wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

American History- Topic 1 Test

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 2hrs 40mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following promoted the spread of permanent settlements in the Americas?

a)

the melting of glaciers

b)

the development of farming

c)

the rise of civilization

d)

the spread of people across a land bridge

2.

What environmental change allowed people to travel by land between Asia and North America?

a)

human adaptation to Arctic environments

b)

ice sheets blocking sea routes

c)

falling sea levels uncovered land

d)

the melting of ice sheets on land

3.

Which represents an Aztec adaptation to their environment?

a)

farming in terraces

b)

a system of causeways

c)

a surplus of farmed crops

d)

an accurate 365-day calendar

4.

How did the Hohokam and Anasazi people adapt to their physical environment?

a)

they built networks of ditches to irrigate the desert

b)

they cleared the rain forests to make room for farmland

c)

they built artificial islands in lakes

d)

they created terraces to grow crops on mountainsides

5.

Which was the main way the Incas modified their environment to grow more food?

a)

by building stone walls

b)

by building terraces

c)

by cutting down forests

d)

by irrigating fields

6.

How were the Olmecs able to support a civilization and cities?

a)

by implementing heavy taxes to raise public funds for each community

b)

by constructing residential dwellings for the growing populations in its cities

c)

by cultivating a surplus of food that could feed its large population

d)

by developing a system of roadways to connect different communities

7.

How did the political systems of the Natchez and the Iroquois differ?

a)

the Iroquois system was more democratic

b)

the Natchez system was more democratic

c)

women had more power among the Natchez

d)

men had more power among the Iroquois

8.

Which of the following is an example of an effect of cultural diffusion in early North America?

a)

American Indian groups created their first trade networks

b)

climates became more hospitable for American Indian groups

c)

many American Indian groups learned how to farm

d)

American Indian groups often used different materials to create similar tools

9.

What was the purpose of the Iroquois League?

a)

to help maintain the local forests for use by the people of each member American Indian group

b)

to end the fighting among the Iroquois groups

c)

to establish laws for all American Indian groups

d)

to provide comfort and care for visiting tribal leaders

10.

Which of the following is the BEST example of how early Pueblo Indians modified the environment in which they lived?

a)

they built ballcourts in the desert

b)

they made art with acid-etchings on shells

c)

they moved from place to place to find food

d)

they built dams and water tanks for farming

11.

China was the most isolated civilization, and yet its technologies were able to change the world mainly because

a)

they spread through trade

b)

they were so advanced

c)

Europeans developed them further

d)

the technologies made China less isolated

12.

The Renaissance occurred as a direct result of

a)

European voyages of exploration

b)

Chinese inventions

c)

trade with the Middle East

d)

Greek and Latin learning

13.

What was the most important historical effect of the astrolobe?

a)

it enabled sailors to find their latitude

b)

it may have originated in Africa

c)

it made possible long voyages beyond sight of land

d)

it spread from Africa or the Middle East to Europe

14.

How were the Crusades connected to European voyages of exploration?

a)

they spurred a European desire for Asian goods

b)

they led Europeans to learn that they could conquer other regions

c)

they created a fierce rivalry between European and Muslim merchants

d)

transporting troops to the Middle East improved European sailing technology

15.

Which of the following was a result of the Crusades?

a)

Christians took over the Holy Land

b)

Muslims took over much of Portugal and Spain

c)

Middle Easterners adopted European technologies

d)

Europeans adopted Middle Eastern technologies

16.

From a historical point of view, what was Columbus's most important achievement?

a)

he spread European animals and crops to the Americas and American animals and crops to Europe

b)

he established contact between the Americas and the rest of the world

c)

he found gold for the rulers of Spain

d)

he treated American Indians poorly

17.

Why did the Spanish continue to explore and settle other Caribbean islands?

a)

to be the first to circumnavigate the world

b)

to find a route around South America to Asia

c)

to bring gold, crops, and slaves to the Spanish crown

d)

to conquer more of the globe than any other country

18.

Which of the following was the greatest short-term effect of the Colombian Exchange on American Indians?

a)

it sharply decreased their population

b)

it opened them to European ideas

c)

it gave them new crops

d)

it led to their enslavement

19.

Identify a positive consequence of the Colombian Exchange for American Indians in what would become the United States

a)

chicken eggs increased the protein in American Indian's diets

b)

pigs became the most valuable source of meat for American Indians

c)

American Indians learned to ride horses and used them to carry heavy loads

d)

American Indians used the hides from cattle to create warmer clothing

20.

How did the Spanish and Portuguese exploration differ?

a)

the Spanish were motivated by a desire for gold

b)

the Spanish were the first to reach an unknown continent

c)

the Portuguese were the first to reach an unknown continent

d)

the Portuguese gained more wealth from their exploration