Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

European Exploration and Colonization

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

An economic system where the mother country England benefited from its colonies is an example of-

a)

Mercantilism

b)

Columbian Exchange

c)

Religious Freedom

d)

Gold, God and Glory

2.

Which statement would a Puritan minister in the colony of Massachusetts in 1660 have most likely agreed?

a)

Both the government and church have a common purpose of promoting virtue.

b)

Differences of opinion are essential for a society to improve.

c)

No man should be required to worship against his will.

d)

All men and women are created equal.

3.

Which statement is a reason representative government developed in the British colonies in North America?

a)

The English colonies borrowed political ideas about representative government from the French in Canada.

b)

The colonists belonged to the Church of England.

c)

The colonies were far away from England’s control.

d)

The royal ministers in England supported local self-rule.

4.

The main reason for the variety of products in different regions of the colonies was the differences in

a)

family structure and education

b)

geography and climate

c)

political and social systems

d)

natural origins and cultures

5.

Settlers who established the British colony in Virginia during the seventeenth century were primarily seeking to

a)

profit economically.

b)

create a refuge for political dissidents.

c)

create a perfect religious commonwealth as an example to the rest of the world.

d)

recreate an Old World feudalistic society in the New World.

6.

The Mayflower Compact and the Virginia House of Burgesses are examples of

a)

limitations placed on colonial Americans by the British government

b)

economic agreements between the colonists and Native Americans

c)

steps toward representative government

d)

equal opportunities for women during the colonial period

7.

How did the Great Awakening (1720–1750) encourage the growth of representative government in the colonies?

a)

Preachers threatened opponents with damnation.

b)

Preachers accused many women of being witches.

c)

Preachers advised obedience to royal authority.

d)

Preachers encouraged notions of equality.

8.

A careful examination of the Mayflower Compact, House of Burgesses, and the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut would show —

a)

colonial leaders’ desire to create a government based on checks and balances

b)

the desire of the colonists to overthrow royal governors appointed in London

c)

the desire of the colonists to establish forms of self-government for local problems

d)

the importance of creating a government with a strong chief executive

9.

In colonial New England, communities often held meetings to discuss local issues and manage town affairs. By participating in these town meetings, colonists displayed —

a)

support for the Bill of Rights

b)

respect for the rights of American Indians

c)

limited self- government

d)

religious toleration

10.

What was the importance of the formation of the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1619?

a)

It created three equal branches of government, with checks on one another.

b)

It established the principle that authority flows from the British monarch to the colonists.

c)

It controlled all aspects of colonial government without any royal supervision.

d)

It was the first elected assembly in the American colonies.

11.

The first colonial settlers in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Pennsylvania came to —

a)

sell manufactured goods to the Native American Indians

b)

convert the American Indians to the Christian religion

c)

find gold, silver and other valuable metals

d)

practice their religions without the threat of persecution

12.

How did the Mayflower Compact influence the growth of democracy in America?

a)

Who knows

b)

It helped to define colonial relations with local American Indian tribes.

c)

It established the principle of separation of church and state.

d)

It provided a basis for self-government in Plymouth Colony.

13.

Which of these was an impact of the First Great Awakening?

a)

Preachers emphasized that all people were equal in the eyes of God.

b)

Ministers condemned women suspected of witchcraft.

c)

Colonists demanded independence from Great Britain.

14.

Which individual founded a colony to provide a safe home to English Roman Catholics?

a)

William Penn

b)

Lord Baltimore

c)

Roger Williams

15.

Which of these was a motivation for the settlement of the colony at Plymouth in 1620?

a)

The settlers were missionaries who intended to dedicate their lives to converting the American Indians to Christianity.

b)

The Pilgrims wished to establish a place where they could follow their own religious beliefs without persecution.

c)

King James paid for their journey in the hope of finding gold.

d)

English proprietors financed the colonists in order to make a profit.

16.

In the late 1640s, Anne Hutchinson spoke in support of religious ideas that differed from those of the Puritan ministers governing Massachusetts Bay Colony. How was the conflict between Hutchinson and the Puritan ministers finally resolved?

a)

Hutchinson was imprisoned when she would not recant her beliefs.

b)

Hutchinson was banished and moved to Rhode Island, which practiced freedom of religion.

c)

Hutchinson‘s followers gained control of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

d)

Massachusetts became the first colony to separate church from state.

17.

What colony was a place of refuge for the Roman Catholics?

a)

Massachusetts

b)

Rhode Island

c)

Maryland

d)

Plymouth

18.

Which statement best describes the influence of The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut?

a)

It outlined a plan for independence from British rule.

b)

It established the concept of unalienable rights.

c)

It was the first attempt to combine political and religious laws.

d)

It helped establish the tradition of self-government.

19.

Which of the following was a major reason for the flow of the transatlantic slave trade?

a)

Increased western migration

b)

Increased textile manufacturing

c)

The construction needs of the railroad

d)

The economic demands of the plantation system

20.

Which factor most contributed to the creation of the Mayflower Compact, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut and the House of Burgesses?

a)

The economic system of mercantilism

b)

The doctrine of the Church of England

c)

The distance of the colonies from Great Britain

d)

The opportunity for trade with American Indians

21.

Reasons for European Exploration

a)

To claim new territory

b)

To locate potential military allies

c)

To improve efficiency in manufacturing

d)

To spread democratic ideals

22.

Lord Baltimore, Thomas Hooker and Roger Williams all established their colonies because

a)

freedom of speech

b)

economic freedom

c)

religious freedom

d)

freedom from debts

23.

The Virginia Company authorized a general assembly in Virginia so that colonists could —

a)

express dissatisfaction with British rule

b)

participate in a free-market economy

c)

vote in the British Parliament

d)

self-govern on a local level

24.

Where did colonists first settle in North America?

a)

Along rivers to avoid attacks

b)

With the Native Indians peacefully

c)

Into the mountains so they felt safe

d)

Along the rivers and coastlines for transportation

25.

Which location marks where William Penn established a colony for the Quakers in 1682?

a)

Location 3

b)

Location 1

c)

Location 4

d)

Location 2