Chapter 1: The First Americans

How do most experts think the first people came to North America?

• by walking across a land bridge between Asia and North America

• by sailing from Europe

• by sailing from Japan

• Humans were always in North America.

Which of the following was an achievement of the Maya civilization?

• They developed longhouse communities after they began to farm.

• They developed a system of trade with Asian civilizations.

• They charted the sun, moon, and stars. They used the information they obtained to create a very accurate calendar.

• They invented firearms.

Native Americans in the Southwest developed agriculture. The Inuit created the kayak and used their cold environment to their advantage. The Maya created a system of writing and a calendar. Which statement BEST summarizes these facts?

• Native Americans adapted to their environment and developed diverse cultures before the Europeans arrived.

• Native Americans used European civilizations as the basis for their own

• There were no Native American cultures when the Europeans arrived in North America.

• All Native Americans were hunter-gatherers.

Which answer BEST explains why early Native Americans spread throughout North America?

• They wanted to find a sea route to Asia.

• Before they started farming, they followed animal herds across the continent.

• They were fleeing the Vikings, who had come to conquer North America.

• They hoped to spread Christianity to all of the people in the continent.

Which of the following answers is correct?

• The Iroquois lived in the Far North.

• The Makah and Nootka lived in the Florida region.

• The Powhatan lived in the Southeast.

• The Cherokee lived in the Pacific Northwest.

Which of the following is an example of a Native American economy?

• The Pueblo of the Southwest sought help and advice from spirits they called kachinas.

• The Maya developed a system of tracking the sun, moon, and stars.

• The Mound Builders built huge earthen structures.

• The Powhatan built canoes and tools to catch fish in the waters that surrounded their homeland.

Which of the following is an example of ways Native Americans changed their environments to improve their lives?

• The Iroquois formed a league, which governed five nations.

• In California, Native Americans burned shrubs so that grasses would grow. The grasses attracted deer.

• Native American women played the main role in raising children.

• Native Americans from different regions spoke different languages.

Which of these Native American nations lived in the Southeast region of North America?

• the Powhatans

• the Puebloans

• the Inuit

• the Mayas

Which answer is the BEST definition of culture?

• Culture refers to the type of farming a people develop.

• Culture is a system of warfare.

• Culture is the way of life of a people. It includes their art, rules, beliefs, and history.

• Culture is the system by which a people make, share, and use goods.

Which of the following was a role of women in Native American societies?

• hunting and leading warfare

• trading with other native peoples

• making clothing and other household goods

• protecting the community from enemies