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Dictatorships and Revolutions in Mexico and Peru
History
This content analyzes two periods of dictatorship in Latin America: the Porfiriato in Mexico (1877-1911) and the Oncenio in Peru (1919-1930). Both regimes promoted economic modernization and integration into the global market, primarily through foreign investment and the consolidation of large landholdings (latifundios). This development came at the expense of indigenous communities and peasants, who faced dispossession, exploitation, and semi-slavery. The concentration of wealth and power in the hands of foreign companies and national oligarchies led to social unrest, culminating in the Mexican Revolution of 1910. In Peru, similar policies under Augusto B. Leguía exacerbated the exploitation of indigenous populations through measures like the "conscription of roads," sparking discontent.
Latin America
Economics
Politics
29 Questions
Medium
Ages 14+
Feb 28, 2026
About this Study Set
This study set covers History through
29 practice questions.
This content analyzes two periods of dictatorship in Latin America: the Porfiriato in Mexico (1877-1911) and the Oncenio in Peru (1919-1930). Both regimes promoted economic modernization and integration into the global market, primarily through foreign investment and the consolidation of large landholdings (latifundios). This development came at the expense of indigenous communities and peasants, who faced dispossession, exploitation, and semi-slavery. The concentration of wealth and power in the hands of foreign companies and national oligarchies led to social unrest, culminating in the Mexican Revolution of 1910. In Peru, similar policies under Augusto B. Leguía exacerbated the exploitation of indigenous populations through measures like the "conscription of roads," sparking discontent. Every question includes the correct answer so you can learn as you go — pick any format above to get started.
Questions & Answers
Browse all 29 questions from the
Dictatorships and Revolutions in Mexico and Peru study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
During the Porfiriato in Mexico, what was a primary consequence of the laws promoting colonization and the desamortization of lands?
-
A
Increased land ownership for indigenous communities
-
B
The concentration of land into large estates (latifundios)
-
C
The equitable distribution of land among peasants
-
D
The strengthening of communal land ownership
2
What was the term used for peasants who were forced to work on haciendas, tied by hereditary debts acquired in "tiendas de raya"?
-
A
Oligarchs
-
B
Gamonales
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C
Peones acasillados
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D
Científicos
3
Which sectors were primarily monopolized by foreign capital (US, British, French) during the Porfiriato?
-
A
Agriculture and textiles
-
B
Mining, oil, railroads, and banking
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C
Small businesses and local commerce
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D
Public education and healthcare
4
Who were the "Científicos" in the Porfiriato?
-
A
Indigenous leaders advocating for land rights
-
B
Foreign investors seeking concessions
-
C
The national oligarchy close to Díaz, controlling political power and productive lands
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D
Peasants organizing for revolution
5
What was Francisco I. Madero's main political slogan during his revolutionary efforts?
-
A
"Land for those who work it"
-
B
"Effective suffrage, no re-election"
-
C
"Nationalize all foreign companies"
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D
"Abolish the hacienda system"
6
Emiliano Zapata's movement, primarily in the south of Mexico, advocated for:
-
A
The strengthening of the Porfiriato's economic policies
-
B
The immediate expropriation and return of land to peasant communities
-
C
The continuation of foreign investment in strategic sectors
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D
The establishment of a centralized, authoritarian government
7
What was Pancho Villa's approach to land reform during the Mexican Revolution?
-
A
Confiscating latifundios from the northern oligarchy to fund the revolution and distribute parcels
-
B
Maintaining the existing land distribution system
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C
Encouraging foreign investment in agricultural lands
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D
Promoting the creation of small, independent farms without confiscating large estates
8
The Mexican Revolution was triggered in 1910 due to:
-
A
Rapid economic growth and equitable wealth distribution
-
B
Economic modernization based on deep inequality and exploitation
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C
The benevolent rule of Porfirio Díaz
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D
A lack of foreign investment in Mexico
9
What was the name of the period of dictatorship in Peru from 1919 to 1930?
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A
The Porfiriato
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B
The Oncenio
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C
La Patria Nueva
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D
The Mita Republicana
10
During Peru's Oncenio, there was a shift in foreign capital dependence from which country to the United States?
-
A
France
-
B
Great Britain
-
C
Germany
-
D
Italy
11
Which U.S. company monopolized mining in Peru's central sierra during the Oncenio?
-
A
Standard Oil
-
B
International Petroleum Company (IPC)
-
C
Cerro de Pasco Copper Corporation
-
D
El Águila
12
In Peru, who were the "gamonales"?
-
A
Foreign investors in the oil industry
-
B
Local landowners who exercised feudal and violent control over indigenous populations
-
C
Members of the national oligarchy controlling agro-export lands
-
D
Peasants organized in communal land ownership
13
The system of "yanaconaje" in Peru involved:
-
A
Forced labor in mines for foreign companies
-
B
Servitude on haciendas in exchange for the right to cultivate a small plot, without wages
-
C
Mandatory work on public roads for all citizens
-
D
The equitable distribution of land among indigenous communities
14
What was the "Ley de Conscriptión Vial" (Law of Road Conscription) in Peru?
-
A
A law granting land to indigenous communities
-
B
A law establishing free trade with foreign nations
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C
A law obligating men to work for free on road construction, disproportionately affecting indigenous people
-
D
A law promoting industrial development through foreign investment
15
What was the popular nickname for the "Ley de Conscriptión Vial" in Peru, highlighting its exploitative nature?
-
A
The "New Fatherland"
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B
The "Republican Mita"
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C
The "Effective Suffrage"
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D
The "Agrarian Plan"
16
The conclusion states that both the Porfiriato and the Oncenio shared a model of "progress" based on:
-
A
Independent national development and equitable wealth distribution
-
B
Dependent integration into the world market with foreign monopolies and exploitation
-
C
Strong protectionist policies and isolation from global trade
-
D
Decentralized political power and full democratic participation
17
Which of the following was NOT a characteristic shared by the Porfiriato and the Oncenio?
-
A
Integration into the world market
-
B
Consolidation of large landholdings
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C
Brutal exploitation of peasants and indigenous people
-
D
Equitable distribution of national wealth
18
In the Porfiriato, the "tiendas de raya" were primarily used for:
-
A
Distributing land to peasants
-
B
Providing fair wages to workers
-
C
Enslaving workers through hereditary debt
-
D
Facilitating trade between indigenous communities
19
The revolution in Mexico was detonated in 1910 primarily due to:
-
A
A period of unprecedented social equality
-
B
Economic modernization built on profound inequality
-
C
The successful implementation of agrarian reforms
-
D
A strong and just government that protected all citizens
20
What was the main goal of Francisco I. Madero's revolution?
-
A
To establish a communist state
-
B
To achieve political democracy and end re-election
-
C
To seize all foreign assets in Mexico
-
D
To redistribute all land to the poorest peasants
21
Emiliano Zapata's Plan de Ayala denounced Madero for:
-
A
Not going far enough in land reform
-
B
Being too radical in his demands
-
C
Collaborating with foreign powers
-
D
Oppressing indigenous communities
22
Pancho Villa's strategy involved confiscating land from whom?
-
A
Indigenous communities
-
B
The national oligarchy of the north
-
C
Foreign investors in the mining sector
-
D
The federal government
23
The "Patria Nueva" slogan was associated with which Peruvian leader?
-
A
Emiliano Zapata
-
B
Porfirio Díaz
-
C
Augusto B. Leguía
-
D
Francisco I. Madero
24
The International Petroleum Company (IPC) monopolized which sector in Peru during the Oncenio?
-
A
Mining
-
B
Agriculture
-
C
Oil exploitation
-
D
Railroads
25
The "barones" in coastal Peru controlled large latifundios of which crops?
-
A
Corn and beans
-
B
Sugar and cotton
-
C
Wheat and barley
-
D
Potatoes and quinoa
26
The roads built through the "Conscripción Vial" in Peru primarily benefited:
-
A
The indigenous communities that built them
-
B
Foreign companies and local landowners (gamonales)
-
C
The urban population of Lima
-
D
The entire Peruvian population equally
27
What does the text suggest was the ultimate consequence of the policies of the Porfiriato and the Oncenio?
-
A
Sustainable national development and social harmony
-
B
Deep social divisions leading to revolution
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C
Increased autonomy for indigenous communities
-
D
A balanced distribution of wealth and power
28
The dependence on foreign capital during the Porfiriato and the Oncenio led to:
-
A
Economic independence and self-sufficiency
-
B
The extraction of national wealth with few benefits for the state
-
C
A decrease in social inequality
-
D
The empowerment of local industries
29
The concentration of land in the hands of a few, known as latifundios, was a key issue in both Mexico and Peru during these periods.
