US History I Milestone 1.
1
Which of the following describes North American Indians prior to European contact?
● Their religion included the construction of elaborate temples and ritual human
sacrifice.
● They devised a written system to record crop yields and population size.
● This empire had no system of writing, but it kept records by knotting colored
threads.
● Most lived in small villages and practiced agriculture, hunting, and fishing.
RATIONALE
The Aztec constructed elaborate temples in their capital city, Tenochtitlán. The Inca
had no system of writing, but communicated and kept records using a system called
quipu, which consisted of colored threads knotted in different ways. Unlike these
major civilizations, most North American Indians lived in small, autonomous villages
which lacked large-scale social organization and commercial enterprises.
CONCEPT
The First Settlers
2
Read the excerpt written by the governor of the Virginia Colony in its early years:
,“Then haveinge fedd uponn horses and other beastes as long as they Lasted we weare
gladd to make shifte wth vermine as doggs Catts Ratts and myce All was fishe thatt
came to Nett to satisfye Crewell hunger as to eate Bootes shoes or any other leather
some colde Come by And those being Spente and devoured some weare inforced to
searche the woodes and to feede upon Serpents and snakes and to digge the earthe for
wylde and unknowne Rootes where many of our men weare Cutt off of and slayne by
the Salvages.”
Considering possible author bias, select the statement that most likely identifies the
author’s purpose.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to write a personal account of what he has
experienced.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to attract new settlers to Jamestown to help improve
living conditions.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to convince Native Americans to stop attacking the
colonists.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to encourage English officials to record the events
in Virginia.
RATIONALE
When reading primary sources, historians rely on the five Ws (including questions of
who, what, when, where, and why/for what purpose) to think about them critically.
Since this is a document written by the governor of the Virginia Colony in its early
years, and it describes terrible conditions and hostile natives during the "starving
time," the author is probably not trying to attract new settlers or address Native
, Americans. As this account matches what you learned about the "starving time," it is
most likely a straightforward account of events that took place.
CONCEPT
Analyzing Primary Sources
Think About It: How Did the Experience of the English Settlers Differ?
3
Choose two statements that reflect major features of the northern colonies.
● The main labor force began to shift from indentured servitude to slavery.
● Most adult men had the right to vote, no matter their economic status.
● Town leaders determined the spiritual qualifications of citizens.
● The colonies practiced religious tolerance and had no official church.
RATIONALE
Because they were founded by Puritans, religion and government were closely
intertwined in the northern colonies. Adherence to Puritanism was carefully monitored
and enforced by the community. All members of the community were required to
attend church, and town leaders, who were also religious leaders, determined who
among the community were "elect," or full church members. The system of
government in the northern colonies reflected the communal nature of the Puritan
religion, and voting rights were extended to all male church members, no matter their
economic status.
CONCEPT
Settling the Northern Colonies
4
Kyle traveled to Ireland to examine primary sources related to the Great Famine.
1
Which of the following describes North American Indians prior to European contact?
● Their religion included the construction of elaborate temples and ritual human
sacrifice.
● They devised a written system to record crop yields and population size.
● This empire had no system of writing, but it kept records by knotting colored
threads.
● Most lived in small villages and practiced agriculture, hunting, and fishing.
RATIONALE
The Aztec constructed elaborate temples in their capital city, Tenochtitlán. The Inca
had no system of writing, but communicated and kept records using a system called
quipu, which consisted of colored threads knotted in different ways. Unlike these
major civilizations, most North American Indians lived in small, autonomous villages
which lacked large-scale social organization and commercial enterprises.
CONCEPT
The First Settlers
2
Read the excerpt written by the governor of the Virginia Colony in its early years:
,“Then haveinge fedd uponn horses and other beastes as long as they Lasted we weare
gladd to make shifte wth vermine as doggs Catts Ratts and myce All was fishe thatt
came to Nett to satisfye Crewell hunger as to eate Bootes shoes or any other leather
some colde Come by And those being Spente and devoured some weare inforced to
searche the woodes and to feede upon Serpents and snakes and to digge the earthe for
wylde and unknowne Rootes where many of our men weare Cutt off of and slayne by
the Salvages.”
Considering possible author bias, select the statement that most likely identifies the
author’s purpose.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to write a personal account of what he has
experienced.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to attract new settlers to Jamestown to help improve
living conditions.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to convince Native Americans to stop attacking the
colonists.
● The writer’s likely purpose is to encourage English officials to record the events
in Virginia.
RATIONALE
When reading primary sources, historians rely on the five Ws (including questions of
who, what, when, where, and why/for what purpose) to think about them critically.
Since this is a document written by the governor of the Virginia Colony in its early
years, and it describes terrible conditions and hostile natives during the "starving
time," the author is probably not trying to attract new settlers or address Native
, Americans. As this account matches what you learned about the "starving time," it is
most likely a straightforward account of events that took place.
CONCEPT
Analyzing Primary Sources
Think About It: How Did the Experience of the English Settlers Differ?
3
Choose two statements that reflect major features of the northern colonies.
● The main labor force began to shift from indentured servitude to slavery.
● Most adult men had the right to vote, no matter their economic status.
● Town leaders determined the spiritual qualifications of citizens.
● The colonies practiced religious tolerance and had no official church.
RATIONALE
Because they were founded by Puritans, religion and government were closely
intertwined in the northern colonies. Adherence to Puritanism was carefully monitored
and enforced by the community. All members of the community were required to
attend church, and town leaders, who were also religious leaders, determined who
among the community were "elect," or full church members. The system of
government in the northern colonies reflected the communal nature of the Puritan
religion, and voting rights were extended to all male church members, no matter their
economic status.
CONCEPT
Settling the Northern Colonies
4
Kyle traveled to Ireland to examine primary sources related to the Great Famine.
