Question 1

Regarding knowledge of the Americas prior to the fifteenth century,most Europeans
A) believed the Americas consisted of little more than several small islands.
B) were entirely unaware of the existence of the Americas.
C) had only heard of America from the travels of Marco Polo.
D) assumed that the Americas were largely unpopulated.
E) were aware of the travels of the Norse seaman Leif Eriksson in the eleventh century.

Accepted Answer

Most Europeans were entirely unaware of the existence of the Americas prior to the fifteenth century, as the continent was not known to them until the voyages of Christopher Columbus.

Question 2

Prior to European contact,the eastern third of what is today the United States
A) was politically controlled by the Cahokia Indians.
B) remained for the most part uninhabited.
C) had the most abundant food resources of any region of the continent.
D) contained no permanent settlements.
E) was populated by tribes that engaged in hunting and gathering but did not yet farm.

Accepted Answer

The eastern third of what is today the United States had abundant food resources, including rich forests, rivers, and fertile land, which supported a variety of Native American tribes engaged in agriculture, hunting, and gathering.

Question 3

Which statement best describes the role of women in pre-Columbian North American tribes?
A) In all tribes, women were responsible for farming.
B) In no tribes did women participate in the social and economic organization of the tribe.
C) In some tribes, men took care of the children as the women tended the fields.
D) In all tribes, women cared for the children and prepared meals.
E) In all tribes, both women and men engaged in hunting.

Accepted Answer

In all tribes, women cared for the children and prepared meals.

Question 4

The origins of the majority of human existence in North America began
A) with the explorations of Christopher Columbus.
B) as a result of the development of the wheel.
C) long after the last ice age ended.
D) from the southern tip of South America.
E) with migrations across an ancient land bridge over the Bering Strait.

Accepted Answer

The migration of humans from Asia to North America via an ancient land bridge over the Bering Strait is the predominant theory among scientists and historians for the origins of human existence in North America. This migration likely occurred between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago. The other options listed are not relevant to the origins of human existence in North America.

Question 5

In his first voyage in 1492,Christopher Columbus
A) mistook Cuba for China.
B) sailed along the coast of what is present-day Virginia.
C) crossed the Atlantic Ocean in six weeks.
D) was forced to put down a mutiny on the Santa Maria.
E) was briefly captured by natives he encountered.

Accepted Answer

Christopher Columbus mistook Cuba for China during his first voyage in 1492.

Question 6

Who was the first known European to look westward upon the Pacific Ocean,in 1513?
A) Ferdinand Magellan
B) Amerigo Vespucci
C) Juan Ponce de León
D) Hernando Cortés
E) Vasco de Balboa

Accepted Answer

Vasco de Balboa was the first known European explorer to reach the eastern shore of the Pacific Ocean, which he named the "South Sea", in 1513 on the Isthmus of Panama.

Question 7

Christopher Columbus
A) was a man of little ambition.
B) thought the world was much smaller than it is in reality.
C) believed that Asia could only be reached by sailing east.
D) was trained as a sailor through his long service to Italy.
E) believed the Americas consisted of a few islands.

Accepted Answer

Columbus significantly underestimated the Earth's circumference, believing it to be much smaller and thus thinking Asia could be reached quickly by sailing west from Europe.

Question 8

In the late fifteenth century,the desire in Europe to look for new lands was spurred in part by
A) a desire to escape the Black Death.
B) the declining political power of many monarchs.
C) significant population growth.
D) the absence of a merchant class.
E) the expansion of feudalism.

Accepted Answer

The significant population growth in Europe during the late fifteenth century led to increased demand for resources and trade, which in turn sparked the desire to find new lands and trade routes.

Question 9

Many pre-Columbian tribes east of the Mississippi River were loosely linked by
A) the shared use of a series of forts.
B) the Iroquois Confederacy.
C) common linguistic roots.
D) economic compacts.
E) intertribal religious festivals.

Accepted Answer

Many pre-Columbian tribes east of the Mississippi River shared common linguistic roots, which facilitated communication and cultural exchange among them.

Question 10

Scholars estimate that human migration into the Americas over the Bering Strait occurred approximately
A) 18,000 years ago.
B) 5,000 years ago.
C) 2,000 years ago.
D) 9,000 years ago.
E) 11,000 years ago.

Accepted Answer

The most commonly accepted estimate for the migration of humans into the Americas over the Bering Strait is approximately 11,000 years ago. This is based on archaeological evidence and genetic analysis of indigenous people living in both North and South America.

Question 11

Cahokia was a large trading center located near what present-day city?
A) St. Louis
B) Detroit
C) New Orleans
D) Memphis
E) Baton Rouge

Accepted Answer

Cahokia was located near present-day St. Louis, Missouri.

Question 12

Native American religions were closely linked to
A) visions from the world of spirits.
B) human sacrifice.
C) ideas of male dominance.
D) the idea of apocalypse.
E) the natural world.

Accepted Answer

Native American religions placed great importance on the natural world, viewing it as sacred and interconnected with all aspects of life. Their beliefs were often expressed through rituals and ceremonies that honored and respected the land, animals, and plants.

Question 13

Amerigo Vespucci
A) hailed from Portugal.
B) was a leading critic of Columbus's claims.
C) helped spread recognition of the idea that the Americas were new continents.
D) never traveled to the New World.
E) sailed on the voyages with Christopher Columbus.

Accepted Answer

Amerigo Vespucci helped spread recognition of the idea that the Americas were new continents through his voyages to the region and his writings.

Question 14

In the Great Plains region,most pre-Columbian societies
A) lived in small nomadic tribes.
B) hunted buffalo for survival.
C) used horses.
D) developed a harsh religion that required human sacrifice.
E) engaged in sedentary farming.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the Great Plains region,most pre-Columbian societies
A)...

Question 15

Christopher Columbus called the native people he encountered on his voyages "Indians" because
A) he wanted to hide his discovery from rival explorers.
B) it is what the natives called themselves.
C) Norse seamen had previously used the term.
D) he believed they came from the East Indies in the Pacific.
E) he mispronounced their actual name.

Accepted Answer

Columbus believed that he had reached the East Indies in the Pacific, so he called the native people he encountered "Indians" thinking they were from the East Indies.

Question 16

The preeminent European maritime power in the fifteenth century was
A) Spain.
B) the Netherlands.
C) France.
D) England.
E) Portugal.

Accepted Answer

Portugal was the preeminent European maritime power in the fifteenth century, largely due to the efforts of Prince Henry the Navigator and his exploration of the West African coast. Portugal established trade networks and colonies along the African coast and eventually reached India and East Asia, becoming a dominant global trading power. Spain and England would later emerge as dominant maritime powers in the following centuries. The Netherlands and France had significant naval power but did not become preeminent until later periods.

Question 17

The first truly complex society in the Americas was that of the
A) Maya.
B) Inca.
C) Aztecs.
D) Pueblo peoples.
E) Olmecs.

Accepted Answer

The Olmecs are considered the first truly complex society in the Americas, emerging around 1200 BCE in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico. They are known for their advancements in agriculture, architecture, and art, including the creation of colossal head sculptures, and are often referred to as the "mother culture" of Mesoamerica, influencing later civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs.

Question 18

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Southwest
A) lived in small, nomadic tribes.
B) were primarily hunters of small game.
C) built large irrigation systems for farming.
D) primarily pursued moose and caribou for sustenance.
E) created an economy exclusively based on trade.

Accepted Answer

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Southwest, such as the Hohokam, Ancestral Puebloans, and Mogollon, are known for creating large irrigation systems for farming. They were able to grow crops such as maize, beans, and squash in arid environments through their sophisticated irrigation techniques.

Question 19

As a result of his third voyage in 1498,Christopher Columbus concluded that
A) Asia could not be reached by a ship traveling west from Europe.
B) he had encountered a continent separate from Asia.
C) all of the lands he had seen were in Asia.
D) the lands he had discovered offered great mineral wealth.
E) he had never come even remotely close to Asia.

Accepted Answer

During his third voyage in 1498, Columbus reached the mainland of South America and realized that he had encountered a landmass separate from Asia. This discovery challenged the belief that he had reached the outskirts of Asia and inspired other explorers to search for a sea route to Asia beyond the Americas.

Question 20

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Pacific Northwest
A) developed political systems as sophisticated as those of the Maya and Aztecs.
B) fished salmon as their principal occupation.
C) were known as the Inuit.
D) did not have permanent settlements.
E) were the most peaceful of pre-Columbian societies.

Accepted Answer

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Pacific Northwest were known for their fishing of salmon, which was their principal occupation. They did not develop political systems as sophisticated as those of the Maya and Aztecs, nor were they known as the Inuit. While they did not have large urban centers, they did have permanent settlements. It is not accurate to say they were the most peaceful of pre-Columbian societies as there were instances of conflict and warfare.

Quiz 1: The Collision of Cultures Key

Regarding knowledge of the Americas prior to the fifteenth century,most Europeans

Prior to European contact,the eastern third of what is today the United States

Which statement best describes the role of women in pre-Columbian North American tribes?

The origins of the majority of human existence in North America began

In his first voyage in 1492,Christopher Columbus

Who was the first known European to look westward upon the Pacific Ocean,in 1513?

Christopher Columbus

In the late fifteenth century,the desire in Europe to look for new lands was spurred in part by

Many pre-Columbian tribes east of the Mississippi River were loosely linked by

Scholars estimate that human migration into the Americas over the Bering Strait occurred approximately

Cahokia was a large trading center located near what present-day city?

Native American religions were closely linked to

Amerigo Vespucci

In the Great Plains region,most pre-Columbian societies

Christopher Columbus called the native people he encountered on his voyages "Indians" because

The preeminent European maritime power in the fifteenth century was

The first truly complex society in the Americas was that of the

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Southwest

As a result of his third voyage in 1498,Christopher Columbus concluded that

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Pacific Northwest