First Americans Part One

Which of the following had the greatest impact on influencing Native American culture?

• Tribal warfare

• The Northwest Passage

• The Middle Passage

• nature and environment

Answer explanation

Nearly every aspect of Native American life centered on the dependence upon the environment. Native Americans depended upon the world around them for the food and resources necessary to survive. As a result, most Native American customs, traditions, and spiritual beliefs focused on the respect and reverence the cultures had for the earth that helped them thrive.

Which of the following is the most widely accepted theory to explain how Native Americans immigrated to the Western Hemisphere?

• Native Americans traveled by boat across the Atlantic Ocean.

• Native Americans traveled over a land bridge that once connected Asia and North America.

• European explorers brought Native Americans to North America.

• Native Americans have always inhabited North America.

Answer explanation

Most historians and scientists agree that Native Americans are descendants from prehistoric peoples who crossed a land bridge in the Bering Strait that, during the last Ice Age, connected the lands now referred to as Siberia and Alaska.

Many early Native Americans were considered nomads. This means that they:

• migrated from place to place in search of food and resources

• did not have a spoken language

• created permanent civilizations

• did not eat meat

Answer explanation

Many of the early Native American tribes relied upon hunting and gathering for their food supply. Without a system of agriculture in place, they were forced to follow herds and find edible vegetation to survive.

Which of the following skills would allow a culture to shift from being nomadic to settled?

• The ability to make durable weapons

• The ability to make fire

• learning the skills necessary to farm

• developing a written language

Answer explanation

Agriculture is a key component that allows a group of people to reliably produce food in a single area. Agriculture also can lead to a surplus of food which can give people the opportunity to use their time for efforts other than the constant quest for food and sustenance.

Which of the following cultures developed first?

• Aztec

• Inca

• Olmec

• Maya

Answer explanation

The Olmec are credited with being one of the first large civilizations to emerge in Central America. Their developed agriculture and ability to work with stone would have a profound influence on the region’s cultures to follow. The Olmec culture emerged around 1500 BCE, nearly 2,000 years prior to the Maya, the second oldest of the listed cultures.

The _____________ civilization was one of the first major cultural groups in what is now Mexico and Central America. Their interest in astronomy influenced their religion, architecture, and highly accurate calendar. The civilization disappeared prior to the year 1,000 leaving behind little evidence about why they vanished.

• Aztec

• Inca

• Maya

• Hopi

Answer explanation

Though the Mayan culture disappeared, they left behind cultural markers including a written language, architecture, art, and evidence of their scientific discoveries.

Which of the following terms describes the picture-based written language of the Mayan people?

• Myopic

• Tenochtitlan

• Hieroglyphics

• Script

Answer explanation

Most people associate the term hieroglyphics with the ancient Egyptians; however, the term refers to any type of developed written language that utilizes pictures and images to stand for ideas or linguistic sounds.

Which of the following best describes the government of the Mayans?

• democracy

• dictatorship

• oligarchy

• theocracy

Answer explanation

The Mayan culture was shaped largely by a deep religious faith. The gods were at the center of nearly every part of Mayan existence and had complete control over the events on earth. As a result, the priests, the only people who could communicate with the gods, were placed in charge of the Mayan government.

Why did the Mayans construct pyramids such as those built in the city of Tikal?

• to be used as a site for ceremonial burials

• to be used during religious ceremonies

• to help people navigate through the dense jungles of Central America

• all of the above

Answer explanation

The Mayan pyramids were both practically and culturally important. While they were at the center of much of Mayan political and religious life, they also served as key landmarks to help people find their way to the city centers.

The _____________ were native peoples who settled in western mountains of South America. They worshipped the sun god and created vast temples, crafted golden ornaments, and carried out rituals to display their faith. Their population rose to over eight million people before succumbing to invading European explorers in the 1500s.

• Aztec

• Inca

• Maya

• Hopi

Answer explanation

At their peak, the Inca were one of the most powerful empires in the Western Hemisphere.