Why did corn cultivation move so far northward from Mesoamerica?
A) Europeans introduced the crop to the North American continent.
B) Corn seeds spread northward through birds and trade winds.
C) Aztec merchants traveled as far as the Great Lakes region, introducing the crop.
D) Like other goods and practices, corn cultivation traveled north on the Mississippi River.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Corn cultivation spread northward along the Mississippi River, as it was an important trade route and allowed for the exchange of goods and practices. Over time, indigenous peoples in the north learned how to cultivate corn and adapted it to their own growing conditions. Europeans did introduce new varieties of corn to North America, but the spread of cultivation from Mesoamerica to the north was primarily through trade and travel. There is no evidence of Aztec merchants introducing corn to the Great Lakes region, and while birds and winds may have played a role in the spread of the plant, they were not the primary drivers of its migration.

Why Did Corn Cultivation Move So Far Northward from Mesoamerica