Power Centers of the Western Hemisphere Quiz

100 questions · by Qwiz Rush

Power Centers of the Western Hemisphere Quiz is a free 100-question multiple choice, letters and numbers quiz on Qwiz Rush, made by Qwiz Rush, split into 10 rounds. Test your knowledge of the political, cultural, and historical capitals across North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.

Host it live for friends, family, a class or a quiz night: everyone joins with a game code on their own device, no app needed. Or play it solo with Free Play and see how many you get right.

Every question runs on a 10-second countdown and the fastest correct answers score the most. All the questions and their choices are listed below so you can see what the quiz covers; the answers are revealed in the game. Want to change something? Make your own copy and edit it in your library.

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The 100 questions

  1. Which city serves as the capital and largest city of Jamaica, founded in 1692 after Port Royal was destroyed by an earthquake?

    • Kingston
    • Montego Bay
    • Spanish Town
    • Portmore

  2. What is the capital city of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, located on New Providence Island?

    • Freeport
    • Nassau
    • Marsh Harbour
    • West End

  3. Which historic Caribbean capital is famous for its Old Havana district, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded by the Spanish in 1519?

    • Santiago de Cuba
    • Camagüey
    • Havana
    • Holguín

  4. Which capital city, founded in 1521, is the oldest continuously inhabited city established by Europeans in United States territory?

    • Ponce
    • San Juan
    • Mayagüez
    • Caguas

  5. What is the capital of the Dominican Republic, known as the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas?

    • Santiago de los Caballeros
    • Santo Domingo
    • Puerto Plata
    • La Romana

  6. What is the capital city of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, located on the Gulf of Paria?

    • San Fernando
    • Chaguanas
    • Port of Spain
    • Scarborough

  7. In what year did Christopher Columbus's brother, Bartholomew, found the city of Santo Domingo, making it the oldest European-founded city in the Americas?

    Answer with a number.

  8. How many sovereign, independent island nations are located in the Caribbean Sea region?

    Answer with a number.

  9. What is the capital and largest city of Haiti, which was severely damaged by a catastrophic earthquake in 2010?

    Answer with a letter.

  10. What is the capital and largest city of Barbados, historically known as the Town of Saint Michael?

    Answer with a letter.

  11. Which Andean capital city is widely recognized as the highest administrative capital in the world, sitting at an elevation of approximately 3,640 meters (11,942 feet)?

    • Quito
    • Bogotá
    • La Paz
    • Sucre

  12. Though La Paz is the seat of government, which historic city is constitutionally designated as the sole official capital of Bolivia?

    • Santa Cruz de la Sierra
    • Cochabamba
    • Sucre
    • Potosí

  13. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, lies on the eastern slopes of which active stratovolcano in the Andes?

    • Cotopaxi
    • Pichincha
    • Chimborazo
    • Tungurahua

  14. Bogotá, the sprawling high-altitude capital of Colombia, is situated on a high plateau within which branch (cordillera) of the Colombian Andes?

    • Cordillera Occidental
    • Cordillera Central
    • Cordillera Oriental
    • Cordillera Real

  15. Which high-altitude city served as the historic imperial capital of the Inca Empire before the Spanish conquest?

    • Cusco
    • Quito
    • Cajamarca
    • Arequipa

  16. Founded in 1539, which historic central square in Bogotá serves as the heart of Colombia's political power, housing the National Capitol and the Palace of Justice?

    • Plaza de Armas
    • Plaza de la Constitución
    • Plaza Bolívar
    • Plaza Mayor

  17. In what year was the historic center of Quito designated as one of the very first UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

    Answer with a number.

  18. How many administrative departments make up the nation of Bolivia, which divides its governmental powers between La Paz and Sucre?

    Answer with a number.

  19. Which South American nation boasts Bogotá as its high-altitude capital and primary political power center?

    Answer with a letter.

  20. What is the name of the prominent mountain and landmark overlooking the city of Bogotá, famous for its 17th-century sanctuary at the summit?

    Answer with a letter.

  21. Which Central American capital is the most populous city in the region?

    • Guatemala City
    • San José
    • San Salvador
    • Tegucigalpa

  22. Which capital city was founded in 1970 to replace the former hurricane-damaged capital of Belize City?

    • Belmopan
    • San Ignacio
    • Corozal
    • Dangriga

  23. Which capital city sits on the shores of a large lake of the same name and was heavily damaged by a major earthquake in 1972?

    • Managua
    • San Salvador
    • Tegucigalpa
    • San José

  24. Which Central American capital is situated in the highlands of the Valle Central and is named after the patron saint of the Catholic Church?

    • San José
    • San Salvador
    • Tegucigalpa
    • Panama City

  25. Located in a mountainous valley, which capital city's name translates to "silver hill" in the native Nahuatl language?

    • Tegucigalpa
    • San Salvador
    • Belmopan
    • Guatemala City

  26. Which capital city was relocated to its current site (Casco Viejo) in 1673 after the original settlement was destroyed by the privateer Henry Morgan?

    • Panama City
    • San Salvador
    • Belmopan
    • Managua

  27. In what year did the government of Belize officially relocate its seat from Belize City to the newly built inland capital of Belmopan?

    Answer with a number.

  28. How many sovereign nations on the Central American Isthmus have capital cities whose official Spanish names begin with the word "San"?

    Answer with a number.

  29. Name the capital city of El Salvador, which is the oldest and second-largest capital city in Central America.

    Answer with a letter.

  30. Name the capital city of Guatemala, which serves as the economic and cultural heart of the country.

    Answer with a letter.

  31. Which Oscar Niemeyer-designed building in Brasília serves as the official workplace of the President of Brazil?

    • Palácio do Planalto
    • Palácio da Alvorada
    • Palácio do Itamaraty
    • National Congress

  32. Which French-born military engineer and architect was appointed by George Washington to design the basic layout of the new United States federal capital city in 1791?

    • Pierre Charles L'Enfant
    • Benjamin Banneker
    • Andrew Ellicott
    • William Thornton

  33. What was the primary catalyst for Belize deciding to move its capital inland from Belize City to the newly planned city of Belmopan in the 1960s?

    • The devastation caused by Hurricane Hattie
    • An active threat of volcanic eruption
    • An escalating border dispute with Guatemala
    • A severe yellow fever epidemic

  34. In 1857, Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the permanent capital of the Province of Canada. Which major river does the Parliament Hill complex overlook?

    • Ottawa River
    • St. Lawrence River
    • Rideau River
    • Gatineau River

  35. The urban plan of Brasília, famously shaped like a giant airplane or bird, is known by what Portuguese term?

    • Plano Piloto
    • Eixo Monumental
    • Setor de Autarquias
    • Superquadra

  36. Passed by Congress in 1899 and modified in 1910, what federal law restricts the height of buildings in Washington, D.C. to ensure the Capitol and Washington Monument remain dominant?

    • The Height of Buildings Act
    • The L'Enfant Preservation Act
    • The Capital Skyline Act
    • The McMillan Plan Ordinance

  37. In what year was Brasília officially inaugurated as the federal capital of Brazil, succeeding Rio de Janeiro?

    Answer with a number.

  38. Under the Residence Act of 1790, what was the maximum size in square miles permitted for the federal district that would become Washington, D.C.?

    Answer with a number.

  39. Name the planned inland capital city of Belize that was founded in 1970 to replace the vulnerable coastal capital.

    Answer with a letter.

  40. What was the surname of the visionary Brazilian President who championed the construction of Brasília and famously promised "fifty years' progress in five"?

    Answer with a letter.

  41. Which South American capital is situated on the eastern bank of the massive Río de la Plata estuary, boasting the southernmost capital city location in the Americas?

    • Buenos Aires
    • Montevideo
    • Asunción
    • Santiago

  42. Which Caribbean capital city is situated on the shores of Kingston Harbour, a massive natural harbor protected by the Palisadoes spit?

    • Nassau
    • Kingston
    • Port-au-Prince
    • Havana

  43. The capital of Guyana is situated at the mouth of the Demerara River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. What is this coastal power center called?

    • Paramaribo
    • Cayenne
    • Georgetown
    • Caracas

  44. Which Central American capital is situated directly on the Pacific coast, overlooking the Gulf of Panama near the entrance to the Panama Canal?

    • San José
    • Panama City
    • San Salvador
    • Managua

  45. Which South American capital city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata estuary, serving as a major port and the political heart of its nation?

    • Buenos Aires
    • Montevideo
    • Asunción
    • Brasília

  46. Nassau, a major coastal capital and bustling cruise ship port, serves as the seat of government for which island nation?

    • Barbados
    • Jamaica
    • The Bahamas
    • Grenada

  47. In what year did the coastal capital of Brazil officially transition from the seaside metropolis of Rio de Janeiro to the planned inland city of Brasília?

    Answer with a number.

  48. In what year did the estuary-adjacent city of Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River, officially become the permanent capital of the United States?

    Answer with a number.

  49. Identify the capital of Peru, a major coastal power center founded by Francisco Pizarro on the Pacific coast of South America.

    Answer with a letter.

  50. Identify the coastal capital of Suriname, situated on the banks of the Suriname River near its confluence with the Atlantic Ocean.

    Answer with a letter.

  51. Which Spanish colonial fortress, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was built to protect the harbor entrance and is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

    • Castillo de San Marcos
    • Castillo de la Real Fuerza
    • Castillo San Felipe del Morro
    • Fortaleza de San Carlos

  52. Established in 1541, which Central American capital was heavily damaged by a series of earthquakes in 1773, leading the Spanish crown to relocate their regional administrative hub?

    • Antigua Guatemala
    • San Salvador
    • Tegucigalpa
    • León

  53. Which historic plaza in Mexico City, serving as the political and ceremonial heart of the country since Aztec times, is officially named Plaza de la Constitución?

    • Plaza de Armas
    • El Zócalo
    • Plaza Mayor
    • Alameda Central

  54. In 1608, Samuel de Champlain founded which fortified settlement, which went on to serve as the administrative capital of New France?

    • Montreal
    • Quebec City
    • Port-Royal
    • Trois-Rivières

  55. Which colonial city served as the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and was famously known to Spanish administrators as the 'City of Kings'?

    • Cusco
    • Quito
    • Bogotá
    • Lima

  56. What is the name of the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the contiguous United States, founded by Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés?

    • St. Augustine
    • Pensacola
    • Santa Fe
    • Jamestown

  57. In what year did the Portuguese royal court arrive in Rio de Janeiro, escaping Napoleon's invasion and temporarily making the city the capital of the Kingdom of Portugal?

    Answer with a number.

  58. In what year was the city of Boston founded by Puritan colonists of the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

    Answer with a number.

  59. What was the name of the first colonial capital of Brazil, which served as the main administrative center before the capital was moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1763?

    Answer with a letter.

  60. Which European nation established the colonial outpost of New Amsterdam, which later became the major financial and power hub of New York City?

    Answer with a letter.

  61. Which capital city in the Western Hemisphere was founded in 1791 and named in honor of the first president of the nation it serves?

    • Washington, D.C.
    • Georgetown
    • San Salvador
    • Hamilton

  62. This major Canadian Pacific port city was incorporated in 1886 and named after a British officer of the Royal Navy who explored and charted the region's coast in the late 18th century.

    • Victoria
    • Calgary
    • Vancouver
    • Edmonton

  63. Which populous Texas city, founded in 1836, was named after the military commander who led the Texan army to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto?

    • Austin
    • Houston
    • Dallas
    • San Antonio

  64. Established in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, which state capital is the most populous city in Ohio named after a famous Genoese explorer?

    • Cleveland
    • Cincinnati
    • Columbus
    • Toledo

  65. What is the capital city of Guyana, originally called Stabroek by the Dutch but renamed in 1812 in honor of a British monarch?

    • Georgetown
    • Paramaribo
    • Cayenne
    • Port of Spain

  66. Originally named Lancaster, this capital city of Nebraska was renamed in 1867 to honor which recently assassinated U.S. President?

    • Garfield
    • McKinley
    • Lincoln
    • Kennedy

  67. How many U.S. state capitals are named after U.S. presidents?

    Answer with a number.

  68. In what year did the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam officially get renamed to New York, in honor of the future King James II of England?

    Answer with a number.

  69. Identify the constitutional capital of Bolivia, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was renamed in 1839 in honor of revolutionary leader Antonio José de Sucre.

    Answer with a letter.

  70. Name the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, incorporated as a city in 1897 and named after the governor who served from 1788 to 1794.

    Answer with a letter.

  71. Often mistaken for the capital of Brazil due to its status as a global financial hub, what is the most populous city in the Southern Hemisphere?

    • Rio de Janeiro
    • São Paulo
    • Salvador
    • Belo Horizonte

  72. Though Montreal and Toronto are much larger economic and cultural powerhouses, what city serves as the official federal capital of Canada?

    • Ottawa
    • Quebec City
    • Vancouver
    • Calgary

  73. Which major port and most populous city in Ecuador is the country's main economic hub, often confused with the high-altitude capital of Quito?

    • Cuenca
    • Manta
    • Guayaquil
    • Ambato

  74. Which non-capital coastal giant is the largest city and former capital of Belize, vastly overshadowing the modern inland capital of Belmopan?

    • San Ignacio
    • Belize City
    • Orange Walk
    • Corozal

  75. Which city is the most populous metropolis in the US state of California, frequently mistaken by international travelers as the state capital over Sacramento?

    • San Francisco
    • San Diego
    • Los Angeles
    • San Jose

  76. Which city is the largest economic center and most populous city in Honduras, often rivaling the capital city of Tegucigalpa in influence?

    • San Pedro Sula
    • La Ceiba
    • Choloma
    • Comayagua

  77. In what year did Rio de Janeiro officially transfer its status as the capital of Brazil to the newly constructed inland city of Brasília?

    Answer with a number.

  78. In what year did Queen Victoria choose Ottawa as the official capital of the Province of Canada, settling the rivalry between larger cities like Toronto and Montreal?

    Answer with a number.

  79. Name the second-largest city in Colombia, known as the 'City of Eternal Spring', which is a major economic power center but is not the nation's capital.

    Answer with a letter.

  80. Name the most populous city in the US state of Illinois, which is a major global financial hub but is frequently mistaken for the state capital of Springfield.

    Answer with a letter.

  81. The name of Canada is widely accepted to have originated from the Huron-Iroquois word "kanata". What does this word translate to?

    • Great river
    • Meeting place
    • Village or settlement
    • Sacred ground

  82. The name of Mexico's capital and country is derived from the Nahuatl language. What did "Mēxihco" originally refer to?

    • Land of the golden eagle
    • Valley of the shifting lakes
    • The navel of the moon
    • Place of the stone cactus

  83. The name of the American power center Chicago is derived from a Miami-Illinois Algonquian word "shikaakwa". What does this word literally mean?

    • Great windy plain
    • Muddy swamp
    • Wild garlic or onion
    • Gathering of chiefs

  84. The capital city of Canada, Ottawa, gets its name from an Algonquin word. What is the historical meaning of this tribal name?

    • To trade
    • People of the hills
    • Meeting of three rivers
    • Place of the white pines

  85. The economic heart of New York City, Manhattan, derives its name from the Munsee Delaware word "Mannahatta". What is the most widely accepted translation of this name?

    • Island of many hills
    • Place of the red rocks
    • Safe harbor
    • Land of the tall oaks

  86. The capital of Venezuela, Caracas, is named after the indigenous Caracas tribe. What does the term "Caracas" itself originally refer to in the local indigenous language, representing a common local plant?

    • Amaranth
    • Wild cocoa
    • Sweet potato
    • Prickly pear

  87. How many of the 50 United States have names that are linguistically derived from Native American languages?

    Answer with a number.

  88. In what year did the Mexica people found their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which would later become the site of Mexico City?

    Answer with a number.

  89. What is the Guna indigenous name for the American continent, meaning "land in its full maturity" or "land of vital blood", which has been widely adopted by indigenous rights movements across the hemisphere?

    Answer with a letter.

  90. What is the Quechua name of the historic capital of the Inca Empire, which translates directly to "center" or "navel" of the world?

    Answer with a letter.

  91. What is the official workplace of the President of Argentina, famous for its distinct pink facade?

    • Palacio de la Moneda
    • Casa Rosada
    • Palacio Quemado
    • Palacio de Carondelet

  92. Which historic building serves as the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile in Santiago?

    • Palacio de la Moneda
    • Palacio de Planalto
    • Palacio Estévez
    • Casa de Nariño

  93. In what year did Raúl Alfonsín take office as President of Argentina, marking the definitive end of the military dictatorship and the return of democracy?

    Answer with a number.

  94. Identify the southernmost capital city in the Americas, which serves as the administrative seat of government for Uruguay and the headquarters of Mercosur.

    Answer with a letter.

  95. In which city is the majestic, dome-capped Palace of the Argentine National Congress located?

    • Córdoba
    • Rosario
    • Buenos Aires
    • Mendoza

  96. Unlike the executive branch in Santiago, in which major coastal city does the National Congress of Chile meet?

    • Valparaíso
    • Concepción
    • Antofagasta
    • Punta Arenas

  97. How many federal provinces, excluding the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, make up the Argentine Republic?

    Answer with a number.

  98. Name the capital city of Chile, which hosts the country's central judicial and executive power centers.

    Answer with a letter.

  99. What is the name of the modern building that has served as the official workplace of the President of Uruguay since 1985, located in Montevideo's Plaza Independencia?

    • Palacio Estévez
    • Torre Ejecutiva
    • Palacio Legislativo
    • Palacio Taranco

  100. According to the Argentine Constitution, which official serves as the President of the national Senate?

    • The Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers
    • The Vice President of Argentina
    • The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
    • The Minister of the Interior