Deck 13: Early Holocene Hunters and Gatherers

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT evidence that supports the Bering Land Bridge model for the peopling of the New World? A. the age estimates for the earliest humans in North and South America
B) close geographic proximity of northeastern Asia and northwestern North America
C) presence of the Beringia 'land bridge; during the late Pleistocene
D) the documented Pleistocene migration of animals along this route
E) the linguistic and genetic similarities of Asian and Native American populations

A) the age estimates for the earliest humans in North and South America
B) close geographic proximity of northeastern Asia and northwestern North America
C) presence of the Beringia 'land bridge; during the late Pleistocene
D) the documented Pleistocene migration of animals along this route
E) the linguistic and genetic similarities of Asian and Native American populations

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following presents the primary challenge that the Bering Land Bridge represented the first route for the first humans in the New World?

A) the earliest occupations pre-date the presence of Beringia
B) many early occupations pre-date the presence of the Ice Free Corridor
C) there are no Upper Paleolithic sites in northern Asia at the time of first settlement
D) modern Native Americans are genetically unrelated to northern Asian populations
E) the technologically simplest way to enter is not on foot

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following factors is NOT used to support the Pacific Coastal Route model?

A) the colonization of Australia by 40,000 ya.
B) the presence of early coastal sites in South America
C) the demonstrated presence of marine-adapted human populations in northeastern Asia
D) the relative lack of interior sites in North America
E) the technological capabilities of Late Pleistocene populations

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the nature of Upper Paleolithic occupations in the New World?

A) There are no documented occupations that coincide with the presence of Beringia.
B) People were adapted to high-latitude conditions as early as 50,000 ya.
C) The Upper Paleolithic peoples from northern Asia were culturally and geographically capable of entering the New World.
D) Colder climates and sparse resources existed in the coastal regions, compared to the interior.
E) The biological evidence of the earliest people are prolific.

Question 5

The earliest Americans are known to have arrived in the Americas no later than:

A) 45,000 ya.
B) 30,000 ya.
C) 20,000 ya.
D) 13,000 ya.
E) 8,000 ya.

Question 6

Which theory for the settlement of the New World relies on a passage using canoes, rafts, or forms of water transport?

A) North Atlantic Ice-Edge Corridor
B) Pacific Coastal Route
C) Bering Land Bridge
D) Australia Connection
E) Asian Land-Sea Bridge

Question 7

Which of the following conclusions have NOT been reached concerning variability in Native American mtDNA?

A) These populations were derived from a single northeastern Asian population.
B) There were 4-5 founding maternal lineages.
C) The populations were the result of multiple migrations starting 20,000 years ago.
D) The populations were the result of one migration ca. 20,000 years ago.
E) The physical traits shared by modern Native Americans are a produce of founder effect.

Question 8

Which of the following sites is NOT a candidate for the earliest occupation of the New World?

A) Meadowcroft Rockshelter
B) Pedra Furada
C) Monte Verde
D) Beringia
E) Cactus Hill

Question 9

Evidence used to support the contention that humans were primarily responsible for the Pleistocene extinctions include all of the following except

A) the timing of the arrival of humans in the New World within a few centuries of the extinction of large mammals
B) association between large herbivores and Paleo-Indian points
C) a similar pattern of extinction in Asia
D) large herbivores have been excavated from sites with the weapons used to kill them
E) overhunting by rapidly expanding human populations

Question 10

The Folsom and Plano cultures are primarily associated with use in hunting what type of animal?

A) deer
B) bison
C) mammoths
D) camelids
E) sloths

Question 11

The presence of morphological variability in skeletons from Asia and the Americas indicates that

A) there were likely multiple migrations to the New World
B) humans evolved independently in the Americas
C) there was significant genetic drift among New World populations
D) non-Asian populations are likely responsible for the earliest settlement
E) the Bering Land Bridge was not a route for the entrance of humans to the New World

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the physical characteristics of the earliest human skeletons from the Americas?

A) They closely resemble modern Native Americans.
B) They display generalized traits common among Ainu and Australian populations.
C) They represent a blend of Asian and European traits.
D) They resemble Upper Paleolithic European populations.
E) They do not show similarities with any other populations.

Question 13

Based on the cultural data, which of the following best describes the opinion of the majority of archaeologists regarding the origins of Native Americans?

A) Native American populations originated in Asia.
B) Native American populations are the result of multiple migrations from both Asia and Western Europe.
C) Native Americas only traveled along the Bering Land Bridge route.
D) It is unclear where the Native American populations originated.
E) Many Native American populations are likely the result of boat travel from Polynesia.

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the importance of the Monte Verde site?

A) It provides solid evidence for the Bering Land Bridge Theory.
B) It conclusively links the Solutrean and Clovis cultures.
C) It provides definitive evidence for pre-Clovis occupations.
D) It is indicative of marine dependence during the Paleo-Indian period.
E) It contains evidence for the earliest skeletons in the New World.

Question 15

Fluted point technology

A) is present at the Pre-Clovis site of Monte Verde
B) has clear precursors in northern Asia
C) has no clear Asian predecessors
D) is primarily associated with the Archaic period
E) is probably not an American invention

Question 16

The Holocene epoch is NOT defined as:

A) the most recent geological epoch
B) the geological period beginning around 11,000 ya.
C) a period of increased global temperatures
D) the geological period associated with the development of broadly based hunting and gathering
E) the period prior to the one in which we now live

Question 17

The dry land connection between Asia and America is associated with which proposed models for the entrance of people to the New World?

A) North Atlantic Ice-Edge Corridor
B) Pacific Coastal Route
C) Bering Land Bridge
D) Alaska Connector
E) Siberian Transit Corridor

Question 18

Paleo-Indian subsistence is best defined as

A) variable based on local environmental conditions
B) based mostly on marine resources
C) a uniform pattern of specialized megafauna exploitation
D) primarily associated with gathering nut and seed crops
E) focused almost exclusively on mammoths and mastodons

Question 19

The Paleo-Indian period is defined by what cultural feature?

A) microblade technology
B) fluted points
C) Venus figurines
D) intensive nut processing
E) canoe and raft technology

Question 20

Which model for the initial settlement is not dependent on the cycle of glacial and inter-glacial periods?

A) North Asian Corridor
B) Pacific Coastal Route
C) Bering Land Bridge
D) Australian Connection
E) Siberian Highway

Question 21

Between 12,000 and 11,000 ya, the climate associated with the waning Pleistocene changed, exemplified by

A) increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation.
B) decrease in temperature and decrease in precipitation.
C) increase in temperature and increase in precipitation.
D) decrease in temperature and increase in precipitation.
E) stabilization of earlier Pleistocene temperature and precipitation.

Question 22

Which of the following best describes the changes in subsistence practices of groups during the early and middle Holocene?

A) initial systematic exploitation of fish and fowl resources
B) primarily associated with hunting megafauna
C) intensive hunting, fishing, and gathering
D) a decreased emphasis on the importance of plant foods in the diet
E) a switch away from marine resources as sea levels rise

Question 23

Which of the following describes the primary difference between the diet of people in Northern and Western Europe and those in the Near East?

A) Diet in the Near East included more wild plant foods.
B) The European diet included more plant foods.
C) Diet in the Near East included more animal foods.
D) Coastal resources were much more important in the Near East.
E) Coastal resources were not exploited by European groups.

Question 24

Hunter-gatherers in Western North America, particularly the Great Basin, tended to focus on what environmental feature in addition to upland resources?

A) marshes
B) deciduous forests
C) coastal resources
D) bison herds
E) desert rodents

Question 25

Small groups who are highly mobile and typically move to seasonally available resources are known as:

A) collectors
B) foragers
C) hunter-gatherers
D) Mesolithic hunter-gatherers
E) seasonal extractors

Question 26

In what area of North America did highly organized sedentary communities develop based primarily on coastal resources and without domesticated crops?

A) eastern North America
B) Northwest Coast
C) California
D) Great Basin
E) the Southwest

Question 27

Groups with a subsistence strategy of relying on a wide range of locally available foods which are brought back to base camps are defined as:

A) collectors
B) foragers
C) seasonal extractors
D) residentially mobile
E) Paleo-Indians

Question 28

In what way did the climate changes at the end of the Pleistocene NOT affect technology?

A) boats became more common
B) implements for working wood became more prevalent
C) wood became increasingly important as a raw material
D) wooden dugout canoes were replaced by foot travel E. skin-covered boats aided in navigating streams and large bodies of water

Question 29

A pattern of seasonal settlement movements from one resource zone to another is known as:

A) sedentism
B) transhumance
C) foraging
D) subsistence
E) migration

Question 30

Which of the following constituted the primary plant resources utilized in prehistoric California?

A) pine nuts
B) chenopodium
C) acorns
D) squash
E) corn

Question 31

The term for collector-type hunter-gatherers from the Near East ca. 12,000 ya is

A) Capsian
B) Archaic
C) Paleo-Indian
D) Kebaran
E) Natufian

Question 32

Sites like Ohalo II demonstrate that some food-collecting communities experienced economic changes as long ago as the Last Glacial Maximum, which led to

A) The use of a small range of wild plants and no animals as food.
B) The use of a wide range of wild plants and no animals as food.
C) The use of a wide range of wild plants and animals as food.
D) The use of a small range of wild plants and animals as food.
E) The demise of human populations in the regions affected.

Question 33

The increase in human dental caries hypoplasias, periodontal disease and overall reduction in tooth size in Natufian skeletons can be attributed to

A) availability of fewer plant resources
B) diet based upon domesticated wild cattle
C) an abundance of animal meat in the diet
D) bows and arrows which allowed more successful hunting
E) predominace of starchy cereal grains in the diet

Question 34

What factor is associated with the shift away from big game hunting in the temperate latitudes?

A) the development of new technology which allowed them to more efficiently process other resources
B) climate changes which resulted in many former prey animals going extinct or becoming geographically unavailable
C) a decline in human population caused by the environmental shifts made big-game hunting difficult
D) human over-hunting reduced the populations
E) a smaller range of potentially edible species were exploited

Question 35

The site of Star Carr, near the North Sea coast, served as a seasonal

A) gathering place for shell fish
B) hunting camp
C) building site for mounds and earthworks
D) whale hunting site
E) shell midden

Question 36

Which of the following is best describes the current position on the role of humans in megafaunal extinctions?

A) Humans likely played only a small role in this event.
B) Humans and disease played an equal role in this event.
C) Human overhunting was the primary cause.
D) They were likely the result of an extreme period of cold at the end of the Ice Age.
E) Paleo-Indian groups hunted and collected one species of animals, leading to the extinction.

Question 37

The term used to describe the post-Pleistocene cultures in the Middle East is:

A) Upper Paleolithic
B) Mesolithic
C) Epipaleolithic
D) Archaic
E) Middle Paleolithic

Question 38

The highly organized communities of the Pacific Northwest prospered by relying on ritualized redistribution that ensured a wider availability of regionals resources. The communities were also practicing a way of living known as:

A) sedentism
B) domestication
C) foraging
D) transhumance
E) gathering

Question 39

The term used to describe the post-Pleistocene cultures in Europe is:

A) Upper Paleolithic
B) Mesolithic
C) Epipaleolithic
D) Archaic
E) Middle Paleolithic

Question 40

Eastern Archaic cultures of North America reinforced their claims to homelands by

A) engaging in the potlatch ceremony
B) laying out cemeteries for their dead or building earthwork mounds
C) building large sedentary coastal villages
D) including grave goods in every burial
E) hunting aurochs in abundance

Question 41

What evidence indicates that the Bering Land Bridge model cannot explain the entirety of the peopling of the New World?

Question 42

The Epipaleolithic of the Near East was more dependent on wild nut and seed crops than the Mesolithic in northern Europe.

Question 43

In many parts of North America, hunter-gatherer lifeways were less the collector than the forager type common among their Paleo-Indian ancestors.

Question 44

Evidence from the Upper Paleolithic in Asia shows that there is no evidence for occupation prior to the initial occupation of the New World.

Question 45

The Holocene epoch beings around 11,000 years ago.

Question 46

During the early and middle Holocene, many groups adopt an intensive hunting, fishing, and gathering lifestyle.

Question 47

What is the Holocene?

Question 48

Who was the Kennewick man? Why are the remains important for understanding the settlement of the New World?

Question 49

There is clear evidence implicating humans in the extinction of many species of New World animals at the end of the Pleistocene.

Question 50

Foragers are typically associated with large, sedentary villages and dense populations.

Question 51

The earliest skeletons from the New World show greater biological diversity than do modern Native Americans.

Question 52

An increase of average July temperature by perhaps 20 degrees Fahrenheit has meant much that we have yet to learn about Upper Paleolithic and Archaic/Mesolithic coastal adaptations lies buried under hundreds of feet of seawater off modern coastlines.

Question 53

What are three sites that provide evidence for the earliest occupation of the New World?

Question 54

How did early Holocene human subsistence patterns differ from those during the late Pleistocene?

Question 55

All of the alternative models to the Bering Land Bridge model require the use of watercraft.

Question 56

Describe the environmental changes that occurred at the end of the Pleistocene.

Question 57

What is the Paleo-Indian period? What cultural features define this time period?

Question 58

The Bering Land Bridge represents the technologically simplest point of entry to the New World.

Question 59

Paleoindians almost exclusively hunted megafauna.

Question 60

Compared with foragers, food collectors rely much more on a few seasonally abundant resources, and their camps often show evidence of specialized processing and storage technologies.

Question 61

Knowing when people arrived in the New World is necessarily tied with where they came, because the two tell us where to search in the archaeological record for the first immigrants. Why?

Question 62

Compare and contrast the Clovis, Folsom, Dalton and Plano Archaeological complexes and detail the importance of each to the lifestyles of the people who used them.

Question 63

How do foraging and food collecting compare and contrast as subsistence strategies? What are some implications for each with regard to other cultural consequences: group size, mobility, exchange, effect on natural species, etc.?

Question 64

If people traveled along the pacific coast beginning about 17,000-15,000 ya, when New World inhabitants were suspected as having come from Asia, climatic conditions would have been different than those in the interior. How?

Question 65

Discuss the possible role of humans in the Pleistocene extinctions.

Question 66

What are the different models used to explain the peopling of the New World. Discuss the evidence used to support or refute each model.

Question 67

Why is the settlement of the Americas a difficult issue for archaeologists to address? What aspects of this event as well as the approaches that archaeologists use to understand it inhibit our ability to more definitely address this issue?

Question 68

Discuss the physical evidence for the initial occupation of the New World.

Question 69

How do human cultural patterns change at the beginning of the Holocene? What is the role of the environment in this shift? Compare and contrast these developments in Europe, North America, and the Near East.

Question 70

What is the Paleo-Indian period? When does it date, and what are the associated cultural patterns? Illustrate your answer with examples from sites discussed in the text.

Question 71

What were some of the environmental changes occurring as a result of the end of the Younger Dryas?

Question 72

What are specific biological and cultural clues that point to Asian ancestry for the earliest American populations? Why are they controversial?

Question 73

Using Star Carr or another important site as an example, explain how specific archaeological findings may be used to interpret early Holocene lifeways.