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Spanish Historical Terms Trivia Quiz

In every country historians use a number of distinctive and unique terms. The history of the United States has, for example, its "New Deal", "Manifest Destiny", "G-Men", etc. See if you can identify such terms used in the Spanish historical writings.

A multiple-choice quiz by ogonczyk. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
ogonczyk

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
186,774

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1286

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is the term describing the gradual liberation of Spanish lands from the Moorish rule? Hint

campeador

reconquista

conquista

guerra de la independencia

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Question 2 of 10

2. What is the term for Spanish Christians who lived among the Moors? Hint

moz�rabes

dhimmis

marranos

tercios

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Question 3 of 10

3. What were called the unconverted Muslims living in Christian Spain? Hint

musulmanes

mujeres

mud�jares

conversos

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which term describes the racial doctrine prevalent in Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries? Hint

limpieza de sangre

pollo con arroz

pureza de raza

sangre y oro

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Question 5 of 10

5. What was a public religious ceremony conducted by the Spanish Inquisition called? Hint

consulta

quemadura

autopista

auto de fe

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Question 6 of 10

6. What was the name used for Spanish Christian heretics persecuted by the Inquisition? Hint

gn�sticos

alumbrados

alumnos

ladrones

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Question 7 of 10

7. What was called the annual migration of large flocks of sheep across Spain from south to north and back? Hint

transfiguraci�n

ca�ada

transmutaci�n

transhumancia

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Question 8 of 10

8. In 1835 the ecclesiastical properties in Spain have been mostly taken over by the state. What was this procedure called? Hint

mortificaci�n

apropiaci�n

confiscaci�n

desamortizaci�n

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Question 9 of 10

9. In the 19th century Spanish generals often overthrew the government in what was called a ... ? Hint

paquidermo

pronunciamiento

razonamiento

ayuntamiento

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Question 10 of 10

10. What was the name given to the Carlist volunteers from Navarre, famous for their bravery, who fought on the side of the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War? Hint

moros

asaltos

requet�s

africanistas

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the term describing the gradual liberation of Spanish lands from the Moorish rule?

Answer: reconquista

"Guerra de la independencia" refers to the Peninsular War (1808-1814). "Conquista" is usually applied to the conquest of the New World. "Campeador" (master of strategy) was El Cid's honorific title.

2. What is the term for Spanish Christians who lived among the Moors?

Answer: moz�rabes

"Marranos" was a pejorative term used by non-converted Jews to describe Spanish Jewish converts to Christianity. "Dhimmis" signified "the people of the book" (in this case, Jews and Christians) living under Islamic rule (but not only in Spain.) "Tercio" is roughly an equivalent of the English "regiment" or "battalion".

3. What were called the unconverted Muslims living in Christian Spain?

Answer: mud�jares

"Mujeres" means "women", "conversos" was the official name for the baptized Jews (used very seldom for Muslim converts), and "musulmanes" simply means "Muslims".

4. Which term describes the racial doctrine prevalent in Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries?

Answer: limpieza de sangre

"Pureza de raza" = purity of race (I just made it up); "pollo con arroz" = rice with chicken; "sangre y oro" - the affectionate nickname for the Spanish flag (literally "blood and gold").

"Limpieza de sangre" was first formulated in the 1447 statutes of Toledo, although the concept itself owed much to the Basque idea of collective nobility and, ironically, to the Sephardic Jewish ethnic exclusivity. The laws of "pure blood" prevented the so-called New Christians (mostly Jewish converts) from holding state offices and many government positions.

5. What was a public religious ceremony conducted by the Spanish Inquisition called?

Answer: auto de fe

The commonly, but erroneously, used term is the Portuguese phrase "auto da fe", while the correct Spanish term is "auto de fe". "Autopista" is "highway", and "quemadura" means "burning".

6. What was the name used for Spanish Christian heretics persecuted by the Inquisition?

Answer: alumbrados

"Gn�sticos" means "gnostics" (a seemingly good choice but no cigar); "alumnos" = students, pupils; "ladrones" = thieves.

7. What was called the annual migration of large flocks of sheep across Spain from south to north and back?

Answer: transhumancia

"Transfiguraci�n" = transfiguration; "transmutaci�n" = transmutation;
"ca�ada" is the actual sheep pasture used during the "transhumancia".

8. In 1835 the ecclesiastical properties in Spain have been mostly taken over by the state. What was this procedure called?

Answer: desamortizaci�n

"Mortificaci�n" = mortification; "confiscaci�n" = confiscation; "apropiaci�n" = appropriation.
With the triumph of liberalism over absolute monarchy in Spain in 1834, the government decided to confiscate the church property and sell it by auction (1835-37). This caused not only a political break with the Vatican and a drastic impoverishment of the Spanish Catholic Church but also the wholesale destruction of historic monuments and works of art.

9. In the 19th century Spanish generals often overthrew the government in what was called a ... ?

Answer: pronunciamiento

"Paquidermo" = pachyderm; "razonamiento" = reasoning, argument; "ayuntamiento" - city council, city hall.
The most important "pronunciamientos" occurred in 1820 (Major Rafael de Riego), 1843 (Generals O'Donnell and Narvaez), 1854 (General Vic�lvaro), 1875 (General Campos), 1923 (General Primo de Rivera) and 1936 (General Franco).

10. What was the name given to the Carlist volunteers from Navarre, famous for their bravery, who fought on the side of the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer: requet�s

"Asaltos" refers to the members of the Assault Guards (mostly Republican); "africanistas" were the Spanish officers who served in North Africa (mostly Nationalist); "moros" means "Moors", and was used during the Spanish Civil War to describe the native Moroccan troops in the Nationalist army.

Source: Author ogonczyk

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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