Topic 8: Pre - Columbian Empires to Colonies

One reason Spanish conquistadors were able to conquer the Aztecs was that-

• Aztec religious beliefs promoted nonviolence
• Spain joined the Incas in their fight against the Aztecs
• The Spanish cavalry outnumbered the Aztec warriors
• Spanish soldiers possessed superior military technology

The journeys of Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, and Christopher Columbus became possible in the late 1400s because of the-

• support of exploration by the English government
• trade connections established by Ibn Battuta
• effects of the Atlantic Slave Trade
• development of new navigational instruments and technology

The purpose of these new laws was to-

• reduce local authority and increase central control
• increase religious authority and limit secular influences
• guarantee citizenship to Indians while supporting traditional practices
• promote economic development while expanding the rights of Indians

Archaelogists often learn a great deal about an ancient society by examining its pottery.  Which example below shows pre-Columbian pottery?

• A
• B
• C
• D

What does this drawing illustrate about pre-Columbian Inca civilization?

• the religious influence on architecture
• cooperation and planning in agriculture
• the use of superior military technology for defense
• the role of government during a natural disaster

What was one important effect of the Columbian Exchange?

• rapid decline in European population
• economic instability in China and Japan
• spread of Hinduism into India
• introduction of new foods to both Europe and the Americas

The Aztec calendar and the Maya use of zero both illustrate that pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas-

• traded extensively with Africa
• made advances in mathematics and science
• declined because of invasion and disease
• converted to Islam

These two structures indicate that ancient pre-Columbian civilizations-

• were based on European societies
• had the engineering skill to build complex structures
• incorporated early Roman architectural design
• were strongly influenced by Renaissance humanism

Which of the following best describes the Inca agricultural system? 

• pepper and rice farms that were far away from farmers’ huts
• small but highly complex farms that grew vanilla and sugarcane 
• high altitude, terraced farms with precise irrigation systems
•  urban farms managed by women and children of noble birth 

This diagram shows the Incas had a farming system that-

• provided crops for different groups in society
• left much of the land unfarmed
• set aside 50% of the crops for those who farmed the fields
• grew crops