American Yawp Midterm Study Guide (Ch. 1–15)

The first Americans arrived in North America by which means and during which period?

• By crossing the Bering Land Bridge during the last Ice Age

• By sailing directly from Europe during the Middle Ages

• By migrating from South America in the 18th century

• By flying across the Pacific in the 20th century

Technological advancements that contributed to European maritime expansion in the 15th and 16th centuries included:

• The development of the caravel and improved navigational instruments

• The invention of the printing press

• The construction of Gothic cathedrals

• The discovery of steam power

The significance of Cahokia is:

• It was the largest pre-Columbian city north of Mexico.

• It was the first European settlement in North America.

• It was the site of the first Native American-European treaty.

• It was the location of the first gold discovery in North America.

The "Three Sisters" crops and their agricultural structure are best described as:

• Corn, beans, and squash grown together in a supportive planting system.

• Wheat, rice, and barley grown in separate fields.

• Tomatoes, peppers, and onions planted in rows.

• Potatoes, carrots, and peas cultivated in raised beds.

Native American property concepts differed from European ones in which of the following ways?

• Native Americans believed land could not be owned, while Europeans saw land as private property.

• Native Americans practiced strict individual ownership, while Europeans favored communal land use.

• Native Americans used land only for hunting, while Europeans used it only for farming.

• Native Americans and Europeans had identical views on property ownership.

Agriculture was important to early North American societies because:

• it provided a stable food supply and allowed communities to grow.

• it led to the immediate discovery of gold and silver.

• it caused societies to abandon all forms of trade.

• it made hunting and gathering unnecessary for survival.

Prince Henry the Navigator was:

• a Portuguese prince who promoted exploration along the African coast

• the first European to reach India by sea

• a Spanish conquistador who explored the Americas

• an Italian explorer who discovered America

Factors that led to the rapid depopulation of Native Americans post-1492 include:

• Introduction of new diseases by Europeans

• Increase in Native American birth rates

• Technological advancements among Native Americans

• Establishment of peaceful trade relations

The Columbian Exchange transformed Europe and the Americas by:

• introducing new crops and animals, which changed diets and economies

• causing the collapse of all European governments

• ending all trade between Europe and the Americas

• making both continents completely self-sufficient

List significant crops and technologies exchanged in the Columbian Exchange.

• Crops: maize, potatoes, sugarcane; technologies: metal tools, firearms. Livestock: horses, pigs. Diseases: smallpox, measles.

• Crops: rice, wheat, bananas; technologies: steam engines, telephones. Livestock: camels, sheep. Diseases: malaria, dengue.

• Crops: coffee, tea, grapes; technologies: computers, internet. Livestock: elephants, goats. Diseases: influenza, chickenpox.

• Crops: soybeans, tomatoes, apples; technologies: printing press, radio. Livestock: cows, chickens. Diseases: tuberculosis, polio.