Question 1

For what were the Eastern Woodlands Indians of the Mississippi culture known?

Accepted Answer

They were known for building mounds, some for ceremonial purposes and some as burial sites.

Question 2

How did the Iroquois and Algonquian cultures clear land for crops of corn and other vegetables?

Accepted Answer

They employed the slash-and-burn method.

Question 3

Why did women have a voice in the selection of chiefs among the Iroquoian people?

Accepted Answer

Their work in agriculture was crucial for the community's welfare and entitled them to participate in local government.

Question 4

Why were traders seeking new trading opportunities?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why were traders seeking new trading opportunities?...

Question 5

What product of China changed the world, and how did it change it?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What product of China changed the world,...

Question 6

What different populations had economic organizations sufficiently similar to make trade possible?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What different populations had economic organizations sufficiently...

Question 7

Before Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain in 1492, what did he want?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Before Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain in...

Question 8

What was the consequence the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What was the consequence the Treaty of...

Question 9

What produced a dramatic change in Plains Indian culture?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What produced a dramatic change in Plains...

Question 10

How did the Columbian Exchange affect the relationship between Europe and Asia?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How did the Columbian Exchange affect the...

Question 11

Malinche was
A) The name of Cortes's primary ship.
B) A woman who used her linguistic and cultural knowledge to help Columbus.
C) Moctezuma's confidant and advisor.
D) A woman who used her linguistic and cultural knowledge to help Cortés.

Accepted Answer

Malinche was a woman who acted as an interpreter, advisor, and intermediary for Cortés during his conquest of Mexico. She was fluent in both the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs and Spanish, and her knowledge of both cultures proved invaluable to Cortés in his negotiations and military campaigns.

Question 12

How did Malinche contribute to Hernando Cortés's conquest of the Aztec empire?
A) She betrayed her own mother, the ruler of the Chontal Maya.
B) She was held hostage until her people gave him more gold.
C) She interpreted Spanish and Nathuatl languages so he could speak with native people.
D) She revealed the fastest route to their capital at Tenochtitlán.

Accepted Answer

Malinche, also known as Doña Marina, was a bilingual interpreter who could speak Spanish and the local language Nathuatl. This allowed Hernando Cortés to communicate with the native people of the Aztec empire and form alliances with local tribes who were enemies of the Aztecs. This was a crucial factor in Cortés's success in conquering the Aztecs. Choices A and B are incorrect because they are not related to Malinche's contributions to Cortés's conquest. Choice D is partially correct, but interpreting languages was her most significant contribution.

Question 13

Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest Americans arrived on the continent
A) By 12,000 BCE.
B) In large groups of hunters and gatherers.
C) In one small group that had been banished from Siberia.
D) No earlier than 9000 BCE.

Accepted Answer

Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest Americans arrived on the continent by 12,000 BCE.

Question 14

Which of the following appears to have been the most important reason for the extinction of the woolly mammoth?
A) Overhunting.
B) European diseases.
C) Climactic shifts.
D) A massive earthquake.

Accepted Answer

Climactic shifts, including changes in temperature and habitat, are widely considered the most significant factors contributing to the extinction of the woolly mammoth. These environmental changes affected their food sources and habitats, making survival increasingly difficult.

Question 15

Why did the combination of corn and beans prove so crucial to the diet of early Americans?
A) Corn remedied the digestive issues that beans created.
B) Beans neutralized an otherwise toxic compound in Archaic forms of corn.
C) The beans added amino acid to the corn, making the combination as nutritious as meat.
D) Corn and beans grew under different conditions and in different places, making harvests more reliable.

Accepted Answer

The combination of corn and beans was crucial because the beans added amino acid to the corn, making the combination as nutritious as meat. This was especially important for early Americans who did not have access to meat on a regular basis.

Question 16

Why have scholars called Mesoamerica the "Cradle of the Americas"?
A) The Native American population originated in this region.
B) The region was the first to embrace a monotheistic religion.
C) The region hosted the first technologically advanced civilizations.
D) This was the only region in which Native Americans survived the Ice Age.

Accepted Answer

Scholars have called Mesoamerica the "Cradle of the Americas" because this region was home to some of the earliest and most technologically advanced civilizations in the Americas, such as the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec. These civilizations developed complex systems of agriculture, writing, art, and architecture that influenced later cultures in the Americas.

Question 17

Scholars know a good deal about the Maya and Aztec because
A) Maya and Aztec writers recorded their own events.
B) Maya and Aztec writers used their native pictoglyphic writing and also later used the Spaniards' Roman alphabet to record their histories.
C) Remains, other than writing, have supplemented scholarly research.
D) Each statement is correct.

Accepted Answer

All of the statements are correct. Scholars have been able to learn about the Maya and Aztec from their own writings, which were recorded in their native pictoglyphic writing as well as using the Roman alphabet introduced by the Spaniards. In addition, archaeological and other remains have also been used to supplement research.

Question 18

From Maya and Aztec writings and other cultural indications, we can conclude that
A) They were probably the most violent people at the time.
B) Maya and Aztec people lived in a complex political world complete with alliances with different groups.
C) The Maya especially lived in isolated, rural communities.
D) Aztec cities were ruled by dictatorial chiefs who did not give their subjects any voice in decision making.

Accepted Answer

Maya and Aztec writings and cultural indications suggest that they lived in a complex political world with alliances with different groups, indicating an advanced social structure rather than isolation. There is no evidence to support the other options presented.

Question 19

Why did most Anasazi return to hunting and gathering practices at times?
A) They lacked the skills of Mesoamerican corn cultivators.
B) They could grow corn, but without beans this proved an insufficient diet.
C) Changing climates and nomadic enemies forced them to resort to alternative forms of sustenance.
D) The poor soil of the Southwest only produced three or four crops before it was depleted and communities had to move on.

Accepted Answer

Changing climates and nomadic enemies forced the Anasazi to resort to alternative forms of sustenance. Drought conditions and attacks from nomadic tribes made life difficult for the Anasazi, and they often had to rely on hunting and gathering during these times.

Question 20

Among other things, the Mississippian people were known for
A) Building mounds, some for ceremonial purposes and some as burial sites.
B) Discovering how to extract gold and silver from ore.
C) Living in tipis that could be moved easily.
D) Surviving on roots and nuts.

Accepted Answer

The Mississippian people were known for building mounds, sometimes for ceremonial purposes and sometimes as burial sites. These mounds were often found near rivers and were used for a variety of activities, including religious ceremonies, administrative purposes, and even as the home of a ruler or elite individual. The Mississippian culture is defined by these mounds, which are some of the largest earthen structures in North America.

Quiz 1: Worlds in Motion, 1450-1550

For what were the Eastern Woodlands Indians of the Mississippi culture known?

How did the Iroquois and Algonquian cultures clear land for crops of corn and other vegetables?

Why did women have a voice in the selection of chiefs among the Iroquoian people?

Why were traders seeking new trading opportunities?

What product of China changed the world, and how did it change it?

What different populations had economic organizations sufficiently similar to make trade possible?

Before Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain in 1492, what did he want?

What was the consequence the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494?

What produced a dramatic change in Plains Indian culture?

How did the Columbian Exchange affect the relationship between Europe and Asia?

Malinche was

How did Malinche contribute to Hernando Cortés's conquest of the Aztec empire?

Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest Americans arrived on the continent

Which of the following appears to have been the most important reason for the extinction of the woolly mammoth?

Why did the combination of corn and beans prove so crucial to the diet of early Americans?

Why have scholars called Mesoamerica the "Cradle of the Americas"?

Scholars know a good deal about the Maya and Aztec because

From Maya and Aztec writings and other cultural indications, we can conclude that

Why did most Anasazi return to hunting and gathering practices at times?

Among other things, the Mississippian people were known for