SOL Quiz 1

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SOL Quiz 1

• Pre-Columbian Cultures

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1. The original inhabitants of the Americas
migrated about 20,000 years ago from a.
Europe b. Africa c. Asia d. Australia
The original inhabitants of America (called
"Indians" or "Native Americans") migrated to
America from Asia about 20,000 years ago.
Anthropologists have theorized that these early
migrants crossed from Asia to America over a land
bridge that then connected Asia to Alaska.
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2. When prehistoric people first came to America,
they crossed over a "land bridge." The present
location of that crossing point is the a.
Isthmus of Panama b. Cumberland Gap c. Donner
Pass d. Bering Strait
A body of water, the Bering Strait, now covers a
land bridge that once allowed prehistoric people
to migrate from Asia to North America. This land
bridge, which connected Asia and Alaska, was
above sea level during the last Ice Age of 20,000
years ago.
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3. The migration of the earliest populations in
the Americas was generally from a. North America
to South America b. East Coast to West Coast c.
West Coast to East Coast d. South America to
North America
The earliest population movement in the Americas
was generally from North America to South
America. The "first" Americans settled in
Alaska. Population movement then proceeded
south.
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4. Which term is broad enough to include the
other three? a. language b. dress c. religion d.
culture
"Culture" is a term broad enough to include
"language," "dress," and "religion." Culture is
a pattern of living which members of a society
are expected to follow. This pattern includes
language, customs, dress, religion, etc. The
culture of Middle Age Europeans was quite
different from that of pre-Columbian Native
Americans.
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5. The Mayans developed a. aqueducts b. written
language c. calendars d. all of the above
The Mayans developed all of the above. Mayans
were a highly sophisticated society who
flourished in Mexico and Central America between
about 400 and 900 A.D. They developed calendars
to schedule the planting of crops, a written
language for their priests, and aqueducts to feed
water into their highly populated cities.
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6. Which of these Native American societies once
lived in Mexico? a. Inca b. Aztec c. Natchez d.
Pueblo
Present-day Mexico was once the home of the
Aztecs. The Aztecs developed a highly
sophisticated agricultural society in the 14th
and 15th centuries. Through war and diplomacy
they conquered and ruled an empire of several
million people. They were conquered themselves
by the Spanish conquistador, Hernando Cortes, in
1521.
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7. Which concept was NOT a part of pre-Columbian
Indian culture? a. capitalism b. trial by
jury c. democracy d. confederation
Capitalism was not a part of pre-Columbian
culture. Indians did not practice the concept of
private ownership of land or the use of that land
for private profit. Instead Indians believed
that land was held or owned in common by tribal
members. Some variation of trail by jury,
democracy, and confederation, on the other hand,
could be found in several Native American
societies.
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8. Which ancient language was spoken in the Roman
Empire and became a basis of French, Spanish, and
Portuguese? a. Italian b. Romanian c. Latin d.
Greek
The ancient Romans spoke Latin. As their empire
expanded into lands now known as France, Spain,
and Portugal, the Romans carried their Latin
language with them. Latin became a base for the
modern languages of these lands, and formed an
essential part of European culture.
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9. In terms of religious beliefs, many Native
Americans worshipped nature, while most Europeans
of the Middle Ages believed in a. monotheism b.
heliocentrism c. polytheism d. pantheism
Most Europeans of the Middle Ages were
monotheists, which meant that they believed that
there was only one God. This was an important
part of Christianity, which was the main religion
of Europe.
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10. Which event significantly limited the power
of English kings in the Middle Ages? a. Norman
Conquest b. Star Chamber c. Round Table d. Magna
Carta
The Magna Carta, or Great Charter, limited the
power of the English King in the Middle Ages.
English noblemen forced King John to sign the
Magna Carta in 1215. This document limited the
power of the king by requiring him to get the
consent of a body of barons and bishops (called
the Great Council) before he could raise taxes.
The Magna Carta also stated that no freeman
should be imprisoned unless found guilty by a
jury of his peers. The right of taxation by
consent and the right of trial by jury were later
extended to all Englishmen. During the
Revolutionary War, many Americans revolted
against the British because they believed that
they were being denied these rights.