Deck 1: Religions of the Americas

Question 1

The Naskapi believe that all of life is activated by soul.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Ancient Incas thought that each tribe had been created by its own patron god.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The Aztecs were known to practice human sacrifice, but never cannibalism.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Powhatans believed in reincarnation.

Question 5

Powhatan priests were not allowed to use divination or magic to improve the tribe's odds over their enemies.

Question 6

Powhatans made a strict distinction between medicine and religion.

Question 7

The Cherokee forbade ordinary members of the tribe to hear or tell their creation stories.

Question 8

The Cherokee people peacefully relocated to the Oklahoma Territory after Europeans found gold on their land.

Question 9

It could be said that hunting and fishing was the religion of the Naskapi people.

Question 10

The Aztecs believed that the gods sacrificed themselves to restore the sun to the world.

Question 11

The Aztecs firmly believed that all of human life depended on the conquest and sacrifice of enemies.

Question 12

The ancient city-states of Meso and South America were markedly inferior to those of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece.

Question 13

The term "henotheism" best characterizes most Native American views of the Absolute.

Question 14

Incan deities were believed to care only for the living; not for the dead.

Question 15

The Naskapi believed that humans and animals are closely related.

Question 16

The Naskapi had elaborate initiation rituals for adolescent males.

Question 17

Knowing how to influence souls was considered essential to the survival of the Naskapi.

Question 18

Naskapi women were not allowed to participate in hunting or fishing with the men.

Question 19

There are very few types of kachinas.

Question 20

The Cherokee people welcomed the early European settlers to their land.

Question 21

An important function of kachinas in Hopi society was to

A) entertain the tribal members at important feasts.
B) enact creation stories.
C) summon the gods.
D) teach the children discipline and social ethics.

Question 22

The Naskapi hunter's success depended upon

A) their skill with weapons.
B) the favor of the gods.
C) the generous souls of animals and fish.
D) the favor of the shaman.

Question 23

Early Cherokee women

A) fought wars alongside men & won warrior's honors.
B) only tended the corn and cared for the children.
C) were not allowed to own property.
D) were severely oppressed by their husbands and fathers.

Question 24

The Naskapi referred to the active, living soul of the individual as

A) Mantu.
B) Mista'peo.
C) Tsaka'bec.
D) Sedna.

Question 25

The early Cherokees viewed their tribal myths as

A) children's bedtime stories.
B) stories meant for entertainment only.
C) lies told to confuse foreigners.
D) sacred stories for the initiated only.

Question 26

The Incas believed the only proper person to approach the gods was

A) the emperor.
B) the priest.
C) Inti.
D) a virgin.

Question 27

The Naskapi valued the shaman as one who could

A) influence and control souls.
B) control the weather.
C) alter the natural world.
D) act as the community medicine man.

Question 28

According to one Cherokee creation myth, who created the world?

A) Ahone
B) Coyote
C) Water Beetle
D) Okeus

Question 29

The Powhatans were named after

A) the territory in which they lived.
B) a sacred tree that grew on their land.
C) the first chief whom the English met at Jamestown.
D) the first English child born at Jamestown.

Question 30

For most of their history, the Aztecs

A) practiced human sacrifice.
B) were dedicated farmers.
C) were nomadic hunter/gatherers.
D) oppressed neighboring tribes.

Question 31

Powhatan priests functioned as

A) medical and religious professionals.
B) ritual/ceremonial performers only.
C) religious professionals only.
D) tribal counselors.

Question 32

Which Aztec goddess represented both birth (creation) and death (destruction)?

A) Coatlicue
B) Tlazolteotl
C) Xochiquetzal
D) Tlaloc

Question 33

According to Naskapi beliefs, where did souls of the dead reside between rebirths?

A) in the sea
B) in limbo
C) in heaven or hell
D) among the stars

Question 34

Blood was a necessary element in Aztec sacrifice used to

A) feed Tlaloc.
B) fertilize the earth.
C) appease the gods of war.
D) nourish the sun.

Question 35

The Naskapi used the term Mantu to describe the soul of

A) nature, animals, and humans.
B) humans only.
C) animals only.
D) nature only.

Question 36

None of the religions of the Americas developed an enduring concept of one god (monotheism).

Question 37

The ancient Incas saw their Chief as the

A) steward of the gods' chosen people.
B) Sun's representative on earth.
C) husband of their Mother Goddess.
D) High God himself.

Question 38

With the European invasion of the New World, tribal indigenous beliefs and practices were

A) destroyed completely.
B) compromised and adapted.
C) practiced in secret.
D) not changed at all.

Question 39

The Aztec Stone of the Sun represents

A) the earth.
B) the 5th Sun.
C) the cosmos.
D) decoration only.

Question 40

In religious belief and practice, the Powhatans paid most attention to

A) Ahone - the benevolent or "good" god.
B) Okeus - the malevolent or "evil" god.
C) Wisakon - the Powhatan medicine.
D) Powhatan - their Paramount Chief.

Question 46

Briefly describe each of the four main rites of passage in Native American culture.

Question 47

Describe the three phases of the Inca Festival of the Queen (Situa).

Question 48

Describe the common worldview features of North American religions.

Question 49

Reflect on the Native American idea that the problems for humans were essentially caused by humans.

Question 50

Define huacas and describe their function in Inca spirituality.

Question 51

Reflect on the Native American notion of spiritual disorder manifesting as physical illness.

Question 52

Explain the roles of the gods Ahone and Okeus among Powhatan people.

Question 53

Describe the Cherokee myth about life in which Kana'ti was the ideal for men and Selu was the ideal for women.

Question 54

Describe how and why the Naskapi human soul, Mista'peo, communicates with the individual.

Question 55

Describe the concept of soul in hunters and hunted among the Naskapi.

Question 56

Describe the Aztec's artistic symbol for their Chief god, Huitzilopochtli.

Question 57

Compare and contrast the functions/actions of religious professionals (shamans, priests) from the Naskapi, Powhatan, and Cherokee tribes.

Question 58

Tsaka'bec was a central figure in Naskapi myths. He was known as a trickster because he

A) had a soul that lived in his heart.
B) manifested reincarnation.
C) performed deeds that altered creation.
D) expressed gratitude to the animals.

Question 59

Describe the Powhatan notion of the afterlife.

Question 60

The explorer, Hernando Cortez, was misidentified by the Aztec people to be

A) the King of Spain.
B) Quetzalcoatl.
C) Montezuma.
D) Carlos Mencia.