Quiz of the Day
Mexico: History & Heritage
Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Mexico's independence movement began on 16 Sep 1810 — a fiesta of Mexican history, food, geography, art and traditions.
1. Who launched Mexico's independence movement with the 'Grito de Dolores' on September 16, 1810?
- Emiliano Zapata
- Pancho Villa
- Benito Juárez
- Miguel Hidalgo
Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest, rang his church bell in the town of Dolores and rallied his parishioners to rise up against Spanish rule. The event is re-enacted every night of September 15, when Mexico's president rings a bell and shouts the 'Grito' from the National Palace. Full independence was not achieved until 1821.
2. From which European colonial power did Mexico win its independence?
- France
- Britain
- Portugal
- Spain
Spain conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521 under Hernán Cortés and ruled the territory as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries. Mexican independence was finally recognized in 1821 with the Treaty of Córdoba. New Spain was one of the largest and richest colonies in the Spanish empire.
3. What is the capital of Mexico?
- Guadalajara
- Puebla
- Monterrey
- Mexico City
Mexico City is built on the site of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, founded on an island in Lake Texcoco around 1325. It is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and sits at a high elevation of roughly 2,240 meters. The Spanish drained much of the surrounding lake, and the city has been slowly sinking ever since.
4. Which empire ruled central Mexico from the city of Tenochtitlan before the Spanish arrived?
- Inca
- Maya
- Olmec
- Aztec
The Aztecs, who called themselves the Mexica, founded Tenochtitlan around 1325 and built a powerful empire across central Mexico. According to legend, they settled where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a snake — an image that appears on the Mexican flag today. The empire fell to Spanish forces and their Indigenous allies in 1521.
5. The Mexican flag is green, white, and which third color?
- Red
- Blue
- Black
- Yellow
The Mexican flag features three vertical bands of green, white, and red. At its center is the national coat of arms: a golden eagle perched on a cactus while eating a serpent. The design recalls the Aztec legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan.
6. What is the official currency of Mexico?
- Colón
- Peso
- Real
- Quetzal
The Mexican peso is one of the most traded currencies in Latin America. The peso uses the '$' sign, and the Spanish colonial peso is widely credited as an inspiration for the modern United States dollar sign. Spanish silver pesos, known as 'pieces of eight,' once circulated as global trade currency.
7. Which traditional Mexican holiday honors deceased loved ones with altars and marigolds?
- Día de los Muertos
- Carnaval
- Semana Santa
- Las Posadas
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated on November 1 and 2, blending Indigenous and Catholic traditions. Families build altars called ofrendas decorated with marigolds, sugar skulls, and photographs of the departed. UNESCO recognized the celebration as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.
8. Which Mexican artist is famous for vivid self-portraits and was married to muralist Diego Rivera?
- María Izquierdo
- Leonora Carrington
- Frida Kahlo
- Remedios Varo
Frida Kahlo (1907–1954) created deeply personal self-portraits, many exploring the chronic pain she suffered after a bus accident in her teens. She married the muralist Diego Rivera, divorced him, and then remarried him. Her childhood home, the Casa Azul (Blue House) in Coyoacán, is now a museum dedicated to her life and work.
9. Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico's 1862 victory over which invading army at the Battle of Puebla?
- France
- United States
- Britain
- Spain
On May 5, 1862, an outnumbered Mexican army defeated French forces at the Battle of Puebla. Despite popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, which falls on September 16. The holiday is actually celebrated more widely in the United States than in most of Mexico.
10. Tequila is distilled from which plant?
- Corn
- Prickly pear
- Blue agave
- Sugarcane
Tequila is made from blue agave and, by Mexican law, must be produced primarily in the state of Jalisco and a few designated areas. The town of Tequila and its surrounding agave landscape are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mezcal is a related spirit made from a broader range of agave species.
11. Emiliano Zapata was a leader in which conflict that began in 1910?
- Mexican-American War
- Cristero War
- War of Independence
- Mexican Revolution
Emiliano Zapata led peasant armies in southern Mexico under the rallying cry 'Tierra y Libertad' (Land and Liberty). The Mexican Revolution overthrew longtime dictator Porfirio Díaz and produced the Constitution of 1917. Zapata was assassinated in an ambush in 1919 but remains a symbol of agrarian reform.
12. The Yucatán Peninsula was a heartland of which ancient civilization, known for Chichén Itzá?
- Aztec
- Maya
- Toltec
- Zapotec
The Maya built Chichén Itzá, whose great pyramid El Castillo is aligned so that a shadow resembling a serpent slithers down its steps at the spring and autumn equinoxes. The Maya developed sophisticated writing, astronomy, and mathematics, and used the concept of zero. Chichén Itzá is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
13. The dish 'mole poblano,' a rich sauce often served over turkey or chicken, is associated with which Mexican state?
- Puebla
- Sonora
- Chiapas
- Oaxaca
Mole poblano is a complex sauce from the state of Puebla that can contain dozens of ingredients, including chilies, spices, nuts, and a small amount of chocolate. It is traditionally served over turkey or chicken at festivals and celebrations. The name 'mole' comes from the Nahuatl word 'molli,' meaning sauce.
14. Who was Mexico's first president of Indigenous (Zapotec) origin, who resisted French occupation in the 1860s?
- Benito Juárez
- Porfirio Díaz
- Venustiano Carranza
- Guadalupe Victoria
Benito Juárez, of Zapotec heritage, served as president during a turbulent era and led resistance against the French-backed emperor Maximilian I. He is famous for the maxim 'Respect for the rights of others is peace.' His birthday, March 21, is a Mexican national holiday.
15. Chiles en nogada, a patriotic dish colored like the Mexican flag, is said to have originated in which city?
- Oaxaca
- Veracruz
- Mérida
- Puebla
Chiles en nogada consists of a stuffed poblano chile (green) topped with a white walnut cream sauce (nogada) and red pomegranate seeds — mirroring the colors of the Mexican flag. It is traditionally eaten around Independence Day in September. Tradition holds that nuns in Puebla created the dish in the 19th century.