Quiz on Early Civilizations in the Americas

During the Ice Age, sea levels fell and exposed a __________, which allowed people to cross from Asia into the Americas.

• narrow strip of land

• vast ocean

• mountain range

• desert

Which of the following was the earliest civilization in the Americas, and where was it located?

• Inca, South America

• Aztec, Mesoamerica

• Maya, South America

• Olmec, Mesoamerica

Choose two features the early civilizations of Mesoamerica and South America had in common.

• public education

• spiritual pilgrimages

• government and trade

• system for keeping records

• naval and merchant ships

What did the Anasazi, Hopewell, and Mississippian societies have in common?

• All hunted bison.

• All built burial mounds.

• All lived in cliff dwellings.

• All were farming cultures.

Native Americans living in the Pacific Northwest carved __________ on tall poles.

• totems

• statues

• paintings

• masks

Which of the following views was shared by Native American groups?

• Plants possessed more spiritual importance than animals.

• Land rights could either be inherited or earned through war.

• Individual ownership applied only to crops and was temporary.

• Exchanging property was an important part of peace negotiations.

The empire of I ________ was the first of three great West African II ________ kingdoms.

• I: Ghana, II: trading

• I: Mali, II: fishing

• I: Songhai, II: farming

• I: Benin, II: hunting

How did Mansa Musa introduce his empire to the world?

• He delivered messages to traders.

• He went on a pilgrimage to Mecca.

• He invited European leaders to visit.

• He sent missionaries to foreign lands.

Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were the first three powerful West African kingdoms. Choose two ways in which all three empires were similar.

• ruled by Muslim leaders

• farmed lands in the Sahara

• valued democratic principles

• located along the Niger River

• controlled the gold and salt trade

How did the Crusades in Southwest Asia and the travels of Marco Polo in Asia contribute to the growth of trade in Europe?

• They introduced new products and goods.

• They unlocked new oceanic shipping routes.

• They confirmed the need for military alliances.

• They forged friendly relations with other countries.