Indigenous cultures and civilizations before European contact

What does the term “Pre-Columbian” refer to?
A. European exploration after 1492
B. Indigenous cultures before European contact
C. Colonization by Europeans
D. The American Revolution
Answer: B

Which advanced civilization built Machu Picchu in South America?
A. Maya
B. Aztec
C. Inca
D. Olmec
Answer: C

Which indigenous culture is known for its large earthen mounds in North America?
A. Ancestral Puebloans
B. Hopewell
C. Mississippian
D. Inuit
Answer: C

The Aztec capital Tenochtitlán was located on which modern-day city?
A. Lima
B. Mexico City
C. Bogotá
D. Caracas
Answer: B

What was the primary purpose of the Mayan pyramids?
A. Burial tombs
B. Defense structures
C. Religious ceremonies
D. Storage facilities
Answer: C

Which Pre-Columbian civilization developed a calendar system including the Long Count?
A. Inca
B. Aztec
C. Maya
D. Olmec
Answer: C

Which of the following was a major crop cultivated by Native Americans?
A. Wheat
B. Rice
C. Maize
D. Barley
Answer: C

What material did the Olmecs use to create colossal heads?
A. Clay
B. Granite
C. Basalt
D. Limestone
Answer: C

Which region was home to the Ancestral Puebloans?
A. Eastern Woodlands
B. Southwest United States
C. Great Plains
D. Pacific Northwest
Answer: B

Which civilization is credited with creating the Nazca Lines in Peru?
A. Maya
B. Inca
C. Nazca
D. Chavín
Answer: C

What was a characteristic of Mississippian culture?
A. Stone temples
B. Walled cities
C. Mound-building
D. Large empires
Answer: C

The primary dwelling structure of the Plains tribes was:
A. Wigwam
B. Longhouse
C. Teepee
D. Pueblo
Answer: C

Which Pre-Columbian culture is known for its ballgame courts?
A. Olmec
B. Maya
C. Inca
D. Taino
Answer: B

The Aztec god Huitzilopochtli was associated with:
A. War and the sun
B. Agriculture
C. Rain
D. The underworld
Answer: A

What type of writing did the Maya develop?
A. Cuneiform
B. Pictographs
C. Hieroglyphics
D. Phonetic alphabet
Answer: C

The Inuit people primarily depended on what for survival?
A. Farming
B. Hunting and fishing
C. Trade
D. Mining
Answer: B

Which indigenous group lived in the Arctic region?
A. Iroquois
B. Inuit
C. Cherokee
D. Sioux
Answer: B

The Iroquois Confederacy was located in:
A. The Great Plains
B. The Southwest
C. The Northeastern Woodlands
D. The Pacific Northwest
Answer: C

Which crop is known as the “Three Sisters” along with beans and squash?
A. Potatoes
B. Maize
C. Cassava
D. Rice
Answer: B

What was the primary material used by the Plains tribes for clothing?
A. Cotton
B. Wool
C. Animal hides
D. Silk
Answer: C

The Aztecs referred to themselves as the:
A. Mexica
B. Toltec
C. Zapotec
D. Chichimeca
Answer: A

Cahokia, a major center of Mississippian culture, is located in which modern-day state?
A. Ohio
B. Illinois
C. Louisiana
D. Tennessee
Answer: B

What was the primary writing tool for the Inca?
A. Hieroglyphics
B. Pictographs
C. Quipu
D. None; they were pre-literate
Answer: C

The Mayan civilization was primarily located in:
A. The Andes
B. Central America
C. The Great Plains
D. The Caribbean
Answer: B

The Taino people were indigenous to:
A. The Andes Mountains
B. The Amazon rainforest
C. The Caribbean islands
D. Central America
Answer: C

Which Pre-Columbian civilization was known for its advanced road network?
A. Aztec
B. Maya
C. Inca
D. Olmec
Answer: C

The Mesoamerican ballgame was often played using:
A. Wooden bats
B. A rubber ball
C. Stone hoops
D. Shells
Answer: B

Which indigenous people carved totem poles to represent family lineage?
A. Inuit
B. Cherokee
C. Pacific Northwest tribes
D. Hopi
Answer: C

What was the primary purpose of Chaco Canyon’s structures?
A. Fortresses
B. Trade centers and ceremonial sites
C. Burial grounds
D. Hunting lodges
Answer: B

The Olmec civilization is considered the “mother culture” of:
A. Mesoamerica
B. The Andes
C. The Amazon Basin
D. North America
Answer: A

What did the Aztecs use chinampas for?
A. Building temples
B. Growing crops on artificial islands
C. Raising livestock
D. Quarrying stone
Answer: B

Which Native American group was known for creating elaborate pottery in the Southwest?
A. Sioux
B. Ancestral Puebloans
C. Powhatan
D. Mississippians
Answer: B

What animal was domesticated by the Inca for carrying goods?
A. Horse
B. Llama
C. Camel
D. Buffalo
Answer: B

The Hopewell culture is best known for:
A. Totem poles
B. Stone temples
C. Large ceremonial mounds
D. Cliff dwellings
Answer: C

The Zapotec civilization thrived in:
A. The Yucatan Peninsula
B. The Oaxaca Valley
C. The Amazon Basin
D. The Caribbean
Answer: B

The Inuit used which type of dwelling in winter?
A. Wigwam
B. Igloo
C. Longhouse
D. Teepee
Answer: B

The Mayan civilization declined due to:
A. Spanish conquest
B. Disease
C. Overpopulation, warfare, and environmental factors
D. Natural disasters
Answer: C

Which civilization used floating gardens for agriculture?
A. Inca
B. Maya
C. Aztec
D. Chavín
Answer: C

What was the primary source of protein for the Great Plains tribes?
A. Deer
B. Buffalo
C. Fish
D. Turkey
Answer: B

The Nazca civilization is known for:
A. Building stone cities
B. Advanced astronomy
C. Creating giant geoglyphs
D. Domesticating horses
Answer: C

The Cherokee people traditionally lived in which type of structure?
A. Longhouses
B. Wigwams
C. Wattle and daub houses
D. Igloos
Answer: C

Which indigenous group is associated with Mesa Verde?
A. Iroquois
B. Inuit
C. Ancestral Puebloans
D. Taino
Answer: C

The Aztec Empire was established in which year?
A. 900 CE
B. 1200 CE
C. 1325 CE
D. 1492 CE
Answer: C

The Mississippian city of Cahokia featured what large structure?
A. Pyramid of the Sun
B. Monk’s Mound
C. El Castillo
D. Temple of Kukulcán
Answer: B

The Inca Empire was primarily located in:
A. Central America
B. The Andes Mountains
C. The Amazon rainforest
D. The Yucatan Peninsula
Answer: B

What was the name of the Aztec god of rain and agriculture?
A. Huitzilopochtli
B. Tlaloc
C. Quetzalcoatl
D. Inti
Answer: B

What material was commonly used by the Plains tribes for their homes?
A. Wood
B. Animal hides
C. Clay bricks
D. Stone
Answer: B

Which indigenous group was known for its birchbark canoes?
A. Inuit
B. Iroquois
C. Lakota
D. Powhatan
Answer: B

The Maya developed a number system based on:
A. 5
B. 10
C. 20
D. 60
Answer: C

What was the primary tool used by the Inca for record-keeping?
A. Papyrus
B. Codices
C. Quipu
D. Hieroglyphics
Answer: C

The Pueblo people traditionally lived in:
A. Wigwams
B. Teepees
C. Adobe dwellings
D. Longhouses
Answer: C

Which indigenous group was known for its use of kivas, underground ceremonial chambers?
A. Ancestral Puebloans
B. Inuit
C. Cherokee
D. Mississippians
Answer: A

The Taino were the first indigenous people encountered by:
A. Hernán Cortés
B. Christopher Columbus
C. Francisco Pizarro
D. Vasco da Gama
Answer: B

What is the name of the writing system used by the Aztecs?
A. Cuneiform
B. Pictographs
C. Hieroglyphics
D. Quipu
Answer: B

Which Pre-Columbian civilization worshipped Inti, the sun god?
A. Maya
B. Aztec
C. Inca
D. Olmec
Answer: C

The Great Plains tribes relied on what animal for most of their needs?
A. Elk
B. Horse
C. Buffalo
D. Deer
Answer: C

The Chavín civilization was centered in which modern-day country?
A. Mexico
B. Peru
C. Brazil
D. Colombia
Answer: B

Which civilization developed a network of aqueducts and terraces for farming?
A. Aztec
B. Inca
C. Maya
D. Olmec
Answer: B

What was the primary function of Olmec colossal heads?
A. Burial markers
B. Representations of rulers
C. Astronomical symbols
D. Storage facilities
Answer: B

Which Pre-Columbian civilization constructed large cliff dwellings in the American Southwest?
A. Navajo
B. Ancestral Puebloans
C. Taino
D. Hopewell
Answer: B

What was the primary purpose of the Iroquois Confederacy?
A. Trade agreements
B. Military alliance and governance
C. Religious unification
D. Agricultural collaboration
Answer: B

Which indigenous culture used the Atlatl for hunting?
A. Inuit
B. Paleo-Indians
C. Aztec
D. Taino
Answer: B

The Zapotec city of Monte Albán is located in:
A. The Andes Mountains
B. The Oaxaca Valley
C. The Yucatan Peninsula
D. The Great Plains
Answer: B

What was the name of the largest city in the Mississippian culture?
A. Tikal
B. Tenochtitlán
C. Cahokia
D. Cusco
Answer: C

Which civilization used the Mit’a labor system?
A. Olmec
B. Aztec
C. Inca
D. Maya
Answer: C

The Mayan sacred book that contains the creation myth is called:
A. Codex Mendoza
B. Popol Vuh
C. Quipu
D. Chilam Balam
Answer: B

The Aztec practiced human sacrifice primarily to:
A. Deter invaders
B. Honor their rulers
C. Appease their gods
D. Preserve cultural traditions
Answer: C

The Anasazi people are another name for:
A. Inuit
B. Ancestral Puebloans
C. Cherokee
D. Mississippians
Answer: B

The Inca Empire’s capital was:
A. Tenochtitlán
B. Cusco
C. Machu Picchu
D. Nazca
Answer: B

Which civilization developed a glyphic writing system in the Americas?
A. Olmec
B. Aztec
C. Maya
D. Inca
Answer: C

What natural feature is most associated with the Nazca Lines?
A. Deserts
B. Mountains
C. Lakes
D. Forests
Answer: A

The Arctic indigenous peoples primarily used which material for building tools and weapons?
A. Bone and ivory
B. Wood
C. Stone
D. Clay
Answer: A

What was the staple food of the Maya?
A. Potatoes
B. Wheat
C. Maize
D. Rice
Answer: C

The Pacific Northwest tribes were known for which type of art?
A. Sand painting
B. Totem poles
C. Pottery
D. Feathered headdresses
Answer: B

The Maya were unique for their:
A. Road networks
B. Advanced understanding of astronomy
C. Domestication of horses
D. Monotheistic religion
Answer: B

What did the Aztec call their empire?
A. Tawantinsuyu
B. Mexica Empire
C. Triple Alliance
D. Teotihuacán
Answer: C

What was the main material used by the Inca for constructing their buildings?
A. Clay
B. Stone
C. Wood
D. Brick
Answer: B

Which indigenous group is credited with the development of kayaks?
A. Iroquois
B. Inuit
C. Cherokee
D. Apache
Answer: B

What were kachina dolls used for in Pueblo culture?
A. Toys for children
B. Teaching spiritual beliefs
C. Trade goods
D. Religious sacrifices
Answer: B

The Taino people referred to their villages as:
A. Pueblos
B. Calpulli
C. Caney
D. Yucayeques
Answer: D

What was the main form of currency for the Aztec?
A. Gold coins
B. Cocoa beans
C. Shells
D. Barter system
Answer: B

Which civilization built terraces for farming in the Andes Mountains?
A. Aztec
B. Maya
C. Inca
D. Olmec
Answer: C

Which indigenous culture built the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacán?
A. Aztec
B. Olmec
C. Teotihuacanos
D. Zapotec
Answer: C

The Adena and Hopewell cultures are part of which tradition?
A. Mound Builders
B. Cliff Dwellers
C. Totem Pole Artists
D. Kayak Builders
Answer: A

What was the primary purpose of Quipu in the Inca civilization?
A. Agriculture
B. Record-keeping
C. Religious ceremonies
D. Military strategies
Answer: B

What is a distinguishing feature of the Mayan city of Chichen Itza?
A. Extensive roads
B. Step pyramids
C. Colossal heads
D. Cliff dwellings
Answer: B

The Plains tribes depended on buffalo for all of the following except:
A. Food
B. Clothing
C. Currency
D. Shelter
Answer: C

The Inca used which crop as a staple in their diet?
A. Maize
B. Potatoes
C. Rice
D. Wheat
Answer: B

What did the Mississippian culture rely on for trade and economy?
A. Agriculture and rivers
B. Domesticated animals
C. Oceanic trade routes
D. Gem mining
Answer: A

Which civilization’s language was primarily spoken, with no written script?
A. Aztec
B. Maya
C. Inca
D. Olmec
Answer: C

The Great Serpent Mound is associated with which culture?
A. Ancestral Puebloans
B. Hopewell
C. Mississippian
D. Inuit
Answer: B

The Aztecs worshipped Quetzalcoatl as the god of:
A. War
B. Rain
C. Creation and learning
D. The underworld
Answer: C

The Inuit primarily hunted which animals for sustenance?
A. Deer and elk
B. Whales and seals
C. Buffalo and antelope
D. Rabbits and birds
Answer: B

What was the Aztec term for the floating gardens?
A. Kivas
B. Chinampas
C. Quipus
D. Pueblos
Answer: B

The Hopewell culture was centered around which river system?
A. Colorado River
B. Mississippi River
C. Ohio River
D. Amazon River
Answer: C

Which civilization built the city of Tikal?
A. Aztec
B. Maya
C. Inca
D. Olmec
Answer: B

What did the Inca use to connect their vast empire?
A. Stone bridges
B. A network of roads and rope suspension bridges
C. Canoes and waterways
D. Horses and chariots
Answer: B

The Inuit’s traditional clothing was made primarily from:
A. Wool
B. Seal and caribou hides
C. Cotton
D. Hemp fibers
Answer: B

Which indigenous group developed the game of chunkey?
A. Mississippian
B. Pueblo
C. Iroquois
D. Aztec
Answer: A

The Mayan ballgame was believed to be linked to:
A. Physical fitness
B. Political alliances
C. Religious rituals and cosmology
D. Military training
Answer: C