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Lesson 2: Mexico’s Independence and Secularization — Practice Questions

  1. 1. What were the two main requirements a person had to meet in order to receive a land grant from the Mexican government?

    • A. Be a former soldier and pay a large fee in gold
    • B. Be a Mexican citizen and draw a map called a diseño
    • C. Have lived in the area for ten years and build a church
    • D. Promise to only raise sheep and be a member of the Catholic clergy
  2. 2. What was the direct outcome for a person whose land grant application and diseño were approved by the Mexican government?

    • A. They were required to pay a large annual tax to the local mission.
    • B. They received official permission to start their own ranch on the property.
    • C. They had to serve in the Mexican army for a period of five years.
    • D. They had to sell the land within one year if it was not being used for farming.
  3. 3. What citizenship status was required to apply for a Mexican land grant?

    • A. Spanish citizen
    • B. U.S. citizen
    • C. Mexican citizen
    • D. No citizenship was required
  4. 4. What was the main reason the Mexican government gave away former mission lands as land grants?

    • A. To create a series of new religious missions
    • B. To encourage people to settle in the region and establish ranches
    • C. To sell the land to the highest bidder for profit
    • D. To return the land to local Native American tribes
  5. 5. In the context of Mexican land policy, what was a 'diseño'?

    • A. A title of nobility given to a ranch owner
    • B. A tax paid annually on cattle
    • C. A hand-drawn map showing property boundaries
    • D. A legal contract for hiring workers
  6. 6. Which of the following was a direct consequence of Mexico's secularization laws in California?

    • A. The Spanish king regained control of the region.
    • B. The mission system was effectively shut down.
    • C. Many new Catholic churches were constructed.
    • D. Russia established new trading posts.
  7. 7. Prior to Mexico winning its independence in 1821, which European country ruled over the territory of California?

    • A. France
    • B. Great Britain
    • C. Spain
    • D. Portugal
  8. 8. What major event in 1821 directly led to California becoming part of the Mexican Republic?

    • A. The California Gold Rush began
    • B. The Mexican War of Independence was won
    • C. The Spanish-American War concluded
    • D. The Bear Flag Revolt occurred
  9. 9. What was the primary goal of the Mexican government's policy of secularization in California?

    • A. To encourage more Spanish priests to move to California
    • B. To build new missions throughout the territory
    • C. To increase trade with the United States and Russia
    • D. To reduce the power and landholdings of the Catholic Church
  10. 10. In the context of early Mexican California, the term 'secularization' referred to the process of...

    • A. electing a new governor for the territory.
    • B. transferring control of mission lands from the church to private settlement.
    • C. establishing Spanish as the official language of government.
    • D. selling the territory of California to the United States.