Chapter 2 Quiz: First Peoples — 10,000 Years of Indigenous Life
Multiple Choice
1. The Paleo-Indian period in Appalachia spans approximately which time range?
a) 50,000–25,000 BP b) 13,000–10,000 BP c) 5,000–3,000 BP d) 1,000–500 BP
2. The distinctive fluted stone spear point associated with the earliest well-documented Americans is called a:
a) Adena point b) Hopewell point c) Clovis point d) Woodland point
3. Which animal was NOT among the Pleistocene megafauna that Paleo-Indian hunters encountered in the Appalachians?
a) Mastodon b) Giant ground sloth c) Bison (modern species) d) Saber-toothed cat
4. Russell Cave in Alabama is significant because it:
a) Contains the largest Adena mound in eastern North America b) Is the only known cave with cave paintings in the Appalachian region c) Preserves approximately 10,000 years of intermittent human occupation in layered deposits d) Was the capital of a Mississippian chiefdom
5. The "broad-spectrum economy" of the Archaic period refers to:
a) A trade network that connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts b) A diversified subsistence strategy that drew on a wide range of food sources across seasons c) An early form of currency used in long-distance trade d) A system of crop rotation borrowed from Mesoamerica
6. The Eastern Agricultural Complex — the first domesticated plants in eastern North America — included all of the following EXCEPT:
a) Goosefoot (chenopodium) b) Sunflower c) Wheat d) Squash
7. Shell middens along Appalachian rivers primarily document the intensive harvesting of:
a) Ocean clams imported through trade b) Freshwater mussels c) Oysters from coastal estuaries d) Turtle shells used for ceremonial purposes
8. The Adena culture is most closely associated with which Appalachian feature?
a) Rock shelters and cave habitation b) Burial mounds and earthworks in the Ohio Valley c) Coastal fishing villages d) Mississippian platform mounds
9. The Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, West Virginia is notable because it:
a) Is one of the largest Adena mounds in North America, standing approximately 62 feet tall b) Contains evidence of European contact from the Viking era c) Is the only mound built during the Mississippian period in West Virginia d) Was constructed entirely of marine shells transported from the Gulf Coast
10. The Hopewell Interaction Sphere was:
a) A political empire with centralized authority and a standing army b) A network of shared ideas, ritual practices, and long-distance trade connecting diverse communities c) A single ethnic group that colonized the Ohio Valley d) A modern archaeological society founded in Ohio
11. Sheet mica found in Hopewell burial mounds across the Midwest was primarily sourced from:
a) The Great Lakes region of Michigan b) Volcanic deposits near Yellowstone, Wyoming c) The Spruce Pine mining district in western North Carolina d) Coastal deposits along the Gulf of Mexico
12. The "Three Sisters" agricultural system combined which three crops?
a) Wheat, barley, and rye b) Tobacco, cotton, and indigo c) Maize, beans, and squash d) Goosefoot, sunflower, and marsh elder
13. The Mississippian period differed from the earlier Woodland period primarily in its:
a) Total absence of pottery b) Development of hierarchical chiefdoms, platform mounds, and intensive maize agriculture c) Complete abandonment of trade networks d) Retreat from the Appalachian region to the Great Plains
14. Which of the following statements about pre-contact Appalachian population is best supported by current archaeological evidence?
a) The Appalachian region was essentially uninhabited before European contact b) The total pre-contact population was no more than a few hundred people c) The region was home to hundreds of thousands of people from diverse nations and language groups d) Population estimates are unnecessary because the land was wilderness
15. Indigenous peoples in Appalachia used prescribed fire to:
a) Signal enemy attacks across mountain ridges b) Forge metal tools from native copper c) Manage the forest understory, promote nut-bearing trees, and create favorable habitat for game d) Clear land permanently for plantation agriculture
Short Answer
16. In two or three sentences, explain what the "Mound Builder" myth was and what political purpose it served. When and how was it debunked?
17. Describe the seasonal round as practiced by Indigenous peoples in the Appalachian region. Your answer should identify at least three seasons and the primary activities associated with each.
18. The chapter argues that Appalachia was "a crossroads, not a barrier" for pre-contact trade networks. In three to four sentences, provide specific evidence from the chapter to support this claim. Name at least two trade goods and their source locations.
19. Choose one archaeological site discussed in the chapter (Russell Cave, the Thunderbird site, the St. Albans site, the Green River shell middens, Grave Creek Mound, or Etowah) and explain in three to four sentences what it tells us about the people who used it.
20. The chapter ends by describing the study of deep Indigenous history as "an act of justice." In your own words, explain what this means and why the author considers it important. Do you agree or disagree? Provide a brief justification for your position.
Answer Key Location
Answers to selected questions can be found in Appendix: Answers to Selected Exercises.