Unit 1 Review: The Age of Discovery and European Settlement

How did pre-Columbian civilizations demonstrate resilience through their adaptations to diverse environments?

• By relying solely on nomadic hunting

• By developing advanced agriculture and infrastructure

• By avoiding trade networks

• By centralizing all political power

What was a shared cultural achievement of pre-Columbian civilizations that influenced later societies?

• Development of democratic governance

• Creation of complex writing and calendar systems

• Establishment of mercantilist economies

• Use of European-style architecture

What drove European exploration in the 15th–16th centuries, transforming global interactions?

• Pursuit of scientific knowledge

• Motives of wealth, religion, and fame

• Desire to preserve indigenous cultures

• Efforts to promote environmental sustainability

How did the Columbian Exchange transform global economies?

• By isolating Europe from trade

• By introducing New World crops like maize to boost agriculture

• By eliminating plantation systems

• By reducing global population growth

What was a major human cost of the Columbian Exchange for indigenous populations?

• Loss of agricultural knowledge

• Population decline due to Old World diseases

• Increased political power

• Economic independence from Europe

How did the Triangular Trade shape social structures in the Americas?

• By promoting racial equality

• By creating hierarchies based on enslaved labor

• By encouraging indigenous self-governance

• By reducing reliance on plantations

What characterized the Middle Passage’s impact on African populations?

• It facilitated cultural preservation

• It caused significant loss of life and cultural disruption

• It promoted African economic growth

• It led to political unification

How did Catholic teachings on human dignity critique the encomienda system?

• By supporting its economic benefits

• By condemning exploitation of indigenous peoples

• By ignoring colonial labor practices

• By promoting its expansion

What was a key feature of mercantilism’s impact on colonial economies?

• It encouraged industrial development

• It restricted colonies to exporting raw materials

• It promoted free trade globally

• It eliminated labor systems

How did England’s benign neglect influence colonial governance?

• By enforcing strict royal control

• By allowing experiments in self-governance

• By banning representative assemblies

• By centralizing economic policies