Question 1

Which of the following was true of serfdom?
A)By 1500,serfdom had virtually disappeared and had been replaced by free labor in western Europe.
B)Serfs were similar to slaves in that both could be bought and sold individually.
C)In North America,serfdom was more widespread and more profitable than was slavery.
D)Russia was the only European country that relied entirely on a free labor system.
E)Serfs were forcibly resettled in the Americas.

Accepted Answer

By 1500, serfdom had largely disappeared in Western Europe, transitioning to a system of free labor, while it persisted in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia.

Question 2

All except which of the following were negative results of the exploration and discovery era?
A)Millions of Africans were enslaved and transported to other parts of the world.
B)Warfare,slavery,and disease killed millions of Indians.
C)Many plants native to the Americas were displaced by European imports.
D)The Asian nations of China,India,and Japan became the wealthiest and most powerful countries in the world.
E)European animals overran American rivals.

Accepted Answer

The option D is the correct answer as it states the opposite of what actually happened during the exploration and discovery era. The Asian nations of China, India, and Japan did not become the wealthiest and most powerful countries in the world during the era of European exploration and discovery. In fact, it was Europe itself that became the wealthiest and most powerful region of the world during this time. All the other options (A, B, C, and E) are negative consequences of the exploration and discovery era.

Question 3

Amerind was the forerunner of all of the following languages except
A)Algonquian.
B)Navajo.
C)Muskogean.
D)Iroquoian.
E)Siouan.

Accepted Answer

Amerind is an extinct language family that was once spoken in parts of North America. It is the forerunner of several present-day Native American languages such as Algonquian, Muskogean, Iroquoian, and Siouan. However, Navajo is not descended from Amerind, but rather from the Athabaskan language family, which is mainly found in western North America. Therefore, the correct answer is B) Navajo.

Question 4

The sixteenth century Catholic missions in North America
A)were most successful in Virginia and the Carolinas.
B)trained Indians as soldiers to protect the settlements from English and French attacks.
C)were administered by unarmed Franciscan priests.
D)failed to convert any Indians to Christianity.
E)rejected any military protection.

Accepted Answer

The sixteenth century Catholic missions in North America were administered by unarmed Franciscan priests.

Question 5

The European nation that was the pioneer in the area of exploration was
A)Spain.
B)Germany.
C)Italy.
D)France.
E)Portugal.

Accepted Answer

Portugal was the pioneer in the area of exploration, with explorers like Vasco da Gama and Bartholomeu Dias making significant journeys to Africa and India in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Question 6

The crusades influenced European expansion by
A)establishing permanent Christian control of the holy city of Jerusalem.
B)demonstrating that the Arab nations of the East were weak and easily defeated.
C)developing a colonial economic system based on the production of staple crops by slave labor.
D)discouraging trade with Asian and African nations.
E)providing slaves for the plantations in the Caribbean.

Accepted Answer

The Crusades influenced European expansion by fostering a colonial economic mindset, where Europeans began to see the potential for wealth through the establishment and control of colonies. This mindset eventually led to the development of economies based on the production of staple crops by slave labor, particularly in the New World.

Question 7

-Most of the native languages of North and South America were
A)derived from the Amerind language.
B)completely eradicated by the introduction of European languages.
C)a combination of Germanic and Asian linguistics.
D)already developed as written languages before the arrival of the Europeans.
E)understandable to the Europeans.

Accepted Answer

Many of the native languages of North and South America were derived from the Amerind language, which is a family of languages spoken by indigenous peoples across North, Central, and South America. However, there were also many other distinct language families present in the Americas before European colonization. While some languages were severely impacted by European colonization and the forced adoption of European languages, many indigenous languages are still spoken today.

Question 8

The Black Death reduced Europe's population by
A)one-quarter.
B)one-third.
C)one-half.
D)two-third.
E)three-quarter.

Accepted Answer

The Black Death, which struck Europe between 1347 and 1351, is estimated to have reduced the continent's population by about one-third.

Question 9

Amaranth was a type of
A)spear point.
B)animal.
C)cereal.
D)disease.
E)liquor.

Accepted Answer

Amaranth is a type of cereal, often used to make flour or popped like popcorn. It is also commonly used in gluten-free products. It is a nutritious grain high in protein, fiber, and minerals.

Question 10

Before the arrival of the Europeans,the Indian societies of the Americas
A)were all primitive,nomadic hunters and gatherers.
B)were democratic cultures in which all members,including women,could vote.
C)used bronze and iron for tools and weapons.
D)had all developed a written language.
E)were Stone Age cultures.

Accepted Answer

The statement "Stone Age cultures" refers to societies that used stone for tools and weapons and is the best description of the Indian societies of the Americas before the arrival of Europeans. Option A is incorrect as there were many Indian societies that had agriculture and lived in settled communities. Option B is incorrect as there were certainly societal hierarchies and not all members had equal say in decision-making. Option C is incorrect as metalworking had not yet been introduced to the Americas before European contact. Option D is incorrect as many of the Indian societies did not have a written language.

Question 11

Most European Christians viewed the Indians as
A)innocent,childlike people who should be left alone.
B)descendants of the ancient survivors of the lost continent of Atlantis.
C)subhuman,soulless devil worshippers.
D)sophisticated people who were morally and ethically superior to the inhabitants of Asia and Europe.
E)one of the lost tribes of Israel.

Accepted Answer

Most European Christians viewed the indigenous people of the Americas as heathens and devil worshippers who needed to be converted to Christianity. Many believed that they were inferior and subhuman, with no soul and therefore not deserving of the same rights and treatment as Europeans. This viewpoint justified the mistreatment, forced conversion, and enslavement of the native population.

Question 12

In 1400,western European society was
A)self-sufficient and had no interest in trading with Asia.
B)primarily interested in importing gold and silver from Russia.
C)backward and isolated when compared with Chinese and Islamic societies.
D)scientifically and mathematically the most advanced culture in the world.
E)not influenced by religion.

Accepted Answer

During this time period, China and the Islamic world were more advanced in areas such as science and technology, while Western European society was still recovering from the devastation of the Black Death and focused on agriculture and local trade. They were also still heavily influenced by feudalism and the Catholic Church. Trading with Asia became more important in the following centuries with the rise of exploration and colonialism.

Question 13

The era of European exploration
A)brought previously isolated societies into contact with other nations and cultures.
B)promoted peaceful and friendly relations between different ethnic groups.
C)promoted religious toleration and ended the persecution of non-Christians around the globe.
D)failed to spread technology.
E)held no benefits to American Indians.

Accepted Answer

The era of European exploration led to previously isolated societies coming into contact with other nations and cultures. This resulted in the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies between different ethnic groups. However, it also led to conflict and exploitation of indigenous peoples by colonizers. Nonetheless, the era of exploration brought benefits as well as challenges.

Question 14

As of 1400,____ mariners were the world's best.
A)English
B)Spanish
C)Portuguese
D)Chinese
E)Arab

Accepted Answer

The answer of As of 1400,____ mariners were the world's...

Question 15

Which of the following is true of the Atlantic slave trade in the late fifteenth century and thereafter?
A)Most slaves were taken by Europeans who raided coastal villages and enslaved the inhabitants.
B)Slavery did not exist in Africa until the Europeans introduced it.
C)Most slaves were first enslaved by other Africans and then were sold to European traders.
D)The Portuguese opposed slavery and tried to prevent its extension to the New World.
E)Most slaves were Native Americans.

Accepted Answer

Most slaves were first enslaved by other Africans and then were sold to European traders.

Question 16

All of the following were food crops grown in the Americas during the late Stone Age (Neolithic)except
A)maize.
B)white potatoes.
C)tomatoes.
D)oranges.
E)squash.

Accepted Answer

Oranges are not originally native to the Americas and were introduced later during the Age of Exploration.

Question 17

Which of the following was true of Christopher Columbus?
A)He was the first person to believe that the Earth is round.
B)He was an Italian navigator whose four voyages to the West were financed by the Spanish.
C)He accurately calculated the circumference of the Earth to be 26,000 miles.
D)He received land,titles,and wealth from his discoveries and died the richest commoner in Europe.
E)He rejected offers from England and Portugal to finance his voyages.

Accepted Answer

Christopher Columbus was an Italian navigator whose four voyages to the West were financed by the Spanish.

Question 18

The mound builders and the Anasazi were similar in that both
A)were complex societies that developed north of Mexico.
B)depended on the horse as the major beast of burden.
C)were primarily hunter-warrior societies.
D)were the ancestors of the Mayans and the Aztecs.
E)had developed a written language.

Accepted Answer

Both the mound builders and the Anasazi were pre-Columbian Native American cultures that developed complex societies north of Mexico.

Question 19

During the reign of Philip II,
A)the Moors were driven off of the Iberian Peninsula.
B)toleration of Jews and Moslems was established throughout the Spanish Empire.
C)the first global economic system was created by the union of Spain and Portugal.
D)the Spanish peacefully mediated between competing European and Asian nations.
E)France merged with Spain.

Accepted Answer

During Philip II's reign, the Iberian Union was established when he became king of Portugal, creating a global economic system due to the combined empires.

Question 20

Which of the following is not true of the Spanish conquistadores?
A)They succeeded in part because smallpox decimated the Indian population.
B)They led huge armies of 50,000 to 100,000 well-trained Europeans.
C)They searched unsuccessfully for fabulous golden cities in North America.
D)They conquered two major empires in the Americas and greatly increased the wealth and power of Spain.
E)They destroyed religious items of the native people.

Accepted Answer

The Spanish conquistadores did not lead armies of 50,000 to 100,000 well-trained Europeans. In fact, the conquistadors often relied on small groups of soldiers to conquer large empires in the Americas.

Quiz 1: When Old Worlds Collide: Contact, conquest, catastrophe

Which of the following was true of serfdom?

All except which of the following were negative results of the exploration and discovery era?

Amerind was the forerunner of all of the following languages except

The sixteenth century Catholic missions in North America

The European nation that was the pioneer in the area of exploration was

The crusades influenced European expansion by

-Most of the native languages of North and South America were

The Black Death reduced Europe's population by

Amaranth was a type of

Before the arrival of the Europeans,the Indian societies of the Americas

Most European Christians viewed the Indians as

In 1400,western European society was

The era of European exploration

As of 1400,____ mariners were the world's best.

Which of the following is true of the Atlantic slave trade in the late fifteenth century and thereafter?

All of the following were food crops grown in the Americas during the late Stone Age (Neolithic) except

Which of the following was true of Christopher Columbus?

The mound builders and the Anasazi were similar in that both

During the reign of Philip II,

Which of the following is not true of the Spanish conquistadores?