Question 1

The nation that led the way for European expansion into the Americas was
A) France.
B) England.
C) China.
D) Portugal.
E) Spain

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

The system of labor control that allowed a person to exploit the labor force for a certain period of time was called
A) hacienda.
B) encomienda.
C) bandeirante.
D) requerimiento.
E) casa grande

Accepted Answer

The encomienda system allowed a person (the encomendero) to receive a specified number of indigenous people from the Spanish government and have control over their labor and tribute payments for a certain period of time. It was a form of labor exploitation used in Spanish colonies in the Americas.

Question 3

The leader of the Norsemen who settled in Greenland was
A) King Harold.
B) Erik the Red.
C) Prester John.
D) Leif Eriksson.
E) Columbus.

Accepted Answer

The Norsemen who settled in Greenland were led by Erik the Red. He named the island "Greenland" to attract more settlers and create a positive image of the land.

Question 4

The European explorer who reached the Grand Canyon was
A) Francisco de Coronado.
B) Amerigo Vespucci.
C) Francisco Pizarro.
D) Hernan Cortés.
E) Prince Henry

Accepted Answer

Francisco de Coronado led an expedition in search of the Seven Cities of Gold in the American Southwest in 1540-1542. His travels took him through present-day Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and included a brief stop at the Grand Canyon.

Question 5

In the period 1530 to 1630, the population of Mexico and Peru decreased by approximately
A) 10 percent.
B) 30 percent.
C) 60 percent.
D) 90 percent.
E) 100 percent

Accepted Answer

The period 1530 to 1630 corresponds to the height of the Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas. During this time, indigenous peoples were subjected to forced labor, diseases, and violence, leading to a significant decline in population. Most estimates suggest that the population of Mexico and Peru decreased by approximately 90 percent during this period.

Question 6

Unlike Spain in the Americas, Portugal in Brazil did not attempt to rule the Indian population directly, but attempted to
A) use it as labor.
B) remove it to Portugal.
C) enslave and eventually replace it.
D) Christianize it
E) exterminate it.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Unlike Spain in the Americas, Portugal in...

Question 7

Human habitation of the Americas began approximately
A) 500,000 years ago.
B) 100,000 years ago.
C) 14,000 years ago.
D) 5,000 years ago.
E) 500 years ago.

Accepted Answer

The generally accepted theory is that humans first migrated to the Americas across the Bering land bridge from Asia around 14,000 years ago. There is some evidence of even earlier migrations, but it is still debated among scientists.

Question 8

Who of the following was the conqueror of the Inca empire?
A) Francisco Pizarro
B) Hernán Cortés
C) Francisco de Coronado
D) Vasco da Gama
E) Bishop de las Casas.

Accepted Answer

Francisco Pizarro was the conqueror of the Inca empire, while Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec empire in Mexico, Francisco de Coronado explored the southwestern region of the United States, Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer who reached India, and Bishop de las Casas was a Spanish advocate for the rights of Native Americans.

Question 9

The most devastating factor brought to the Americas by the Europeans was
A) the horse
B) gunpowder.
C) cannon.
D) bronze weaponry.
E) disease.

Accepted Answer

The most devastating factor brought to the Americas by the Europeans was disease, particularly smallpox, which decimated the native populations who had no immunity to it. The introduction of disease is estimated to have caused a loss of 90% of the native population within the first century of contact with Europeans. The other options, while significant in their own ways, did not have as devastating an impact on the native populations as disease did.

Question 10

Each of the following could be referred to as a conquistador except
A) Hernán Cortés.
B) Francisco Pizarro.
C) Vasco da Gama.
D) Francisco de Coronado.
E) Hernando de Soto

Accepted Answer

Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer and navigator who is known for being the first European to reach India by sea. He was not a conquistador, as he did not participate in the conquest and colonization of the Americas by Spain. The other choices, Cortés, Pizarro, Coronado, and de Soto, were all conquistadors who played significant roles in the Spanish conquest of the Americas.

Question 11

The early civilizations of America were basically ____ age cultures.
A) bronze
B) stone
C) wood
D) iron
E) agricultural

Accepted Answer

The early civilizations of America were primarily stone age cultures because they relied on stone tools and weapons and did not have knowledge of metallurgy.

Question 12

The Americas were first settled by
A) Asians.
B) western Europeans.
C) eastern Europeans.
D) Africans.
E) Europeans.

Accepted Answer

The Americas were first settled by Asians who crossed the Bering Strait land bridge from Siberia to Alaska during the last Ice Age.

Question 13

The most likely reason for European success in conquering the American Indian population is
A) the prolonged isolation of the Americas from the rest of the world.
B) the superiority of European civilizations.
C) the warlike savagery of the Europeans.
D) the passivity of Native Americans.
E) the success of the priests in converting them to Christianity.

Accepted Answer

The prolonged isolation of the Americas from the rest of the world led to a lack of immunity among the Native American populations to diseases brought by Europeans, which decimated their numbers and contributed significantly to European success in conquests.

Question 14

The major reason that western Europe engaged in explorations in the fifteenth century was
A) the desire to spread Christianity.
B) to control the oceans.
C) to expand trade with the non-Christian world.
D) to establish colonies.
E) to escape the Black Death.

Accepted Answer

Western Europe wanted to expand their trade with non-Christian world because they wanted access to the highly coveted spices, silks, and other luxury goods from Asia that were highly difficult and expensive to obtain through Middle Eastern intermediaries.

Question 15

The leader of the Aztecs at the time of their defeat in 1519 was
A) Atahualpa.
B) Moctezuma.
C) Tenochtitlan.
D) Texcoco.
E) Geronimo.

Accepted Answer

Moctezuma was the leader of the Aztecs at the time of their defeat in 1519. Atahualpa was the leader of the Incas and had no involvement in the defeat of the Aztecs. Tenochtitlan was the capital city of the Aztec empire. Texcoco was another important city in the Aztec empire. Geronimo was an Apache leader who lived over 300 years after the fall of the Aztec empire.

Question 16

The early Native American civilization to leave detailed written records of their activities were the
A) Aztec.
B) Texaca.
C) Cherokee
D) Olmec.
E) Maya.

Accepted Answer

The Maya civilization developed a complex system of hieroglyphic writing and produced numerous inscriptions and books containing historical records, religious rituals, and scientific observations. The other options did not leave as extensive or detailed written records.

Question 17

The major source of wealth exploited by the Spaniards in the Americas was
A) gold.
B) silver.
C) tobacco.
D) cotton.
E) iron

Accepted Answer

The major source of wealth exploited by the Spaniards in the Americas was silver. While there was certainly gold to be found in the New World as well, silver was much more abundant and became the backbone of Spain's economy during the colonial period.

Question 18

The leading practitioners of human sacrifice in the Americas were the
A) Maya.
B) Incas.
C) Aztec.
D) Olmec.
E) Spaniards.

Accepted Answer

The Aztecs were known for their widespread use of human sacrifice as part of their religious practices. The Maya and Incas practiced sacrificial rituals as well, but not to the same extent as the Aztecs. The Olmecs are not known to have practiced human sacrifice. The Spaniards were responsible for ending the practice of human sacrifice in the Americas, but they were not the leading practitioners of it.

Question 19

The Chinese developed all of the following except
A) movable type.
B) gunpowder.
C) paper money.
D) the compass.
E) a complex political system.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Chinese developed all of the following...

Question 20

By the mid-sixteenth century, the most powerful nation in Europe was
A) England.
B) France.
C) Spain.
D) Portugal.
E) Germany

Accepted Answer

By the mid-sixteenth century, Spain had gained territories and wealth through exploration and colonization, making it the most powerful nation in Europe. England and France were still developing their colonial empires, Portugal's power was declining, and Germany was fragmented into multiple states.

Quiz 1: When Old Worlds Collide: Contact, Conquest, Catastrophe

The nation that led the way for European expansion into the Americas was

The system of labor control that allowed a person to exploit the labor force for a certain period of time was called

The leader of the Norsemen who settled in Greenland was

The European explorer who reached the Grand Canyon was

In the period 1530 to 1630, the population of Mexico and Peru decreased by approximately

Unlike Spain in the Americas, Portugal in Brazil did not attempt to rule the Indian population directly, but attempted to

Human habitation of the Americas began approximately

Who of the following was the conqueror of the Inca empire?

The most devastating factor brought to the Americas by the Europeans was

Each of the following could be referred to as a conquistador except

The early civilizations of America were basically ____ age cultures.

The Americas were first settled by

The most likely reason for European success in conquering the American Indian population is

The major reason that western Europe engaged in explorations in the fifteenth century was

The leader of the Aztecs at the time of their defeat in 1519 was

The early Native American civilization to leave detailed written records of their activities were the

The major source of wealth exploited by the Spaniards in the Americas was

The leading practitioners of human sacrifice in the Americas were the

The Chinese developed all of the following except

By the mid-sixteenth century, the most powerful nation in Europe was