Knowledge Check: Unit 2

Front

What was the main reason for the founding of Jamestown?

Back

Investors in the colony hoped to become wealthy.

Answer explanation

The main reason for the founding of Jamestown was economic. Investors aimed to profit from the colony through resources like tobacco, making wealth the primary motivation, rather than religious or penal reasons.

Front

What did the Mayflower Compact accomplish?

Back

It set up an organized, orderly government for Plymouth Colony.

Answer explanation

The Mayflower Compact established a framework for self-governance in Plymouth Colony, ensuring an organized and orderly government, which was crucial for the settlers' survival and cooperation.

Front

The settlers at Plymouth Colony would probably not have survived their first winter without help from:

Back

Native Americans who lived nearby.

Answer explanation

The settlers at Plymouth Colony faced severe hardships during their first winter. They received crucial assistance from Native Americans, who taught them vital survival skills and provided food, which was essential for their survival.

Front

The arrival of Europeans in the Americas led to deep changes in the way of life of which groups?

Back

Native Americans and Europeans

Answer explanation

The arrival of Europeans drastically altered the lives of Native Americans through colonization, disease, and cultural exchange. Europeans also experienced significant changes as they adapted to new lands and resources, making "Native Americans and Europeans" the correct choice.

Front

What is one way the Middle Colonies differed from New England?

Back

The Middle Colonies welcomed people from many different backgrounds.

Answer explanation

The Middle Colonies were known for their diversity, welcoming people from various backgrounds, unlike New England, which had a more homogeneous population. This cultural mix contributed to the unique character of the Middle Colonies.

Front

What does the author suggest about Virginia in the description provided? From Burnaby’s Travels in Virginia, 1759 “Virginia is far from being arrived at that degree of perfection which it is capable of. Not a tenth of the land is yet cultivated: and that which is cultivated, is far from being so in the most advantageous manner. It produces, however, considerable quantities of grain and cattle, and fruit of many kinds.” —from Burnaby’s Travels in Virginia, 1759

Back

A source of great potential wealth.

Answer explanation

The author highlights Virginia's untapped agricultural potential, indicating that with more cultivation, it could yield significant wealth, thus suggesting it is a source of great potential wealth.

Front

One important reason for the settlement of the English colonies was

Back

its potential for agricultural production.

Answer explanation

The English colonies were primarily settled for their agricultural potential, allowing for the cultivation of crops and resources that were vital for economic growth and sustainability.

Front

In which colony would subsistence farming most likely occur?

Back

Rhode Island

Answer explanation

Rhode Island's geography and climate favored small-scale, subsistence farming, unlike the larger plantations in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, which were more focused on cash crops.

Front

In the 1730s and 1740s, the Great Awakening inspired religious freedom and, in turn,

Back

ideas about self-government.

Answer explanation

The Great Awakening emphasized individual faith and personal choice, which fostered ideas about self-government as people began to question traditional authority, leading to a desire for more autonomy and democratic principles.

Front

Which of the following was an important part of New England’s economy, given the region’s geography?

Back

fishing

Answer explanation

Given New England's coastal geography, fishing was a vital part of its economy, providing food and trade opportunities. In contrast, mining for gold, growing rice, and raising livestock were less suited to the region's environment.