John Rolfe and Ecological Change in Early America

What significant ecological change did John Rolfe inadvertently help cause in the American landscape?

• The introduction of earthworms that altered forest ecosystems

• The extinction of native tobacco plants

• The spread of malaria among colonists

• The creation of large lakes in the Midwest

Which species of tobacco did the Indians in Virginia originally use before John Rolfe introduced a new type?

• Nicotiana rustica

• Nicotiana tabacum

• Nicotiana americana

• Nicotiana viridis

Why did the introduction of earthworms have such a dramatic effect on the forests of New England and the upper Midwest?

• Earthworms consumed the leaf litter, altering nutrient storage and forest structure

• Earthworms destroyed all native plant species

• Earthworms increased the population of deer

• Earthworms caused widespread flooding

Ships exporting tobacco from Jamestown often carried what unintended cargo that contributed to ecological change in America?

• Earthworms in the ballast

• Rats in the cargo hold

• Birds in the rigging

• Snakes in the barrels

What was the significance of the Columbian exchange according to Alfred Crosby?

• It was the most important event in the history of life since the death of the dinosaurs.

• It marked the end of the Ice Age.

• It led to the extinction of many animal species.

• It was the first time humans crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

How did the Powhatan Indians typically organize their villages and agriculture?

• Villages of a few hundred people surrounded by large tracts of cleared land for cornfields.

• Large cities with paved roads and stone buildings.

• Nomadic camps that moved every season.

• Villages built on stilts over water.

Why did the English investors in the Virginia Company want to establish a colony in the Chesapeake Bay region?

• They believed the region was rich in gold and silver.

• They wanted to escape religious persecution.

• They sought to establish a fur trading post.

• They aimed to create a new democracy.

What was the main reason the English chose the site for Jamestown?

• It was far from the ocean.

• It was close to a deepwater anchorage.

• It was already inhabited by friendly natives.

• It had rich farmland.

What does the term "tassantassas" mean as used by the Indians?

• Friends

• Strangers

• Warriors

• Farmers

Analyze why Powhatan did not attack Jamestown during its first two years, despite the colony's vulnerability.

• He wanted to form an alliance with the English.

• He believed the English would leave on their own.

• He valued the trade goods the English provided and thought the tassantassas would die out without his help.

• He was afraid of English weapons.