reyes
d) Nélida Piñón

77. The Death of Artemio Cruz is a novel by:

a) Enrique Krauze
b) Carlos Fuentes
c) Octavio Paz
d) Ángeles Mastretta

78. Name of the Mexican who received the Nobel Prize in Literature:
a) Octavio Paz
b) Carlos Monsiváis
c) José Emilio Pacheco
d) Juan José Arreola

79. The painter José María Velasco is famous mainly for his:
a) Portraits of notables of his time
b) Mural paintings
c) Landscapes
d) Biblical scenes in churches

80. The most prestigious theater in Mexico City is the:

a) Palace of Fine Arts
b) Juarez
c) Chapultepec
d) University Art Center

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

81. In Mexico City, "El Zócalo" alludes to:

a) The Secretariat of Public Education building
b) The former seat of the municipal government
c) The building attached to the cathedral
d) The main square

82. Famous are the engravings of "calaveras" (skeletons) of:

a) Diego Rivera
b) José Guadalupe Posada
c) Rufino Tamayo
d) Manuel Álvarez Bravo

83. Festive verses written in November on the occasion of the "Day of the Dead":
a) Skulls
b) Corridos
c) Sones
d) Redondillas

84. María Félix and Dolores del Río were prominent figures in the field of:
a) The policy
b) Music
c) The cinema
d) Education

85. Comedian who represented the Mexican of the popular classes in the cinema:
a) Arturo de Córdoba
b) Joaquín Pardavé
c) Charles Chaplin
d) Cantinflas

86. National cinema figure who embodied the Mexican charro:

a) Jorge Negrete
b) Diego Luna
c) Cantinflas
d) Luis Miguel

87. Traditional Mexican food:

a) Fabada
b) Pizza
c) Cod
d) Mole

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

88. Which of the following corresponds to products originating in Mexico?

a) Chocolate, avocado, tomato and turkey
b) Chile, potato, banana and kiwifruit
c) Passion fruit, rice, avocado and tequila
d) Paprika, soybeans, wheat and sugar cane

89. A drink originating in Mexico, obtained from agave:

a) Atole
b) Chocolate
c) Tequila
d) Tepache

90. The "posadas" are private or neighborhood parties that take place:
a) March 21, 2009
b) September 15
c) December 12, 2009
d) The days leading up to Christmas

91. The harp has a privileged place in the music of:

a) Sinaloa
b) Puebla
c) Veracruz
d) Sonora

92. It is customary to sing "Las golondrinas" for:

a) Firing someone
b) Celebrating marriages
c) Welcome back after a long absence
d) Celebrating Mothers on May 10

93. Birthdays are usually sung as a tribute to the birthday boy or girl:
a) "Happy Birthday"
b) "The King"
c) "Cielito lindo"
d) "Las mañanitas"

94. The cajeta is:

a) The preferred fabric for making gala dresses
b) A candy made from burnt goat's milk
c) A stone widely used to cover the walls of houses.
d) A handcrafted toy made of wood

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 Study Guide for History Exam
and Culture of Mexico for the Process of
Naturalization.

95. Soursop is a fruit:

a) Brown skin and yellow flesh.
b) Purple peel and red pulp
c) Green peel and white pulp
d) Red skin and black pulp

96. In Mexico, cab stands are known as:

a) Certifications
b) Agreed
c) Alignments
d) Sites

97. In Mexico, a tlapalería is:

a) A goldsmith's workshop
b) A paint and solvent store
c) An inexpensive restaurant
d) An automobile repair shop

98. The word "chaparro" means:

a) Aged
b) With scars
c) Short in stature
d) Drunk

99. In Mexican popular speech, the term "marchante(a)":

a) Not related to commercial activity
b) Applies exclusively to the seller
c) Applies exclusively to the buyer
d) Applies equally to seller and buyer

100. The word "jarocho" alludes to what is typical of:

a) Colima
b) Guerrero
c) Campeche
d) Veracruz

The content of this Study Guide has been approved by the Matías Romero Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in
accordance with the provisions of Article 15 of the Regulations of the Nationality Law, published in the Official Gazette of
the Federation on June 17, 2009, as well as in accordance with official communication IMR-00114/09, and will be in effect as
of July 1, 2009.

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