Quiz on Ancient Civilizations in the Americas

How did humans get to the Americas?

• Crossed on the Bering Land Bridge (connecting Asia to N. America)

• Dug tunnels through the Earth to get to N. America

• Took boats from Australia to the Americas

• Aliens picked them up in spaceships and transported them to the Americas.

All of the following were major civilizations in the Americas when the Europeans arrived EXCEPT

• The Olmec

• The Inca

• The Aztec

Human sacrifice, construction of colossal structures, and polytheism are cultural characteristics of which of the following:

• The Maya

• The Inca

• The Aztec

• All of the Above

The ________________ were a civilization centered in Mexico who practiced human sacrifice, were polytheistic, and put an emphasis on being successful warriors.

• The Maya
• The Inca
• The Aztec
• All of the Above

The site at Machu Picchu and the construction of thousands of miles of roads were major achievements of the ________.

• The Maya
• The Inca
• The Aztec
• All of the Above

The site at Chichen Itza, domination of the Yucatan Peninsula, and creation of a solar calendar/writing system are all achievements of the ____________________.

• The Maya
• The Inca
• The Aztec
• All of the Above

What were the two leading nations during the early period of the age of exploration?

• Spain and England

• France and Germany

• Spain and Portugal

• Portugal and the Netherlands

This Portuguese member of the royal family founded a center for exploration. Also credited with 'kicking off' the Age of Discovery.

• Bartolomeu Dias

• Henry the Navigator

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

This explorer was Italian but sailed on behalf of the Spanish, once he reached land across the Atlantic, settlement of the Americas began.

• Bartolomeu Dias

• Henry the Navigator

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

__________ was the first to suggest that the land Columbus had discovered was not part of Asia, but a whole new continent.

• Amerigo Vespucci
• Ferdinand Magellan
• Hernando Cortez
• Francisco Pizarro