Standard 8.2 Mastery Quiz
Standard 8.2: I can identify that North America was explored and inhabited by
Europeans for economic and religious reasons.
Answer all questions. Good luck!
1. Which of the following is a reason why Europeans began to explore the
Americas?
a. To spread the religion of Islam
b. To find oil
c. To spread the religion of Christianity
d. To build prisons
2. Why were Europeans looking for new trade routes to Asia?
a. The Europeans wanted a more exciting route to travel
b. The Europeans were trying to create new routes through the
mountains
c. The Europeans wanted spices and silk, but the overland route to Asia
was dangerous and time consuming
d. The Europeans wanted spices and silk from China because they
exhausted their own supplies of spices and silk
3. Why did so many explorers look for a Northwest Passage
a. They thought it was a direct water route to Asia through North
America
b. They hoped it was the route leading to the golden cities of North
America
c. It would shorten the return trip from the Americas to Europe
d. It was a major trade route that went from South America to North
America
4. How were the Spanish able to defeat the Aztecs and the Incas?
a. The Spanish had superior weapons
b. The Spanish used slaves as soldiers
c. The Aztecs died from starvation before the Spanish arrived
d. The Spanish bought the Aztec empire using gold
5. What were the three ships sailed by Christopher Columbus?
a. Voyager, Discovery, Explorer
b. Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria
c. Bismarck, North Carolina, Indianapolis
d. Nunez, Sotto Vocce, Puma
6. What was the Columbian Exchange?
a. The trade between Europeans and West African kings for slaves
b. The movement of Christianity from Europe to the Americans
c. The movement of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old
World and New World
d. The migration of settlers from Europeans to the Americas
7. Read the following excerpt from a letter written by Christopher Columbus:
When I reached Juana (Cuba), followed its coast . . . and found it so large
that I thought it must be the mainland, the province of Cathay (China); and,
as I found, only a few small hamlets (small villages), with the inhabitants of
which I could not hold a conversation because they immediately fled. I kept
on the same route, thinking that I could not fail to light upon (encounter)
some large cities and towns. At length . . . I returned to a certain harbor, and
sent three men ashore . . . they journeyed for three days and found countless,
small hamlets with numberless inhabitants, but with nothing like order;
they therefore returned. In the meantime I had learned from some other
Indians whom I seized, that this land was certainly an island.
Where did Columbus think he had landed?
a. India
b. America
c. China
d. Cuba
8.
According to the map above, what was the last year of Columbus’ voyages?
a. 1504
b. 1502
c. 1500
d. 1492
9. Using the map above, which continent do you think Christopher Columbus
explored the least?
a. Europe
b. North America
c. South America
d. Africa
10. Above is a map of Columbus’ second voyage. What is true about this voyage?
a. He went all the way around Cuba
b. He did not visit Jamaica
c. He left Hispaniola and returned to Spain
d. He only visited one island