Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

Columbus underestimated the size of the Earth and believed that Asia could be reached quickly by sailing west, not realizing the existence of the Americas in between.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

Many pre-Columbian tribes east of the Mississippi River were loosely linked by common linguistic roots, as different Native American tribes spoke similar languages or dialects, which allowed them to communicate and establish trade networks.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

Portugal established a strong presence in the Atlantic Ocean with the development of new navigation technologies and exploration of the West Coast of Africa. This led to the establishment of trade networks and the eventual colonization of Brazil.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

On his third voyage, Christopher Columbus encountered the South American continent, which he believed to be a separate landmass from Asia. This realization challenged the prevailing belief at the time that Asia could be reached by sailing west from Europe.

Question 5

The agricultural practices of pre-Columbian tribes in the Northeast were characterized by
A)extensive irrigation systems.
B)the development of metal-tipped plows.
C)a sacred respect for trees that kept people from cutting them down.
D)a rapid exploitation of the land.
E)an emphasis on tobacco cultivation.

Accepted Answer

The agricultural practices of pre-Columbian tribes in the Northeast were characterized by a rapid exploitation of the land, which often led to the depletion of soil fertility and the need for frequent relocation. They practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, clearing patches of land for cultivation and then abandoning them once the soil was depleted. There is no evidence of extensive irrigation systems, metal-tipped plows, or a sacred respect for trees. While tobacco was a significant crop in some tribes, it was not the primary emphasis of their agriculture practices.

Question 6

The first truly complex society in the Americas was that of the
A)Maya.
B)Aztecs.
C)Incas.
D)Pueblos.
E)Olmec.

Accepted Answer

The Olmec civilization is considered the first complex society in the Americas, known for its monumental architecture and influence on later Mesoamerican cultures.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

The eastern third of what is today the United States was known for its rich and diverse ecosystems, which supported a wide variety of plants and animals. This abundance of natural resources allowed Native American tribes in the region to develop complex societies with rich agricultural practices, making it one of the most food-abundant regions of the continent prior to European contact.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

The most widely accepted theory is that humans migrated from Eurasia to North America over the Bering Strait during the last ice age, when the sea level was lower and the strait was a land bridge. This migration is believed to have occurred around 15,000 years ago.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Southwest, such as the Ancestral Puebloans, built large irrigation systems for farming, allowing them to cultivate crops like maize, beans, and squash in the arid environment.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

The term scholars use for the early history of humans in America is
A)Neolithic period.
B)Paleolithic period.
C)Archaic period.
D)Stone Age.
E)Mesolithic era.

Accepted Answer

The Archaic period is the term used by scholars to describe the early history of humans in America, following the Paleo-Indian period and preceding the Woodland period.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

The pre-Columbian American peoples in the Pacific Northwest were known for their reliance on the fishing of salmon as their principle occupation. They also built permanent settlements along the coast and rivers in the region. While they had some political organization, it was not as sophisticated as the Maya and Aztecs. They were also not necessarily more peaceful than other pre-Columbian societies. The Inuit, on the other hand, lived in the Arctic regions of North America and did not inhabit the Pacific Northwest.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

Columbus believed he had reached the East Indies in the Pacific, so he called the native people he encountered "Indians," assuming he had reached the region of Asia known as the Indies.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

The generally accepted estimate is that human migration into the Americas over the Bering Strait occurred approximately 11,000 years ago. This is based on archaeological evidence and genetic studies of indigenous peoples in the Americas.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

Most Europeans were entirely unaware of the existence of the Americas prior to the fifteenth century, as there was no widespread knowledge or documentation of the continents before the voyages of Columbus.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

Native American religions were deeply connected to the natural world and often featured a close relationship with animals and the land. They honored spirits of nature and believed that all things in the world were interrelated and interconnected.

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

Columbus did not sail along the coast of present-day Virginia, nor was he briefly captured by natives during his first voyage. There was a mutiny on his ship, the Santa Maria, but he did not have to put it down by force. However, Columbus did mistake Cuba for China during his first voyage, as he believed he had reached the East Indies. Additionally, the voyage took more than six weeks to cross the Atlantic, so option E is also incorrect. Therefore, the best choice is B.

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

The significant population growth in Europe led to the need for more resources and land, which in turn sparked the desire to look for new lands.

Quiz 1: The Collision of Cultures

Christopher Columbus

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

The preeminent European maritime power in the fifteenth century was

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

The agricultural practices of pre-Columbian tribes in the Northeast were characterized by

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

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

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

The pre-Columbian North American peoples in the Southwest

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

The term scholars use for the early history of humans in America is

The pre-Columbian American peoples in the Pacific Northwest

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

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

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

In the Great Plains region,most pre-Columbian societies

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

Native American religions were closely linked to

In his first voyage in 1492,Christopher Columbus

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