Clovis Culture

What was North America like before the arrival of humans?

• Covered in towering cities

• A vast expanse of untouched wilderness

• A continent dominated by early farming communities

• Primarily a desert landscape

Answer explanation

Before humans arrived, North America was home to diverse ecosystems, abundant wildlife, and vast landscapes untouched by human activity.

How did the first humans arrive in North America?

• By boats from Europe

• By traveling across Beringia from Siberia

• By migrating south from Canada

• By flying over from Asia

Answer explanation

The widely accepted theory is that early humans crossed a land bridge, Beringia, connecting Siberia and Alaska during the last Ice Age.

What was the name of the land bridge early humans used to enter North America?

• Pangaea

• Clovis Passage

• Beringia

• Laurentide

Answer explanation

Beringia was an exposed landmass during lower sea levels, allowing migration from Asia to North America.

Who were originally believed to be the first inhabitants of North America?

• The Ancestral Puebloans

• The Clovis people

• The Vikings

• The Hopewell culture

Answer explanation

Archaeologists long believed the Clovis people were the first to inhabit North America, but newer discoveries suggest earlier human presence.

What distinguishes Clovis points from other stone tools?

• They were made only of bone

• They were flat, tapered, and fluted on both sides

• They were exclusively used for fishing

• They were only found in South America

Answer explanation

Clovis points have unique fluting, which helps them attach securely to spears for hunting large animals.

Where was the first discovery of Clovis artifacts made?

• Montana

• Clovis, New Mexico

• Sonora, Mexico

• Alaska

Answer explanation

The Clovis culture is named after Clovis, New Mexico, where the first distinctive tools were found in the 1930s.

What material did Clovis people use to make tools besides stone?

• Glass

• Metal

• Bone and ivory

• Bronze

Answer explanation

In addition to flint and other stones such as quartzite and chert, Clovis people used bone and ivory to make tools and weapons.

Around when did the Clovis culture exist?

• 100,000 years ago

• 15,000 – 14,000 BCE

• 11,500 – 10,800 BCE

• 5,000 – 3,000 BCE

Answer explanation

Radiocarbon dating of Clovis sites suggests they existed during this period (11,500 - 10,800 years ago) at the end of the last Ice Age.

How far did Clovis culture spread?

• Only in New Mexico

• Across North and South America

• Throughout Canada but not the United States

• Only in Alaska and Siberia

Answer explanation

Clovis artifacts have been found across much of North America and as far south as northern South America.

What was the primary lifestyle of the Clovis people?

• Settled farmers

• Nomadic hunter-gatherers

• Town builders

• Seafarers

Answer explanation

The Clovis people were mobile, moving with the seasons and following large game animals for survival.