Deck 2: Eurasian Origins

Question 1

Based on genetic evidence from both Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA, the most likely origin of North American Indian populations is __________________.

A) Central Europe
B) Australia
C) Sub-Saharan Africa
D) Central and Northeast Asia

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following occurred during the Pleistocene epoch?

A) Biologically modern human beings emerged in Africa.
B) The polar ice caps melted, causing ocean levels to reach unprecedented heights.
C) The interbreeding of Neandertals and modern human beings gave rise to Cro Magnons in Europe.
D) William of Occam advocated the principle of parsimony.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Archaeologists think that the makers of the Dyuktai complex were able to experience rapid expansion because they used which of the following strategies?

A) they developed several different types of watercraft capable of moving rapidly down the coast
B) created the first permanent network of large settlements and outlying villages
C) emphasized small, temporary camps and highly mobile bands
D) seasonally followed migratory herds of megafauna between the tundra and the mountains

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Archaeology covers all of human history. This represents only a tiny fraction of the age of the earth, which is about __________________ years old.

A) 4,600
B) 46,000
C) 4.6 million
D) 4.6 billion

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the "land bridge" which existed between Siberia and Alaska and allowed the first people to enter North America?

A) a wide stretch of land now known as Beringia
B) a rudimentary bridge built by humans over a shallow sea
C) a large ice sheet connecting the continents
D) a narrow strip of ice connecting the two land masses

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT true about domesticated dogs?

A) they likely appeared in Eastern Asia around 15,000 years ago
B) there was strong selection for social and cognitive abilities during the course of domestication
C) they were intentionally domesticated by humans for the sole purpose of hunting
D) they likely accompanied the first populations of humans that entered North America

Question 7

The single most important feature of the North American landscape before roughly 11,000 years ago was __________________.

A) glacial ice
B) extensive forest cover
C) open prairie
D) the absence of lakes

Question 8

Southern Pennsylvania during the Pleistocene was mostly covered by __________________.

A) ice
B) tundra
C) spruce forest
D) grassland

Question 9

In 1492, about how many distinct languages were probably spoken in North America?

A) 50
B) 400
C) 800
D) 1,000

Question 10

In eastern subarctic Canada, several language complexes are spoken.

Question 11

Comparison of related languages allows for reconstruction of a common ancestral language, or __________________.

A) protolanguage
B) glottochronology
C) Latin
D) daughter

Question 12

Glottochronology allows precise (absolute) dating for when two related languages split.

Question 13

A distinctive feature of northeast Asian and Native American teeth is:

A) "shovel-shaped" incisors
B) Supernumerary wisdom teeth
C) Long, "saber" canines
D) Root canals

Question 14

Siberian bands likely lived in Beringia.

Question 15

An atlatl is swung like a __________________ to launch a spear.

A) lawn dart
B) discus
C) tennis racket
D) baseball bat

Question 16

A common rock used to make a variety of sharp tools is:

A) chert
B) greenstone
C) andesite
D) iron

Question 17

Bands were dependent on __________________ and could not move too far from their social networks.

A) glaciers
B) whale oil
C) iron from meteorites
D) other bands

Question 18

The main mitochondrial haplogroups of Native Americans are:

A) A & B
B) C & D
C) X
D) All of the above

Question 19

Bluefish Caves in __________________ dates to 24,000 BP.

A) Newfoundland
B) Kamchatka, Siberia
C) Canada's Yukon
D) Ushki Lake

Question 20

Which of the following is a site in northeastern Siberia dating to 30,000 BP?

A) Nenana
B) Ushki Lake
C) Mesa
D) Yana RHS (Rhinoceros Horn Site)

Question 21

The potential for complex societies is inherent in all biologically modern Homo sapiens.