Deck 4: Native Peoples of the Subarctic

Question 1

The 30 major groups of the Subarctic were divided into two major language families, which were the

A)Numic and Paiute.
B)Wakashan and Nootka.
C)Eskimo and Unangan.
D)Athapaskan and Algonquian.

Answer 1

Athapaskan and Algonquian.

Question 2

In an attempt to bring various bands together, modern Western Woods Cree

A)demanded recognition by the Canadian government.
B)formed the Grand Council of the Crees in 1971.
C)joined with Métis to foster joint land ownership.
D)incorporated Penutian as a primary language in 1975.

Answer 2

formed the Grand Council of the Crees in 1971.

Question 3

Two musical instruments of the Western Woods Cree are

A)drums and bull-roarers.
B)drums and rattles.
C)rattles and flutes.
D)bull-roarers and flutes.

Answer 3

drums and bull-roarers.

Question 4

Cree material culture and technology included

A)canoes and toboggans.
B)tools made from iron and copper.
C)snow houses.
D)pottery.

Question 5

The Cree diet included

A)fish in the summer but not in the winter.
B)kelp.
C)whale meat.
D)air-dried beanstalks.

Question 6

After the death of a loved one, close relatives mourned for a year and

A)chanted songs of safe passage to the afterlife.
B)wore the deceased person's clothes.
C)would not cut their hair.
D)did not wash their faces.

Question 7

Political organization in the Subarctic involved

A)hereditary headmen.
B)ittle preparation for war, as it was rare.
C)highly flexible, mobile, small local bands.
D)permanent villages that never moved.

Question 8

Discuss the life cycle of the traditional Western Woods Cree.

Question 9

Discuss the impact of the shaman and the concept of the Manitou on the religious and medical practices of the Western Woods Cree.

Question 10

How early did the Algonquian and Athapaskan groups move into the Subarctic? How were they organized, and what were their resources?

Question 11

Describe the social organization of the Subarctic.Explain their division of labor and the importance of sharing and cooperation.

Question 12

Since the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation won their court battle to stop clear-cutting of forests on traditional lands,

A)aboriginal rights to land have been reestablished.
B)the availability of timber has doubled.
C)the Canadian government has limited mining and logging permits.
D)nothing has really changed on the ground.

Question 13

The most important food plants in the Subarctic were

A)pine nuts.
B)corn kernels.
C)potatoes.
D)berries.

Question 14

Subarctic religion

A)taught that the animals people hunted were inferior.
B)held that there were spirits in animals, plants, and geographic features.
C)included a personal, individual power that could not be shared.
D)was based on a supreme deity.

Question 15

The physiographic regions of the Subarctic include all of the following EXCEPT the

A)Ungava Bay.
B)Cordillera
C)Alaska Plateau.
D)Canadian Shield.

Question 16

Most Subarctic groups could be characterized as having

A)large populations.
B)elaborate ceremonial monuments.
C)high mobility.
D)complex political structures.

Question 17

European impact on the Subarctic included

A)removal of Indian settlements to distant regions.
B)increased conservation of resources.
C)the introduction of devastating diseases.
D)the pollution of lakes and rivers.

Question 18

The three major environmental zones of the Subarctic are the tundra zone, the boreal forest, and the

A)deciduous forest.
B)northeastern marshland.
C)wooded river valleys.
D)desert inland.

Question 19

Prior to about 7000 B.P., most of the Subarctic environment could NOT support

A)lake basins.
B)human populations.
C)tundra and forest zones.
D)animal life including caribou.

Question 20

After Columbus arrived in the New World, Subarctic groups along the east coast were contacted by

A)Spanish fur merchants.
B)a Russian naval expedition.
C)French Basque fishermen.
D)Italian missionaries.

Question 21

By the late nineteenth century, the number of prey a hunter could catch increased due to the

A)introduction of guns to the region.
B)dispersal of European hunters to other parts of North America.
C)application of European poisons to spearheads.
D)animal population growth resulting from new vegetation.

Question 22

The Subarctic

A)represents the largest culture area in North America.
B)has relatively warm winters and long summers.
C)has a shortage of water.
D)has few forests.

Question 23

Most of the early ethnographic work on Subarctic peoples was sponsored by

A)missionaries.
B)appointed governmental entities.
C)archeological societies.
D)museums.

Question 24

A critical rule for marriage among Subarctic groups was

A)male offspring resided with the husband's family for one year.
B)incest was to be avoided.
C)divorce was forbidden.
D)the shaman had to approve the union.

Question 25

Describe the material culture and technology of Subarctic people.

Question 26

The first Europeans to contact the people of the Subarctic were __________.

A)British fur traders in the 1600s
B)French fur traders in the 1500s
C)Russian fur traders in the 1700s
D)Norse explorers around A.D.1000

Question 27

European impact on the Subarctic included __________.

A)removal of Indian settlements to distant regions
B)increased conservation of resources
C)the introduction of devastating diseases
D)All of the above

Question 28

The Western Woods Cree practiced __________.

A)whale-hunting
B)cross-cousin marriages
C)being affectionate with your mother-in-law
D)All of the above

Question 29

The Subarctic __________.

A)is the largest culture area in North America
B)has relatively warm winters and long summers
C)has little water
D)has very few forests

Question 30

Political organization in the Subarctic involved __________.

A)hereditary headmen
B)little preparation for war, as it was rare
C)highly flexible, mobile, small local bands
D)permanent villages that never moved

Question 31

Subarctic religion __________.

A)looked down on animals the people hunted as inferior
B)saw spirits in animals, plants, and geographic features,
C)included a personal, individual power that could not be shared
D)all of the above

Question 32

For the Western Woods Cree __________.

A)the basic social unit was the nuclear family
B)kinship was reckoned bilaterally
C)labor was divided by sex
D)all of the above

Question 33

The Western Woods Cree __________.

A)traveled mainly on horseback
B)made excellent pottery
C)lived in semi-subterranean pit-houses
D)treated women relatively poorly

Question 34

Modern Western Woods Cree __________.

A)have never been recognized by the Canadian government
B)formed the Grand Council of the Cree in 1971
C)still do not live in permanent towns
D)speak Athapaskan

Question 35

Two musical instruments of the Western Woods Cree are __________.

A)drums and bull-roarers
B)drums and rattles
C)rattles and flutes
D)bull-roarers and flutes

Question 36

A Cree canoe __________.

A)was made with hollowed out redwood trees
B)was waterproofed with whale blubber and seal skins
C)used birch and birchbark
D)was used all year round

Question 37

Cree material culture and technology included __________.

A)canoes and toboggans
B)tools made from iron and copper
C)snow houses
D)pottery

Question 38

The Cree diet included __________.

A)fish in the summer but not in the winter
B)kelp
C)whale meat
D)all of the above

Question 39

Marriages for the Cree __________.

A)involved a large, special ceremony
B)relied on romantic love in choosing partners
C)involved a bride price, paid by the husband's family
D)could not end in divorce

Question 40

Cree children __________.

A)were strictly disciplined
B)were born with the mother in a kneeling position
C)were responsible for tending household crops and livestock
D)all of the above

Question 41

A band headman in the Subarctic __________.

A)would be replaced if he didn't lead well
B)kept the peace
C)decided when and where to move
D)all of the above

Question 42

Subarctic people were primarily hunters and fishermen.

Question 43

A striking characteristic of the Subarctic was the people's permanent towns and houses.

Question 44

Shamans were not important in the Subarctic.

Question 45

Paleoindians in the Subarctic exploited mainly coastal areas because of glaciation in interior regions.

Question 46

Among the Western Woods Cree childless widows sometimes joined hunting parties.

Question 47

The most important animals hunted in the Subarctic for meat were bison and deer.

Question 48

Cree medicine used sucking cures, spells, and some pharmacology.

Question 49

In the Subarctic there were four categories of spirits: spirit helpers, human spirits, animal spirits, and place spirits.

Question 50

Warfare was common among the Cree.

Question 51

What are the major language families and the major geographic areas of the Subarctic? What are the climate zones? How does the evaporation rate affect the environment?

Question 52

How early did the Algonquian and Athapaskan groups move into the Subarctic? How were they organized and what were their resources?

Question 53

Describe the impact of Europeans on this region, from the fur trade to today.

Question 54

Describe the social organization of the Subarctic.Explain their division of labor and the importance of sharing and cooperation.

Question 55

In what way did religious beliefs impact hunting and warfare?

Question 56

Describe the material culture and technology of Subarctic people.

Question 57

Discuss the sexual division of labor in the Subarctic.Include the berdache.

Question 58

Discuss the life cycle of the traditional Western Woods Cree.