Survey of American History – Test 1: Exploration and Colonization

65 flashcards based on Test One: Exploration and Colonization Study Guide, Fall 2026, including the 13 colonies map. Answers follow the class review sheet. ★ marks unclear or simplified claims to check with the teacher.

Who were the first known human inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere?

Nomadic hunters.

Where did they come from, and how did they get here?

Siberia, in present-day Russia. They crossed the land bridge called Beringia.

Which Native American groups lived in the Tri-State Area?

Eastern Woodlands peoples, including Mississippian mound builders.

What three purposes did mounds have, according to the guide?

Religious ceremonies, burials, and garbage disposal.

Which Europeans arrived first?

The Vikings.

Where did the Vikings settle in North America?

Canada.

Whose journal encouraged Europeans to explore routes to Asia?

Marco Polo's journal.

What does the guide say Europeans believed about Earth's shape? ★

The guide says they believed Earth was flat. Check this claim with the teacher.

Why does the guide say this belief was difficult to challenge? ★

The guide says it was part of church doctrine. Check this claim with the teacher.

Which explorer does the guide identify as believing Earth was round?

Christopher Columbus.

Which country and monarchs financed Columbus's expeditions?

Spain: King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

Which European country first claimed large areas of land in the Americas?

Spain.

Which two conquistadors conquered and claimed Native lands?

Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro.

Which present-day U.S. states included land claimed by Spain?

Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Which system led to the forced labor and exploitation of Native people?

The encomienda system.

Why did the French claim land in North America?

For the fur trade.

How does the guide describe French relations with Native Americans?

Friendly.

What were the English originally searching for in North America?

The Northwest Passage, a route to Asia.

Where did England first attempt to establish a colony, according to the guide?

Roanoke.

What happened to Roanoke?

The colonists disappeared. It became known as the Lost Colony.

What types of settlers does the guide associate with Jamestown and Massachusetts?

Jamestown: upper-class settlers and aristocrats. Massachusetts: middle-class religious settlers.

Why did settlers come to Jamestown and Massachusetts?

Jamestown: to find gold and silver and make money. Massachusetts: for religious reasons.

How did people earn a living in Jamestown and Massachusetts?

Jamestown: tobacco farming. Massachusetts: fishing and shipbuilding.

How did geography affect farming in Jamestown and Massachusetts?

Jamestown: good farming soil. Massachusetts: rocky soil and a short growing season.

How does the guide describe each colony's relationship with the king?

Jamestown: supported the king and had close ties to him. Massachusetts: had religious disagreements with him.

How does the guide compare their views of the Church of England?

Jamestown: wanted to keep it as it was. Massachusetts: wanted to purify it.

When was Jamestown settled?

1607.

When were Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay settled?

Plymouth: 1620. Massachusetts Bay: 1630.

What was primogeniture?

An inheritance system in which the oldest son inherited the family estate.

How did primogeniture encourage migration to Jamestown?

Younger sons went there to make their own fortunes.

What was the Mayflower Compact? ★

An agreement to form a government and follow shared laws. The guide calls it the 'earliest constitution'; check that wording with the teacher.

Which two colonies negotiated with Native Americans over land ownership, according to the guide?

Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Which colony does the guide name as the first to outlaw slavery? ★

Pennsylvania. Check the guide's wording with the teacher.

Which colony first established public schools, according to the guide?

Massachusetts.

Which colony was founded by an aristocrat for religious freedom and first granted religious freedom, according to the guide? ★

The answer lists both Maryland and Pennsylvania. Ask the teacher which answer is expected.

Which religious group settled in Pennsylvania?

The Quakers.

Who founded the Quaker faith?

George Fox.

Who founded Pennsylvania?

William Penn.

Which two immigrant groups does the guide identify in Pennsylvania?

The Scotch-Irish and the Pennsylvania Dutch.

What was the Dutch colony called before the English takeover?

New Netherland.

Which colony does the guide describe as a penal colony? ★

Georgia. Check this description with the teacher.

Which colonies helped spread slavery in the South, according to the guide?

The Carolinas.

Who were indentured servants?

People who agreed to work for a set period, often 5–7 years, before becoming free from their contracts.

Which four colonies made up New England?

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Which future English king was responsible for taking New Netherland from the Dutch?

James, Duke of York, who later became King James II.

How does the guide describe the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Jamestown? ★

It says a Dutch ship was having trouble. Ask the teacher to clarify this answer.

Why was Georgia founded, according to the guide? ★

To be a penal colony. Check this description with the teacher.

Who founded Georgia?

James Oglethorpe.

What three aspects of colonial life did geography affect?

Where people settled, how they earned a living, and the demands on individuals and families.

How does the guide connect aristocratic backgrounds to attitudes toward slavery? ★

It says aristocrats were used to servants and were more willing to accept slavery. This is a broad generalization in the guide.

How does the guide connect religious backgrounds to attitudes toward slavery? ★

It says religious settlers would see slavery as morally wrong. This is a broad generalization in the guide.

Which economic issues does the guide identify as later sources of disagreement?

Tariffs, the Bank of the United States, and taxes.

What was the main question behind states' rights?

Who should have more power: state governments or the national government?

How did the 13 colonies operate before 1776?

Separately, with their own governments, rules, laws, and currencies.

What did Britain mainly require from the colonies before the French and Indian War?

That they trade with Britain.

What was the purpose of the Navigation Laws?

To regulate colonial trade.

When does the guide say Britain began enforcing the Navigation Laws more strictly?

After the French and Indian War.

Which four colonies were in New England? (Map practice)

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Which four colonies were the Middle Colonies?

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Which five colonies were the Southern Colonies?

Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Which colony was farthest south?

Georgia.

Which colony was between Maryland and North Carolina?

Virginia.

Which colony was between Virginia and South Carolina?

North Carolina.

Which colony was between North Carolina and Georgia?

South Carolina.

Maine was part of which colony on the map?

Massachusetts.