History of the Americas Questions

To reduce conflicts, Spanish policy toward the Pueblo Indians in the eighteenth centuryinvolved all of the following EXCEPTA. intensified efforts at assimilating the Pueblos.B. a willingness to permit the Pueblos to own their own land.C. toleration of tribal religious rituals.D. an expansion of the encomienda system.E. a stop to the commandeering of Indian labor.

What factor is believed to have dramatically reduced New World native populations aftercontact with Europeans?A. warB. diseaseC. starvationD. enslavementE. religious conversion

The preeminent European maritime power in the fifteenth century wasA. Spain.B. Portugal.C. France.D. the Netherlands.E. England

The first permanent Spanish settlement in what is now the United States wasA. New Orleans.B. St. Augustine.C. Santa Fe.D. St. Louis.E. San Francisco.

African and American Indian societies tended to be matrilineal, which meansA. people traced their heredity through their mothers.B. only women would be the heads of families.C. men could not inherit property.D. women were in control of the social institutions.E. only mothers could act as political leaders

In Spanish colonial societies, mestizosA. were considered to be at the top of the social hierarchy.B. came to make up the largest segment of the population.C. were officially illegal but generally tolerated.D. were usually sold into slavery.E. was the name given to Catholic priests, friars, and missionaries.

Amerigo VespucciA. sailed on the voyages with Christopher Columbus.B. was a leading critic of Columbus's claims.C. hailed from Portugal.D. never traveled to the New World.E. helped spread recognition of the idea that the Americas were new continents.

. In what chronological order, from earliest to latest, did European countries control theAfrican slave trade?A. the Portuguese, the Dutch, the EnglishB. the English, the Spanish, the DutchC. the Dutch, the English, the SpanishD. the English, the Dutch, the PortugueseE. the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Dutch

Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding African immigrants to theAmericas between 1500 and 1800?A. Almost all came against their will.B. They made up over half of all immigrants to the New World.C. Almost all came against their will, and they made up over half of all immigrants to the NewWorld.D. Almost all came voluntarily, making up somewhat less than half of all immigrants to theNew World.E. Almost all came voluntarily.

Which statement about Spanish settlements in the New World is FALSE?A. Spanish gold and silver mines were enormously productive.B. Spanish colonies would form one of the largest empires in the history of the world.C. The Catholic Church was very interested in spreading Christianity in Mexico.D. The first Spanish settlers were mostly interested in farming.E. Many helped establish elements of European civilization permanently in America.

Christopher ColumbusA. was trained as a sailor through his long service to Italy.B. was a man of little ambition.C. believed that Asia could only be reached by sailing east.D. believed the Americas consisted of a few islands.E. thought the world was much smaller than it is in reality.

. In the late fifteenth century, the desire in Europe to look for new lands was spurred in part byA. significant population growth.B. the absence of a merchant class.C. the declining political power of many monarchs.D. the expansion of feudalism.E. a desire to escape the Black Death.

What European explorer gave the Pacific Ocean its name?A. Amerigo VespucciB. Vasco de BalboaC. Juan Ponce de LeónD. Ferdinand MagellanE. Hernando Cortés

. In what way did sixteenth-century Europeans benefit from trade between the Americas andEurope?A. Food prices sharply rose as new crops flooded the European market.B. Health care improved as Indian medical practices were widely practiced in Europe.C. A large number of new crops became available in Europe.D. Trade with the Americas ended future food shortages in Europe.E. Forced immigration of Indian slaves reduced labor shortages in Europe.

As a result of his third voyage in 1498, Christopher Columbus concluded thatA. all of the lands he had seen were in Asia.B. he had never come even remotely close to Asia.C. he had encountered a continent separate from Asia.D. Asia could not be reached by a ship traveling west from Europe.E. the lands he had discovered offered great mineral wealth.

Who was the first known European to look westward upon the Pacific Ocean, in 1513?A. Amerigo VespucciB. Vasco de BalboaC. Juan Ponce de LeónD. Ferdinand MagellanE. Hernando Cortés

Regarding knowledge of the Americas prior to the fifteenth century, most EuropeansA. were aware of the travels of the Norse seaman Leif Eriksson in the eleventh century.B. believed the Americas consisted of little more than several small islands.C. were entirely unaware of the existence of the Americas.D. assumed that the Americas were largely unpopulated.E. had only heard of America from the travels of Marco Polo.

Christopher Columbus called the native people he encountered on his voyages "Indians"becauseA. he believed they came from the East Indies in the Pacific.B. it is what the natives called themselves.C. he mispronounced their actual name.D. Norse seamen had previously used the term.E. he wanted to hide his discovery from rival explorers.

In 1518, Hernando Cortés's conquest of the Aztecs was made possible largely due toA. political divisions within the Aztec leadership.B. the exposure of the Aztecs to smallpox.C. the brutality of the Spanish conquistadores.D. Spanish alliances with enemies of the Aztecs.E. the Spanish co-opting the Aztec religion.

Prior to European contact, the eastern third of what is today the United StatesA. was politically controlled by the Cahokia Indians.B. contained no permanent settlements.C. had the most abundant food resources of any region of the continent.D. was populated by tribes that engaged in hunting and gathering but did not yet farm.E. remained for the most part uninhabited.