Social Science Focused Quiz 01

Historians believe that the main causes of the American Revolution can be traced to the

• political tensions formed by the Seven Years’ War

• European desire to find a new source of slavery

• decline in arable land due to Native expansion

• economic opportunities available on the East Coast

• religious conflict between different Protestant groups

Answer explanation

For many, the Revolutionary War is seen as an inevitable conflict because of European desires for social freedom, personal liberties, and economic opportunities. Most historians, however, trace the primary causes of the revolution to the tensions created by the Seven Years’ War. [6,1,1]

Which of the following entities is NOT a precolonial Native American social group?

• clan

• village

• church

• chiefdom

• nation

Answer explanation

In precolonial America, Native American identity was based on immediate social groups. These social groups included the clan, nation, village, chiefdom, and confederacy. [6,1,2]

Which factor PRIMARILY contributed to the weaking of Native American nations in the earliest years of European colonization?

• They were forced to adopt European religions.

• They participated in frequent military conflict with Europeans.

• Their agricultural resources were taken by Europeans.

• They were culturally assimilated into European society.

• They lacked natural immunity to European diseases. 4. Historians estimate that Native A

Answer explanation

Lacking natural immunity, the Native Americans were particularly devastated by smallpox and other European diseases. Historians estimate that Native American population loss was near 90 percent because of this. [6,1,3]

Historians estimate that Native American population loss following European arrival was near

• 10%

• 75%

• 90%

• 100%

• 50%

Answer explanation

Since Native Americans lacked immunity to European diseases such as smallpox, their societies were weakened. Many historians estimate that the population loss of these Native Americans was around 90 percent. [6,1,3]

The Algonquian people included the Powhatan nation near

• Boston

• Jamestown

• Plymouth

• Charleston

• Philadelphia

Answer explanation

The Algonquian peoples are one of North America’s largest and most widespread Native American groups. Algonquian members included the Powhatan nation near Jamestown and the Pequots and Narragansetts. [6,2,1]

The Three Sisters refer to

• corn, beans, and squash

• squash, tomatoes, and rice

• tomatoes, peas, and potatoes

• potatoes, rice, and corn

• beans, peppers, and peas

Answer explanation

Historians note that a few nations of the Algonquian group commonly cultivated corn, beans, and squash. These three crops made up the Three Sisters. [7,1,0]

The Powhatan formed a confederacy to resist the westward expansion of

• Virginia

• North Carolina

• Massachusetts

• Maryland

• Pennsylvania

Answer explanation

The Powhatan, a nation under the Algonquian language group, organized a confederacy to oppose Virginia’s westward expansion. This was just one of the many European conflicts that the Algonquians encountered. [7,1,0]

Which of the following outcomes was a direct result of King Phillip’s War?

• The Puritans fully assimilated the Wampanoags into their denomination.

• The Wampanoags regained power of the land lost to the Puritans.

• The Puritans created a peace treaty with the Wampanoags and vowed to never attack again.

• Great mistrust and fear stirred between the Wampanoags and Puritans.

• The Wampanoags joined the Iroquois Confederacy to defend against future attacks.

Answer explanation

In King Phillip’s War, the Wampanoags fought under the leadership of Metacomet against the Puritans. Although the Native American efforts prevented further European growth, great tensions and fear were created. [7,1,0]

The Iroquois Confederacy was an alliance between nations that shared a(n)

• government

• ethnicity

• divine being

• language

• ritual

Answer explanation

The Iroquois Confederacy was an alliance between five independent nations, all of whom shared a related language. The Iroquois Confederacy was also referred to as the Five Nations. [7,2,0]

Which of the following nations was a part of the original five nations in the Iroquois Confederacy?

• Onondaga

• Hohokam

• Nakota

• Creek

• Seminole

Answer explanation

Archaeological evidence of Native American culture suggests that the Iroquois Confederacy was formed in the late fifteenthcentury. The original five nations in the alliance were the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. [7,2,0]