Question 1

Cinco de Mayo commemorates a Mexican victory in which battle?

Accepted Answer

The Battle of Puebla. On 5 May 1862 a heavily outnumbered Mexican army defeated invading French forces at Puebla. The date takes its name from the Spanish for "fifth of May".

Question 2

In which year was the Battle of Puebla fought?

Accepted Answer

1862. The battle took place on 5 May 1862, during the French intervention in Mexico.

Question 3

Which European country invaded Mexico and lost at Puebla?

Accepted Answer

France. French troops marched inland from Veracruz towards Mexico City and were stopped at Puebla by Mexican defenders.

Question 4

Which Mexican general commanded the victory at Puebla?

Accepted Answer

Ignacio Zaragoza. General Ignacio Zaragoza led the Mexican force. The city was later renamed Puebla de Zaragoza in his honour.

Question 5

Who was the Emperor of France at the time of the invasion?

Accepted Answer

Napoleon III. Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, ordered the intervention and later installed a European monarch in Mexico.

Question 6

Who was the president of Mexico during the Battle of Puebla?

Accepted Answer

Benito Juarez. Benito Juarez led Mexico through the French intervention. It was his suspension of foreign debt payments in 1861 that gave Europe its pretext to invade.

Question 7

What triggered the French, Spanish and British expedition to Mexico in 1861?

Accepted Answer

Mexico suspended payments on its foreign debt. After years of civil war Mexico halted debt repayments. The three creditor nations sent forces; only France stayed to fight a war of conquest.

Question 8

Which two European powers withdrew their forces and left France to fight alone?

Accepted Answer

Spain and Britain. Spain and Britain negotiated with the Juarez government and pulled out in 1862 once it was clear France wanted territory, not repayment.

Question 9

Cinco de Mayo is often confused with Mexican Independence Day. What is the correct date for that?

Accepted Answer

September 16. Mexican Independence Day marks the Grito de Dolores of 16 September 1810, more than fifty years before the Battle of Puebla.

Question 10

In which year did French forces finally capture Mexico City?

Accepted Answer

1863. The victory at Puebla delayed the French but did not stop them. They took Mexico City the following year, in June 1863.

Question 11

Which Austrian archduke was installed as Emperor of Mexico by the French?

Accepted Answer

Maximilian I (Maximilian of Habsburg). Maximilian was crowned Emperor of Mexico in 1864 with French backing.

Question 12

In which year was Maximilian executed, ending the Second Mexican Empire?

Accepted Answer

1867. With French troops withdrawn, republican forces retook the country and Maximilian was executed in Queretaro in June 1867. Juarez returned to power.

Question 13

Tequila is distilled from which plant?

Accepted Answer

Blue agave. Tequila must be made from the blue Weber agave. Other agave spirits, such as mezcal, can use many different agave species.

Question 14

The town of Tequila, which gives the spirit its name, is in which Mexican state?

Accepted Answer

Jalisco. Jalisco is the heart of tequila production. Under Mexican law the spirit can only be made in Jalisco and limited parts of four other states.

Question 15

What is the main ingredient of guacamole?

Accepted Answer

Avocado. The name comes from the Nahuatl "ahuacamolli", literally avocado sauce.

Question 16

A classic margarita combines tequila, lime juice and which type of liqueur?

Accepted Answer

An orange liqueur such as triple sec or Cointreau. Tequila, lime and orange liqueur, usually served in a salt-rimmed glass.

Question 17

Traditional Mexican tortillas are made from which grain?

Accepted Answer

Corn (maize). Corn tortillas are made from nixtamalised maize dough called masa. Flour tortillas are a later northern Mexican variation.

Question 18

Mole poblano is the signature dish of which Mexican city?

Accepted Answer

Puebla. The name says it: poblano means "from Puebla", the same city that gives Cinco de Mayo its meaning.

Question 19

Which surprising ingredient appears in mole poblano?

Accepted Answer

Chocolate. A small amount of chocolate is blended with chillies, nuts and spices. The sauce is savoury, not sweet.

Question 20

A chipotle is a smoked, dried version of which chilli?

Accepted Answer

The jalapeno. Ripe red jalapenos are smoke-dried to make chipotles, which is where the smoky flavour comes from.

Question 21

Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup built around which ingredient?

Accepted Answer

Hominy (nixtamalised corn kernels). Pozole pairs hominy with pork or chicken and is served with shredded cabbage, radish and lime.

Question 22

Mexican horchata is traditionally made from which base ingredient?

Accepted Answer

Rice. Mexican horchata blends soaked rice with cinnamon and sugar. The Spanish version uses tiger nuts instead.

Question 23

In which Mexican border city were nachos invented in 1943?

Accepted Answer

Piedras Negras. In 1943 Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya improvised a plate of fried tortillas with cheese and jalapenos for customers at a restaurant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila.

Question 24

What does the word "burrito" literally mean in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

Little donkey. Burro means donkey; burrito is its diminutive.

Question 25

What is elote?

Accepted Answer

Grilled corn on the cob, served with mayonnaise, cheese, chilli and lime. Elote is the classic Mexican street-food corn. Served off the cob in a cup it is called esquites.

Question 26

Which spirit, like tequila, is distilled from agave but is usually smokier?

Accepted Answer

Mezcal. Mezcal can be made from many agave species, most commonly espadin, and the agave hearts are roasted in earth pits, giving the smoke.

Question 27

What is the capital city of Mexico?

Accepted Answer

Mexico City. Mexico City sits in a high valley at around 2,240 metres above sea level.

Question 28

What is the currency of Mexico?

Accepted Answer

The peso. The Mexican peso uses the same dollar sign as the US dollar, which catches out plenty of tourists.

Question 29

Which three colours appear on the Mexican flag?

Accepted Answer

Green, white and red. Three vertical bands, with the national coat of arms in the centre of the white band.

Question 30

Which bird appears on the Mexican coat of arms?

Accepted Answer

A golden eagle. The eagle stands on a cactus devouring a snake, the sign the Aztecs were told to look for when choosing where to found their city.

Question 31

Which civilisation founded Tenochtitlan, the city beneath modern Mexico City?

Accepted Answer

The Aztecs (Mexica). Tenochtitlan was built on an island in Lake Texcoco and became one of the largest cities in the world.

Question 32

Which ancient civilisation built Chichen Itza?

Accepted Answer

The Maya. Chichen Itza is on the Yucatan Peninsula and its step pyramid, El Castillo, is its best known structure.

Question 33

Cancun sits on which Mexican peninsula?

Accepted Answer

The Yucatan Peninsula. The Yucatan separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea.

Question 34

What is the highest mountain in Mexico?

Accepted Answer

Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltepetl). At around 5,636 metres it is the highest peak in Mexico and the third highest in North America.

Question 35

Mexico shares its longest land border with which country?

Accepted Answer

The United States. The border runs for roughly 3,145 kilometres, much of it along the Rio Grande.

Question 36

Which Mexican artist painted "The Two Fridas"?

Accepted Answer

Frida Kahlo. Kahlo painted the double self-portrait in 1939, the year she divorced Diego Rivera.

Question 37

Diego Rivera is best known for which art form?

Accepted Answer

Murals. Rivera was a leader of the Mexican muralist movement, painting huge public works on national history.

Question 38

On which dates is the Day of the Dead observed?

Accepted Answer

November 1 and 2. Dia de los Muertos honours children on 1 November and adults on 2 November, with altars, marigolds and family graveside visits.

Question 39

Which hairless dog breed is native to Mexico?

Accepted Answer

The Xoloitzcuintli (Xolo). The breed dates back thousands of years and was believed to guide souls in the afterlife.

Question 40

What is the name of the traditional Mexican band featuring violins, trumpets and guitars?

Accepted Answer

Mariachi. A mariachi group typically wears the charro suit and plays violins, trumpets, guitar, vihuela and guitarron.

Question 41

In which country is Cinco de Mayo most widely celebrated?

Accepted Answer

The United States. In Mexico the date is mainly marked in Puebla. In the United States it grew into a nationwide celebration of Mexican-American culture.

Question 42

Within Mexico, which state observes Cinco de Mayo most seriously?

Accepted Answer

Puebla. Puebla holds parades and a re-enactment of the battle. Elsewhere in Mexico it is a normal working day.

Question 43

What is a pinata?

Accepted Answer

A decorated container filled with sweets, broken open with a stick. Traditional pinatas were clay pots covered in paper; the seven-pointed star shape is the classic design.

Question 44

The Mexican Hat Dance is also known by what name?

Accepted Answer

Jarabe Tapatio. It is the national dance of Mexico and comes from the Guadalajara region.

Question 45

Which Mexican folk song became a rock hit for Ritchie Valens in 1958?

Accepted Answer

"La Bamba". Valens turned a traditional son jarocho from Veracruz into a rock and roll standard.

Question 46

Which Mexican-American singer was known as the Queen of Tejano music?

Accepted Answer

Selena. Selena Quintanilla was the biggest star in Tejano music before her death in 1995.

Question 47

Which guitarist recorded "Oye Como Va" on the 1970 album Abraxas?

Accepted Answer

Carlos Santana. Carlos Santana, born in Jalisco, covered the Tito Puente song on Abraxas.

Question 48

Which 2017 Pixar film centres on a boy who travels to the Land of the Dead?

Accepted Answer

Coco. The 2017 Pixar film is built around Dia de los Muertos and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

Question 49

What is the traditional wide-brimmed Mexican hat called?

Accepted Answer

A sombrero. The name comes from "sombra", the Spanish word for shade.

Question 50

Which Californian city hosts one of the largest Cinco de Mayo street festivals?

Accepted Answer

Los Angeles. Fiesta Broadway in downtown Los Angeles has been one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo events in the United States.

Cinco de Mayo Trivia Questions and Answers

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Mexican Food and Drink

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Music, Fiesta and Pop Culture

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