Question 1

All of the following are true of the Inca,Mayan,and Aztec civilizations except they
A) had advanced agricultural practices based primarily on the cultivation of maize.
B) lacked the technology of the wheel.
C) had the use of large draft animals such as the horse and oxen.
D) built elaborate cities and carried on far-flung commerce.
E) had talented mathematicians, which allowed them to make accurate astronomical observations.

Accepted Answer

None of these civilizations had the use of large draft animals such as the horse and oxen. They relied on manual labor and llamas to transport goods.

Question 2

Europeans wanted to discover a new,shorter route to eastern Asia in order to
A) break the hold that Muslim merchants had on trade with Asia.
B) reduce the price of goods from Asia.
C) gain more profits for themselves.
D) reduce the time it took to transport goods.
E) All of these

Accepted Answer

Europeans wanted to discover a new, shorter route to eastern Asia in order to break the hold that Muslim merchants had on trade with Asia, reduce the price of goods from Asia, gain more profits for themselves, and reduce the time it took to transport goods. All of these reasons were motivating factors for European exploration and colonization of new trade routes.

Question 3

In 1492,when Europeans arrived in the Americas,the total of the two continents' populations was perhaps
A) 5 million.
B) 15 million.
C) 35 million.
D) 54 million.
E) 82 million.

Accepted Answer

Estimates suggest that the population of the Americas in 1492 was around 50 to 60 million, making 54 million a reasonable approximation.

Question 4

The crop that became the staple of life in Mexico and South America was
A) wheat.
B) potatoes.
C) tobacco.
D) corn.
E) beans.

Accepted Answer

Corn, also known as maize, became the staple crop of life in Mexico and South America, playing a significant role in the diets and cultures of indigenous peoples in the region. It was used to make tortillas, tamales, and other traditional dishes, and remains a staple food in many parts of the world today.

Question 5

Men in the more settled agricultural groups in North America performed all of the following tasks except
A) hunting.
B) gathering fuel.
C) tending crops.
D) clearing fields for planting.
E) fishing.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Men in the more settled agricultural groups...

Question 6

Some of the more advanced Native American cultures did all of the following except
A) engage in significant ocean voyages of discovery.
B) establish large, elaborate, and bustling cities.
C) make strikingly accurate astronomical observations.
D) study mathematics.
E) carry on commerce.

Accepted Answer

While some Native American cultures were skilled navigators and used canoes and boats for fishing and transportation, there is no evidence that they engaged in significant ocean voyages of discovery like European explorers.

Question 7

Before the arrival of Europeans,most native peoples in North America
A) lived in large communities.
B) were more advanced than those in South America.
C) lived in small, scattered, and impermanent settlements.
D) populated the greater part of the continent.
E) relied on horses for transportation.

Accepted Answer

Before the arrival of Europeans, most native peoples in North America lived in small, scattered, and impermanent settlements. This was due to their reliance on hunting, fishing, and gathering, which required them to move frequently in search of food and resources. It wasn't until the introduction of agriculture that larger, more permanent settlements began to emerge.

Question 8

The Christian crusaders were indirectly responsible for the discovery of America because they
A) were victorious over the Muslims.
B) brought back news of valuable Far Eastern spices, drugs, and silk.
C) succeeded in establishing improved business relations between Muslims and Christians.
D) returned with captured Muslim maps showing the North and South American continents.
E) developed better navigational devices.

Accepted Answer

The Christian crusaders were not directly responsible for the discovery of America. However, they did bring back news of valuable Far Eastern spices, drugs, and silk, which sparked interest in finding new trade routes to Asia. This eventually led to the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, who was searching for a new trade route to the East.

Question 9

Most likely the first Americans were
A) Norse seafarers from Scandinavia.
B) Spanish explorers of the fifteenth century.
C) people who crossed the land bridge from Eurasia to North America.
D) Portuguese sailors of Prince Henry the Navigator.
E) refugees from Africa.

Accepted Answer

The most widely accepted theory is that the first Americans were people who migrated from Siberia across the Bering Land Bridge (now submerged under the Bering Sea) into Alaska and then dispersed throughout North and South America. This migration is estimated to have occurred around 13,000-15,000 years ago. The Norse, Spanish, Portuguese, and African migrations all happened much later.

Question 10

The Iroquois Confederacy was able to menace its Native American and European neighbors because of
A) its military alliances, sustained by political and organizational skills.
B) the Iroquois warriors' skill with the Europeans' muskets.
C) the scattered nature of the Iroquois settlements, which made it difficult for their enemies to defeat them.
D) the alliance with the Aztecs and Incas.
E) its use of new weapons.

Accepted Answer

The Iroquois Confederacy was able to menace its neighbors because of its military alliances sustained by political and organizational skills. They formed strong alliances with neighboring tribes and used their political skills to maintain those alliances, making them a formidable force in the region.

Question 11

The size and sophistication of Native American civilizations in Mexico and South America can be attributed to
A) Spanish influences.
B) their way of life based on hunting and gathering.
C) the development of agriculture.
D) influences brought by early settlers from Siberia.
E) their use of draft animals and the wheel.

Accepted Answer

The development of agriculture allowed for the establishment of permanent settlements, population growth, and the development of complex societies and civilizations. This is evident in the agricultural practices of civilizations such as the Maya, Aztec, and Inca.

Question 12

All of the following set into motion the chain of events that led to a drive of Europeans toward Asia,the penetration of Africa,and the discovery of the New World except
A) economic hardships and overpopulation at home.
B) growing power of ambitious governments behind them.
C) they sought contact with a wider world.
D) they sought territories to conqueror.
E) they sought new places to trade with.

Accepted Answer

The answer of All of the following set into motion...

Question 13

Identify the statement that is false.
A) Most native peoples of North America lived in small, scattered, and impermanent settlements prior to the arrival of Europeans.
B) In more settled agricultural groups, women tended the crops while men hunted.
C) Many North American groups developed matrilineal cultures, where power and possessions passed down the female side of the family line.
D) Native Americans rejected the belief that the physical world was endowed with spiritual properties.
E) Native Americans had neither the desire nor the means to manipulate nature aggressively.

Accepted Answer

Native Americans had a strong belief in the spiritual properties of the physical world and often viewed nature as sacred. This statement is false.

Question 14

The early voyages of the Scandinavian seafarers did not result in permanent settlement in North America because
A) the Native Americans drove them out.
B) the area in which they landed could not support a large population.
C) no nation-state supported these ventures.
D) British adventurers defeated the Scandinavians in 1066.
E) the settlers died of disease.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The early voyages of the Scandinavian seafarers...

Question 15

The Great Ice Age accounted for the origins of North America's human history because
A) it exposed a land bridge connecting Eurasia with North America.
B) the glacial withdrawal allowed migration from South America.
C) the glacial withdrawal formed freshwater lakes that supported life.
D) when it ended, European migration to the west became possible.
E) it prevented the migration of dangerous animals from the Bering isthmus.

Accepted Answer

The Great Ice Age exposed a land bridge between Eurasia and North America known as the Bering Land Bridge, which allowed for migration of humans from Asia to North America. This land bridge was a crucial factor in the origins of North America's human history.

Question 16

All of the following were original territories of North American Indian populations within the current borders of the United States except
A) Mesoamerica.
B) Northeast.
C) Southeast.
D) Great Plains.
E) Great Basin.

Accepted Answer

Mesoamerica is not within the current borders of the United States. It refers to the cultural and geographic region in Mexico and Central America where several indigenous civilizations thrived, including the Maya and Aztec.

Question 17

The development of "three sister" farming on the southeast Atlantic seaboard
A) led to the dominance of the potato.
B) enabled the Anasazis to prosper.
C) ultimately failed to produce adequate amounts of food.
D) was attributed to three young women of the Cherokee peoples.
E) produced a rich diet that led to high population densities.

Accepted Answer

"Three sister" farming refers to the agricultural practice of planting corn, beans, and squash together. This method was used by Native American tribes on the southeast Atlantic seaboard and was particularly well-suited to the region's growing conditions. The combination of these three crops produced a nutrient-rich diet that allowed for high population densities. Therefore, the best choice is E, as it accurately reflects this aspect of the agricultural practice.

Question 18

Native American (Indian)civilization was least highly developed in
A) North America.
B) Mexico.
C) Central America.
D) Peru.
E) Latin America.

Accepted Answer

North America was least highly developed in terms of Native American civilization compared to Mexico, Central America, and South America. The civilizations in Mexico and Central America were known for their advanced agricultural techniques, monumental architecture, and sophisticated calendar systems. The Inca civilization in Peru was also highly advanced with its intricate road systems, engineering feats, and administrative organization. The Native American civilizations in North America, while diverse, generally did not reach the same levels of complexity and development as those in other regions of the Americas.

Question 19

Which of the following was not a feature created in North America ten thousand years ago when the glaciers retreated?
A) The Great Lakes
B) The Great Salt Lake
C) A mineral-rich desert
D) Thousands of shallow depressions which formed lakes
E) The Grand Canyon

Accepted Answer

The Grand Canyon was formed millions of years ago by the Colorado River, not ten thousand years ago when the glaciers retreated.

Question 20

One of the main factors that enabled Europeans to conquer native North Americans with relative ease was the
A) pacifistic nature of the native North Americans.
B) settled agricultural societies of North America.
C) absence of dense concentrations of population or complex nation-states in North America.
D) use of native guides for spying and surveillance activities.
E) lack of technological weaponry available to other native American cultures.

Accepted Answer

The absence of dense concentrations of population or complex nation-states in North America made it easier for Europeans to conquer native North Americans. The native societies were often fragmented and lacked cohesive military organization, which allowed Europeans to exploit divisions between groups and conquer them individually. Additionally, the lack of domesticated animals, such as horses or oxen, made it difficult for native societies to wage war or transport goods over long distances, giving Europeans a strategic advantage.

Quiz 1: New World Beginnings,33,000 B.C.E.-1769 C.E.

All of the following are true of the Inca,Mayan,and Aztec civilizations except they

Europeans wanted to discover a new,shorter route to eastern Asia in order to

In 1492,when Europeans arrived in the Americas,the total of the two continents' populations was perhaps

The crop that became the staple of life in Mexico and South America was

Men in the more settled agricultural groups in North America performed all of the following tasks except

Some of the more advanced Native American cultures did all of the following except

Before the arrival of Europeans,most native peoples in North America

The Christian crusaders were indirectly responsible for the discovery of America because they

Most likely the first Americans were

The Iroquois Confederacy was able to menace its Native American and European neighbors because of

The size and sophistication of Native American civilizations in Mexico and South America can be attributed to

All of the following set into motion the chain of events that led to a drive of Europeans toward Asia,the penetration of Africa,and the discovery of the New World except

Identify the statement that is false.

The early voyages of the Scandinavian seafarers did not result in permanent settlement in North America because

The Great Ice Age accounted for the origins of North America's human history because

All of the following were original territories of North American Indian populations within the current borders of the United States except

The development of "three sister" farming on the southeast Atlantic seaboard

Native American (Indian) civilization was least highly developed in

Which of the following was not a feature created in North America ten thousand years ago when the glaciers retreated?

One of the main factors that enabled Europeans to conquer native North Americans with relative ease was the