Archeologists document first use of maize as food in Mesoamerica: study

Archeologists document first use of maize as food in Mesoamerica: study

Assessment

Interactive Video

Science, Social Studies, Geography, History

11th Grade - University

Hard

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A study in Science Advances reveals that prehistoric Americans began consuming maize as a staple food. Researchers analyzed carbon isotopes in skeletons from Belize, showing a dietary shift from wild animals and plants to maize, which eventually constituted 70% of their diet. This transition was accompanied by the development of sedentary farming and genetic changes in maize, leading to larger crops.

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5 questions

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1.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What method did researchers use to study the dietary habits of prehistoric Americans?

DNA analysis

Fossil examination

Radiocarbon dating

Carbon isotope analysis

2.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What was the primary diet of pre-maize hunter-gatherers around 9,000 years ago?

Maize and beans

Wild animals and plants

Rice and fish

Fruits and nuts

3.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Approximately how much of the diet did maize constitute 4,700 years ago?

70%

50%

10%

30%

4.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What farming practice did Mesoamericans adopt that increased maize consumption?

Terrace farming

Slash-and-burn agriculture

Sedentary farming

Nomadic herding

5.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What changes in maize plants were speculated to have occurred due to human selection?

Smaller seeds and fewer rows

Larger cobs and more seed rows

Shorter stalks and fewer leaves

Thicker husks and smaller kernels