Question 1

Which chronological order below is correct?

Accepted Answer

The correct chronological order starts with Caral-Supé in Peru, which is considered the oldest city in the Americas, dating back to around 2600 BCE. Following this, the Olmec civilization began to rise, with San Lorenzo being one of its earliest sites, flourishing around 1200 to 900 BCE. The Chavín culture, known for Chavín de Huántar, emerged later, around 900 BCE. Finally, La Venta, another significant Olmec site, became prominent around 900 to 400 BCE.

Question 2

The Marajó, the most closely investigated of the early Amazonian cultures,:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Marajó, the most closely investigated of...

Question 3

While there is some evidence of record keeping at Caral-Supé, in the form of "quipú," there is no ___________.

Accepted Answer

Caral-Supé, an ancient civilization in the Americas, used quipus for record-keeping, but there is no evidence of a writing system.

Question 4

Although separated by thousands of miles and vast bodies of water from the peoples of Eurasia and Africa, people in the Americas were following the same pattern, moving from __________ to farming.

Accepted Answer

Before adopting agricultural practices, people in the Americas, like those in Eurasia and Africa, were primarily foragers or hunter-gatherers. This means they lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants.

Question 5

The immense "heat pump" of ____________ continually spawns tropical disturbances in the eastern Atlantic.

Accepted Answer

The immense "heat pump" of the African interior and the Sahara Desert is responsible for continually spawning tropical disturbances in the eastern Atlantic. The hot, dry air from the Sahara Desert moves westward over the Atlantic, contributing to the formation of tropical disturbances.

Question 6

A painting found at Lower Pecos dating to about 2000 BCE suggests the practice of _____________, the belief in the ability of certain individuals to communicate with spirits or inhabit the spirits of people or animals.

Accepted Answer

The painting suggests the practice of Shamanism, which is characterized by the belief in the ability of shamans to communicate with the spirit world, including the spirits of people or animals. This practice is often depicted in ancient art, including the rock paintings of the Lower Pecos, which show figures that may represent shamans in a state of transformation or communication with the spiritual realm.

Question 7

A painting of a hybrid man and animal dating to about 8000 BCE has been found in the caves of Pedra Furada in northeastern ___________.

Accepted Answer

The caves of Pedra Furada, where a painting of a hybrid man and animal dating to about 8000 BCE was found, are located in northeastern Brazil.

Question 8

The Americas had no horses or cattle until they were brought by the Spanish in the ____________.

Accepted Answer

Horses and cattle were introduced to the Americas by the Spanish in the sixteenth century CE, significantly impacting the cultures and economies of indigenous peoples.

Question 9

Cotton textiles dating to about 3000 BCE have been found along the coasts of ____________.

Accepted Answer

Cotton textiles dating back to around 3000 BCE have been discovered along the coasts of Ecuador and Peru, indicating the ancient use and cultivation of cotton in the Americas.

Question 10

The discovery of _______________ in the ruins of Aspero on the Peruvian coast allowed scholars to connect it with Caral-Supé culture.

Accepted Answer

The discovery of similar pyramids in the ruins of Aspero allowed scholars to connect it with the Caral-Supé culture, as both sites featured similar architectural structures.

Question 11

The ceremonial center of _________ consisted of U-shaped ramparts built on a plaza and lined with walls of cut and polished stone.

Accepted Answer

Chavín de Huántar is known for its ceremonial center, which includes U-shaped ramparts built on a plaza and lined with walls of cut and polished stone, characteristic of its architectural style.

Question 12

Research by plant geneticist Mary Eubanks in 2004 confirmed that teosinte had been bred with gama grass, eventually yielding ____________.

Accepted Answer

Mary Eubanks' research confirmed that teosinte, when bred with gama grass, eventually yielded maize (corn), demonstrating the genetic origins and domestication process of this staple crop.

Question 13

Textile makers at Chavín combined the wool from _____________ with cotton to create a new blended cloth.

Accepted Answer

The textile makers at Chavín combined the wool from llamas with cotton to create a new blended cloth. Llamas were domesticated in the Andean region of South America, where Chavín culture flourished, and their wool was a valuable resource for ancient Andean societies.

Question 14

La Venta ended around _________________ under circumstances as mysterious as those that destroyed San Lorenzo.

Accepted Answer

La Venta, a major center of the Olmec civilization, is believed to have ended around 400 BCE, making 600 BCE the closest choice provided. The decline of La Venta and other Olmec centers remains a subject of archaeological investigation, with theories including environmental changes and social upheaval.

Question 15

Hopewell mounds were concentrated in what is today southeastern Ohio, but more recent mounds (about 4500 years old) have been found in _____________.

Accepted Answer

The Hopewell tradition, known for its mounds, was primarily concentrated in the Ohio River valley. However, similar mound-building practices, associated with the broader cultural expressions of the Hopewell tradition, have been found in the lower Mississippi valley. This area saw the development and spread of mound-building cultures, which shared certain characteristics with the Hopewell, including trade networks, mound construction, and similar artifacts.

Question 16

By about 1500 CE, Taíno chiefs employed specialized craftspeople for the production of all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

By about 1500 CE, Taíno chiefs indeed employed specialized craftspeople for the production of ceramics, cotton textiles, and stone and woodcarvings, but not for sugar production. Sugar production on a large scale was introduced by Europeans after their arrival in the Americas.

Question 17

_________ was highly prized in Lapita culture as a material for tools and weapons in the absence of workable metals.

Accepted Answer

Obsidian, a naturally occurring volcanic glass, was highly prized in Lapita culture for making tools and weapons due to its sharp edges and durability, especially in the absence of workable metals.

Question 18

An extensive _____________ storehouse of navigational information enabled Polynesian sailors to set their courses by the sun and stars and to read winds and currents.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is "orally transmitted" because Polynesian sailors relied on a rich tradition of oral knowledge passed down through generations to navigate the vast Pacific Ocean. This knowledge included understanding the sun, stars, winds, and currents, which did not rely on written records or tools but was memorized and shared verbally.

Question 19

Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki was outfitted with a 29-foot mast and a cabin that could shelter its ___-man crew.

Accepted Answer

Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki expedition had a six-man crew. The Kon-Tiki was a raft that Heyerdahl used in 1947 to sail from South America to the Polynesian islands to demonstrate that ancient people could have made long sea voyages, creating contacts between separate cultures.

Question 20

The common pattern of the production of monumental architecture for religious and political purposes is even demonstrated in monoliths of ______________

Accepted Answer

The monoliths of Rapa Nui, known as Moai, are monumental statues created for religious and political purposes by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island.

Quiz 5: Origins Apart: the Americas and Oceania, 30,000-600 B.C.E