,OpenStax U.S. History Instructor Answer Guide
U.S. History
Chapter 1: The Americas, Europe, and Africa Before 1492
Review Questions
1. Which of the following Indian peoples built homes in cliff dwellings that still exist?
Answer
A. Anasazi
2. Which culture developed the first writing system in the Western Hemisphere?
Answer
C. Olmec
3. Which culture developed a road system rivaling that of the Romans?
Answer
B. Inca
4. What were the major differences between the societies of the Aztec, Inca, and Maya and the
Indians of North America?
Answer
North American Indians were fewer in number, more widely dispersed, and did not have the
population size or organized social structures of the Maya, Aztec, or Inca societies. The Eastern
Woodland peoples, in particular, lived in small clan groups and adapted to their singular
environments. Some North American Indians lived by hunting and gathering rather than
cultivating crops.
5. The series of attempts by Christian armies to retake the Holy Lands from Muslims was known
as ________.
Answer
A. the Crusades
6. ________ became wealthy trading with the East.
Answer
D. Venice
7. In 1492, the Spanish forced these two religious groups to either convert or leave.
Answer
A. Jews and Muslims
8. How did European feudal society operate? How was this a mutually supportive system?
Answer
In feudal society, lords owned the land, which serfs worked and knights defended. Lords thus
utilized the labor of serfs and the military service of knights, who in turn received the protection
of the lord’s castle or city walls and, sometimes, the ability to rent land on which to live and
farm.
9. Why did Columbus believe he could get to the Far East by sailing west? What were the
problems with this plan?
Answer
It was known that the Earth was round, so Columbus’s plan seemed plausible. The distance he
would need to travel was not known, however, and he greatly underestimated the Earth’s
circumference; therefore, he would have no way of recognizing when he had arrived at his
destination.
10. The city of ________ became a leading center for Muslim scholarship and trade.
Answer
B. Timbuktu
,OpenStax U.S. History Instructor Answer Guide
11. Which of the following does not describe a form of slavery traditionally practiced in Africa?
Answer
D. a system in which people are enslaved permanently on account of their race
, OpenStax U.S. History Instructor Answer Guide
U.S. History
Chapter 2: Early Globalization: The Atlantic World, 1492–1650
Review Questions
1. Which country initiated the era of Atlantic exploration?
Answer
D. Portugal
2. Which country established the first colonies in the Americas?
Answer
C. Spain
3. Where did Christopher Columbus first land?
Answer
B. the Bahamas
4. Why did the authors of probanzas de méritos choose to write in the way that they did? What
should we consider when we interpret these documents today?
Answer
Probanzas de méritos featured glowing descriptions of lands of plenty. The Spanish explorers
hoped to find cities of gold, so they made their discoveries sound as wonderful as possible in
these letters to convince the Spanish crown to fund more voyages. When we read them now, we
need to take the descriptions with a grain of salt. But we can also fact-check these descriptions,
whereas the Spanish court could only take them at face value.
5. Where did the Protestant Reformation begin?
Answer
A. Northern Europe
6. What was the chief goal of the Puritans?
Answer
B. to eliminate any traces of Catholicism from the Church of England
7. What reforms to the Catholic Church did Martin Luther and John Calvin call for?
Answer
Luther was most concerned about indulgences, which allowed the wealthy to purchase their way
to forgiveness, and protested the Church’s taxation of ordinary Germans. Both wanted the liturgy
to be given in churchgoers’ own language, making scripture more accessible.
8. Why didn’t England make stronger attempts to colonize the New World before the late
sixteenth to early seventeenth century?
Answer
A. English attention was turned to internal struggles and the encroaching Catholic menace to
Scotland and Ireland.
9. What was the main goal of the French in colonizing the Americas?
Answer
B. trading, especially for furs
10. What were some of the main differences among the non-Spanish colonies?
Answer
Many English colonists in Virginia were aristocrats who had never worked and didn’t expect to
start. They hoped to find gold and silver and were unprepared for the realities of colonial life.
Farther north, the English Puritan colonies were largely founded not for profit but for religious
reasons. The French and Dutch colonies were primarily trading posts. Their colonists enjoyed
U.S. History
Chapter 1: The Americas, Europe, and Africa Before 1492
Review Questions
1. Which of the following Indian peoples built homes in cliff dwellings that still exist?
Answer
A. Anasazi
2. Which culture developed the first writing system in the Western Hemisphere?
Answer
C. Olmec
3. Which culture developed a road system rivaling that of the Romans?
Answer
B. Inca
4. What were the major differences between the societies of the Aztec, Inca, and Maya and the
Indians of North America?
Answer
North American Indians were fewer in number, more widely dispersed, and did not have the
population size or organized social structures of the Maya, Aztec, or Inca societies. The Eastern
Woodland peoples, in particular, lived in small clan groups and adapted to their singular
environments. Some North American Indians lived by hunting and gathering rather than
cultivating crops.
5. The series of attempts by Christian armies to retake the Holy Lands from Muslims was known
as ________.
Answer
A. the Crusades
6. ________ became wealthy trading with the East.
Answer
D. Venice
7. In 1492, the Spanish forced these two religious groups to either convert or leave.
Answer
A. Jews and Muslims
8. How did European feudal society operate? How was this a mutually supportive system?
Answer
In feudal society, lords owned the land, which serfs worked and knights defended. Lords thus
utilized the labor of serfs and the military service of knights, who in turn received the protection
of the lord’s castle or city walls and, sometimes, the ability to rent land on which to live and
farm.
9. Why did Columbus believe he could get to the Far East by sailing west? What were the
problems with this plan?
Answer
It was known that the Earth was round, so Columbus’s plan seemed plausible. The distance he
would need to travel was not known, however, and he greatly underestimated the Earth’s
circumference; therefore, he would have no way of recognizing when he had arrived at his
destination.
10. The city of ________ became a leading center for Muslim scholarship and trade.
Answer
B. Timbuktu
,OpenStax U.S. History Instructor Answer Guide
11. Which of the following does not describe a form of slavery traditionally practiced in Africa?
Answer
D. a system in which people are enslaved permanently on account of their race
, OpenStax U.S. History Instructor Answer Guide
U.S. History
Chapter 2: Early Globalization: The Atlantic World, 1492–1650
Review Questions
1. Which country initiated the era of Atlantic exploration?
Answer
D. Portugal
2. Which country established the first colonies in the Americas?
Answer
C. Spain
3. Where did Christopher Columbus first land?
Answer
B. the Bahamas
4. Why did the authors of probanzas de méritos choose to write in the way that they did? What
should we consider when we interpret these documents today?
Answer
Probanzas de méritos featured glowing descriptions of lands of plenty. The Spanish explorers
hoped to find cities of gold, so they made their discoveries sound as wonderful as possible in
these letters to convince the Spanish crown to fund more voyages. When we read them now, we
need to take the descriptions with a grain of salt. But we can also fact-check these descriptions,
whereas the Spanish court could only take them at face value.
5. Where did the Protestant Reformation begin?
Answer
A. Northern Europe
6. What was the chief goal of the Puritans?
Answer
B. to eliminate any traces of Catholicism from the Church of England
7. What reforms to the Catholic Church did Martin Luther and John Calvin call for?
Answer
Luther was most concerned about indulgences, which allowed the wealthy to purchase their way
to forgiveness, and protested the Church’s taxation of ordinary Germans. Both wanted the liturgy
to be given in churchgoers’ own language, making scripture more accessible.
8. Why didn’t England make stronger attempts to colonize the New World before the late
sixteenth to early seventeenth century?
Answer
A. English attention was turned to internal struggles and the encroaching Catholic menace to
Scotland and Ireland.
9. What was the main goal of the French in colonizing the Americas?
Answer
B. trading, especially for furs
10. What were some of the main differences among the non-Spanish colonies?
Answer
Many English colonists in Virginia were aristocrats who had never worked and didn’t expect to
start. They hoped to find gold and silver and were unprepared for the realities of colonial life.
Farther north, the English Puritan colonies were largely founded not for profit but for religious
reasons. The French and Dutch colonies were primarily trading posts. Their colonists enjoyed
