Question 1

The rise of José Antonio Páez illustrates the

Accepted Answer

José Antonio Páez's rise to power is a classic example of the renewal of the old colonial ruling class by incorporating military leaders (caudillos) of humble origins into positions of political power. This phenomenon was common in the post-independence period in Latin America, where military prowess could elevate individuals to significant political status, regardless of their social or economic background.

Question 2

Which of the following did NOT benefit from Brazilian independence?

Accepted Answer

The end of Brazilian independence did not benefit slaves as they remained enslaved after independence.

Question 3

The guano boom enabled the Castilla regime in Peru to

Accepted Answer

C

Question 4

Historians like Frank Tannenbaum traditionally argued that Latin American experience with slavery was different than in the United States because creole independence leaders like Simón Bolívar

Accepted Answer

The answer of Historians like Frank Tannenbaum traditionally argued that...

Question 5

The most tenacious resistance to abolition of slavery in Brazil came from

Accepted Answer

The coffee planters in São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro had a strong economic interest in maintaining slavery to ensure the labor force necessary for their profitable plantation agriculture. They organized themselves effectively to block all attempts to abolish slavery, including the illegal importation of African slaves despite the 1850 law outlawing it.

Question 6

Which of these did not contribute to Cuba's transformation to monoculture?

Accepted Answer

The French Revolution did not directly contribute to Cuba's transformation to monoculture. The other three events listed (Seven Years' War, American Revolution, and Haitian Revolution) had significant impacts on the economy and labor systems in Cuba, ultimately leading to the dominance of sugar production as a monoculture.

Question 7

President Manuel Pardo helped to precipitate the War of the Pacific by

Accepted Answer

President Manuel Pardo expropriated foreign companies and created a state monopoly of nitrates in Tarapacá, which directly affected Chilean business interests in the region. This move led to tensions and ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the War of the Pacific.

Question 8

Dom Pedro's abdication as emperor of Brazil was precipitated by

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dom Pedro's abdication as emperor of Brazil...

Question 9

Brazil's Rio Branco Law

Accepted Answer

The Rio Branco Law was passed in 1871 and it required slaves to work for their masters until they reached the age of 21. This was essentially a tactic to delay the abolition of slavery in Brazil. While it did establish a fund for the manumission of slaves, it did not actually free any slaves outright. Therefore, answer choice C is the best option.

Question 10

When Bolívar assumed power in Peru in 1823, he

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Bolívar assumed power in Peru in...

Question 11

To secure control of labor and protect property rights against slave rebellions, early republican elites favored "Free Womb" legislation, which

Accepted Answer

"Free Womb" legislation freed the children of slaves, but required them to serve their mother's master until adulthood. This protected property rights by ensuring slaveholders still maintained control over the labor of the child, while also preventing potential rebellions by ensuring that future generations of slaves were free. This legislation did not guarantee reproductive freedom or the liberation of female slaves, and it did not compromise the interests of either slaveowners or free blacks fearful of wage competition.

Question 12

A more recent revisionist interpretation of slavery's demise in Latin America

Accepted Answer

The recent revisionist interpretation emphasizes the agency of slaves and free people of color in bringing about the end of slavery, highlighting their resistance, revolts, and participation in abolition movements, rather than attributing the demise of slavery solely to the actions of elites, Enlightenment ideas, or monarchies.

Question 13

The most pressing issue facing the young republic of Gran Colombia was

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most pressing issue facing the young...

Question 14

The Ten Years' war

Accepted Answer

The Ten Years' War ended in a bitter stalemate between Cuba and Spain, with neither side achieving a decisive victory. This conflict was the first major attempt by Cubans to gain independence from Spain, but it did not result in Cuban independence at that time.

Question 15

Antonio Maceo opposed the Pact of Zanjón, ending the Ten Years' War, because it

Accepted Answer

Antonio Maceo was a key figure in the Ten Years' War, which aimed to achieve both national independence and abolition of slavery in Cuba. The Pact of Zanjón, which ended the war, failed to achieve these goals, as it only granted limited political autonomy and did not address the issue of slavery in a satisfactory manner. Maceo, therefore, opposed the pact and continued to fight for Cuban independence and the abolition of slavery.

Question 16

Cuba developed into a major sugar producer in the first part of the nineteenth century because

Accepted Answer

Haiti, which had been the leading sugar producer in the Caribbean, went through a devastating war for independence. As a result, Cuba seized the opportunity to expand its sugar production and emerged as the dominant sugar producer in the early 19th century.

Question 17

Two important factors that influenced the shape of postcolonial national political and economic institutions were

Accepted Answer

Slavery and race have been significant factors in shaping the political and economic institutions of postcolonial nations. The legacy of slavery has had a profound impact on societal structures, racial hierarchies, and economic disparities, influencing the development of national policies and institutions in postcolonial contexts.

Question 18

The U.S. entrepreneur, Henry Meiggs,

Accepted Answer

Henry Meiggs is known for pioneering the construction of a railroad system in Peru, connecting the coastal city of Callao to the inland city of Lima. He financed and organized the construction of the railroad, which was completed in 1851 and became an important factor in Peru's economic development. While Meiggs did contribute to Peru's modernization, the railroad was his most significant contribution.

Question 19

Contrary to Tannenbaum, a later interpretation of the motivations for Latin American abolitionism stressed republican elite's

Accepted Answer

The later interpretation of the motivations for Latin American abolitionism stressed the republican elite's interests in political and military expediency, particularly in maintaining their power and control over the slave population. This interpretation emphasizes the practical and strategic reasons for abolition, rather than solely moral or philosophical beliefs.

Question 20

A decisive event in the history of Brazilian slavery was

Accepted Answer

The Queiroz anti-slave-trade law of 1850 was a decisive event in Brazilian slavery because it was the first law that definitively prohibited the transatlantic slave trade to Brazil. This law led to the decline of the slave population in Brazil over time because it abolished the legal trade of enslaved peoples into the country. While choices C and D are significant factors in understanding Brazilian slavery, they are not as directly linked to a single, decisive event as choice B. Choice A, the Anglo-Brazilian Treaty of 1830, is not directly related to slavery, but instead focused on trade relations between Britain and Brazil.

Quiz 2: Race, Nation, and the Meaning of Freedom, 1821-1888