Chapter 1 - "America; A Narrative
History"
Who discovered the "New World"? - ANSChristopher Columbus
Who did archaeologists think were the first humans in the Western Hemisphere? -
ANSSiberians, nomadic hunters.
When and how did the Siberians reach the Western Hemisphere? - ANS12-15,000 years ago.
They crossed the Bering Strait on a land bridge to Alaska.
Where and why did the Siberians go after reaching Alaska? - ANSSouthwards, looking for herds
of animals to hunt.
What happened in the 500 years after the Siberians reached the Western Hemisphere? -
ANSThey spread out over the hemisphere.
What did recent archaeological studies actually say? - ANSThat ancient humans may have
arrived by sea 18-40,000 years ago from parts of Asia. Some by the Atlantic Ocean from SW
Europe.
What two elements of North America were the most significant upon arrival by the first humans?
- ANSExtraordinary climate and environmental diversity.
What allowed Indian societies to spread ideas and innovations? - ANSExtensive trading
networks.
How many languages were spoken by the natives in North America when Columbus arrived? -
ANSOver 400.
What killed off the larger mammals in North America? When did this occur? - ANSClimatic
changes and extensive hunting. This happened thousands of years after the first humans
arrived in North America.
How did global warming affect these humans in North America? - ANSGlobal warming
diminished grasslands and stimulated forest growth (provided small plants and animals for
humans to eat).
Which two animals were domesticated by the Indians? - ANSDog and turkey.
,Name three adaptions made by the Indians to their new environments? - ANSFiber snares,
basketry, nut-grinding mills.
A new cultural stage arrived with the introduction of what three "activities"? - ANSFarming,
fishing, and pottery making.
Which animals were hunted during this time? - ANSDeer, antelope, elk, moose, and caribou.
What were the Indians of the Mexican highlands already doing by the year 5000 BC? -
ANSConsuming plant foods that became the staples of the New World: corn, beans, squash,
chili peppers, avocados, and pumpkins.
When did permanent farming towns appear in Mexico? - ANSBetween 2000 and 1500 BC?
What did the more settled life provide time for? [Sports acronym] - ANSCultivation of science,
administration, warfare, crafts, art, religion. [SAWCAR]
What happened from A.D 300 to 900? - ANSMiddle America developed great city centers.
What were the three elements of the great city centers in Middle America? What were these
centers supported by? - ANSGigantic pyramids, temples, and palaces. Supported by
surrounding peasant villages.
Using both mathematics and astronomy, what was created? Who created it? - ANSThe Mayas
created a calendar.
When did the Mayan culture collapse? How? (3) - ANSA.D 900. They overused the rainforest
that they depended on, overpopulation, and unrelenting civil wars.
What did this deforestation lead to? - ANSHillside erosion and a loss of farmland.
Describe what happened in a Mayan war party. - ANSDestroyed the cities, took prisoners,
sacrificed the prisoners to the gods.
What was the concluding reason that Mayan society collapsed? When did this happen? -
ANSThe Toltecs conquered the region in the tenth century.
What happened in A.D 1200? - ANSThe Toltecs ceased warfare and "withdrew".
Where did the Aztecs come from? What did they do? - ANSThe Northwest. They gradually
expanded their control over central Mexico.
What happened in 1325? - ANSThe Aztecs founded the city of Tenochtitlán.
, What happened in 1519? - ANSThe Spanish invaded.
Who ruled the Aztec Empire in 1519? How many people were in the Aztec Empire? -
ANSMontezuma II. 5-20 million people.
What happened further south of the Aztecs? - ANSThe Chibchas built a smaller empire, similar
to the Aztec.
Who lived further south of the Chibchas? - ANSThe Quechuas.
What is another name for the Quechuas? - ANSThe Incas.
Describe what the Quechuan empire looked like in the 15th century. - ANSStretched 1,000 miles
along the Andes Mountains (Ecuador to Chile).
What government did the Quechuas live under? - ANSAutocratic.
Which three identifiable civilizations were developed by the Indians of the present-day United
States? - ANSAdena-Hopewell, Mississippian, and the Pueblo-Hohokam cultures.
Adena-Hopewell: Region, time frame? - ANSNortheast. 800 B.C - A.D 600.
Mississippian: Region, time frame? - ANSSoutheast. A.D 600 - 1500.
Pueblo-Hohokan: Region, time frame? - ANSSouthwest. 400 B.C - Present.
Which developed further?
(Adena, Mississippian, Pueblo) V.S (Mayas, Aztecs, Incas) - ANSThe Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas.
Where was the Adena-Hopewell culture centered? - ANSOhio River Valley.
What did the AH culture leave behind? What does this suggest of the culture? - ANSLarge
earthworks and burial mounds. Suggests a complex social structure and a specialized division
of labor.
What did the AH Indians create that spanned the continent? - ANSAn elaborate trade network.
Where was the Mississippian culture centered? - ANSMississippi River Valley.
Which four elements of the Mississippian culture were similar to the Mayan and Aztec societies?
- ANSAgriculture, Towns built around central plazas, temple mounds, and death cults.
What did the temple mounds of the Mississippian culture vaguely resemble? - ANSPyramids.
History"
Who discovered the "New World"? - ANSChristopher Columbus
Who did archaeologists think were the first humans in the Western Hemisphere? -
ANSSiberians, nomadic hunters.
When and how did the Siberians reach the Western Hemisphere? - ANS12-15,000 years ago.
They crossed the Bering Strait on a land bridge to Alaska.
Where and why did the Siberians go after reaching Alaska? - ANSSouthwards, looking for herds
of animals to hunt.
What happened in the 500 years after the Siberians reached the Western Hemisphere? -
ANSThey spread out over the hemisphere.
What did recent archaeological studies actually say? - ANSThat ancient humans may have
arrived by sea 18-40,000 years ago from parts of Asia. Some by the Atlantic Ocean from SW
Europe.
What two elements of North America were the most significant upon arrival by the first humans?
- ANSExtraordinary climate and environmental diversity.
What allowed Indian societies to spread ideas and innovations? - ANSExtensive trading
networks.
How many languages were spoken by the natives in North America when Columbus arrived? -
ANSOver 400.
What killed off the larger mammals in North America? When did this occur? - ANSClimatic
changes and extensive hunting. This happened thousands of years after the first humans
arrived in North America.
How did global warming affect these humans in North America? - ANSGlobal warming
diminished grasslands and stimulated forest growth (provided small plants and animals for
humans to eat).
Which two animals were domesticated by the Indians? - ANSDog and turkey.
,Name three adaptions made by the Indians to their new environments? - ANSFiber snares,
basketry, nut-grinding mills.
A new cultural stage arrived with the introduction of what three "activities"? - ANSFarming,
fishing, and pottery making.
Which animals were hunted during this time? - ANSDeer, antelope, elk, moose, and caribou.
What were the Indians of the Mexican highlands already doing by the year 5000 BC? -
ANSConsuming plant foods that became the staples of the New World: corn, beans, squash,
chili peppers, avocados, and pumpkins.
When did permanent farming towns appear in Mexico? - ANSBetween 2000 and 1500 BC?
What did the more settled life provide time for? [Sports acronym] - ANSCultivation of science,
administration, warfare, crafts, art, religion. [SAWCAR]
What happened from A.D 300 to 900? - ANSMiddle America developed great city centers.
What were the three elements of the great city centers in Middle America? What were these
centers supported by? - ANSGigantic pyramids, temples, and palaces. Supported by
surrounding peasant villages.
Using both mathematics and astronomy, what was created? Who created it? - ANSThe Mayas
created a calendar.
When did the Mayan culture collapse? How? (3) - ANSA.D 900. They overused the rainforest
that they depended on, overpopulation, and unrelenting civil wars.
What did this deforestation lead to? - ANSHillside erosion and a loss of farmland.
Describe what happened in a Mayan war party. - ANSDestroyed the cities, took prisoners,
sacrificed the prisoners to the gods.
What was the concluding reason that Mayan society collapsed? When did this happen? -
ANSThe Toltecs conquered the region in the tenth century.
What happened in A.D 1200? - ANSThe Toltecs ceased warfare and "withdrew".
Where did the Aztecs come from? What did they do? - ANSThe Northwest. They gradually
expanded their control over central Mexico.
What happened in 1325? - ANSThe Aztecs founded the city of Tenochtitlán.
, What happened in 1519? - ANSThe Spanish invaded.
Who ruled the Aztec Empire in 1519? How many people were in the Aztec Empire? -
ANSMontezuma II. 5-20 million people.
What happened further south of the Aztecs? - ANSThe Chibchas built a smaller empire, similar
to the Aztec.
Who lived further south of the Chibchas? - ANSThe Quechuas.
What is another name for the Quechuas? - ANSThe Incas.
Describe what the Quechuan empire looked like in the 15th century. - ANSStretched 1,000 miles
along the Andes Mountains (Ecuador to Chile).
What government did the Quechuas live under? - ANSAutocratic.
Which three identifiable civilizations were developed by the Indians of the present-day United
States? - ANSAdena-Hopewell, Mississippian, and the Pueblo-Hohokam cultures.
Adena-Hopewell: Region, time frame? - ANSNortheast. 800 B.C - A.D 600.
Mississippian: Region, time frame? - ANSSoutheast. A.D 600 - 1500.
Pueblo-Hohokan: Region, time frame? - ANSSouthwest. 400 B.C - Present.
Which developed further?
(Adena, Mississippian, Pueblo) V.S (Mayas, Aztecs, Incas) - ANSThe Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas.
Where was the Adena-Hopewell culture centered? - ANSOhio River Valley.
What did the AH culture leave behind? What does this suggest of the culture? - ANSLarge
earthworks and burial mounds. Suggests a complex social structure and a specialized division
of labor.
What did the AH Indians create that spanned the continent? - ANSAn elaborate trade network.
Where was the Mississippian culture centered? - ANSMississippi River Valley.
Which four elements of the Mississippian culture were similar to the Mayan and Aztec societies?
- ANSAgriculture, Towns built around central plazas, temple mounds, and death cults.
What did the temple mounds of the Mississippian culture vaguely resemble? - ANSPyramids.
