How Polynesians Settled Pacific Islands

What was the key factor in enabling the Polynesian population boom on new islands?

• Stable farming techniques
• Abundant food sources and genetic homogeneity
• Low birth rates
• Frequent trade routes

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which feature of Eastern Polynesian culture could trace back to Tuamotu settlers?

• Wooden carvings
• Stone monoliths
• Ceremonial dances
• Religious texts

Inter-island contact among Polynesians might have impacted:

• Cultural and language development
• Settlement abandonment
• Isolation practices
• Resource scarcity

Tags

NGSS.HS-ETS1-1

In which century did Polynesians likely reach the Cook Islands?

• 9th century
• 11th century
• 13th century
• 15th century

Polynesian genetic markers suggest:

• Complex migrations occurred between 1500-1700
• Europeans heavily influenced their society
• Polynesians expanded primarily eastward
• Polynesians first settled in New Zealand

Linguistic evidence supports genetic findings that Polynesians:

• Shared common ancestry
• Developed languages in complete isolation
• Relied on writing to preserve knowledge
• Had no contact with other groups

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

What technology identified stone tool origins in the Pacific?

• Carbon dating
• X-ray fluorescence
• DNA sequencing
• Mass spectrometry

The stone figures found on far-flung islands were likely erected by which group of people?

• Native Americans
• Polynesians
• Europeans
• Africans

What natural navigation tools did Polynesians rely on during their voyages?

• Compasses
• Stars, waves, and birds
• Maps
• Written instructions

Polynesians traveled across the Pacific primarily in:

• single canoes
• wooden rafts
• double canoes
• small boats