🧭 Exploration
What was a main reason Europeans began exploring?
A. To spread democracy to other regions
B. To find new trade routes to Asia and valuable goods
C. To escape overcrowded cities permanently
D. To study Indigenous cultures
B. To find new trade routes to Asia and valuable goods
What was the first permanent English settlement in North America?
A. Roanoke, which later disappeared
B. Jamestown, established for economic gain
C. Plymouth, founded for religious freedom
D. Quebec, founded by the French
B. Jamestown, established for economic gain
What is a cash crop?
A. Crops grown mainly for personal use
B. Crops produced to be sold for profit
C. Crops traded only within colonies
D. Crops grown by enslaved workers only
B. Crops produced to be sold for profit
Which region focused on shipbuilding, fishing, and trade?
A. Southern Colonies
B. Middle Colonies
C. New England Colonies
D. Western Territories
C. New England Colonies
What was the House of Burgesses?
A. An elected assembly in Virginia
B. A royal court system
C. A trading company
D. A religious council
A. An elected assembly in Virginia
What was the Northwest Passage?
A. A land route across South America
B. A direct ocean route around Africa to Asia
C. A water route through North America to reach Asia
D. A trade agreement between European nations
C. A water route through North America to reach Asia
Why did the Roanoke colony fail?
A. It was destroyed during conflict with Spain
B. Settlers relocated without informing England
C. The colony disappeared, and its fate remains unknown
D. Disease wiped out the entire population immediately
C. The colony disappeared, and its fate remains unknown
What system allowed people to work for passage to America?
A. Chattel slavery
B. Wage labor
C. Sharecropping
D. Indentured servitude
D. Indentured servitude
Which colonies relied on plantations and cash crops?
A. New England Colonies
B. Southern Colonies
C. Middle Colonies
D. Northern Territories
B. Southern Colonies
Who could vote in early colonial governments?
A. All adult citizens
B. Women property owners
C. All workers
D. White male landowners
D. White male landowners
Which country first sponsored Columbus’s voyage?
A. England, seeking to expand naval power
B. France, to compete with Spain
C. Spain, hoping to gain wealth and trade routes
D. Portugal, which had already funded other explorers
C. Spain, hoping to gain wealth and trade routes
What type of business was the Virginia Company?
A. A government-funded colony project
B. A joint-stock company funded by investors
C. A religious organization seeking freedom
D. A military group protecting trade routes
B. A joint-stock company funded by investors
Why did slavery increase in the colonies over time?
A. Laws required plantation owners to use enslaved labor
B. Indentured servants became too expensive and temporary
C. Fewer crops were being grown
D. Trade with Africa decreased
B. Indentured servants became too expensive and temporary
Why did many settlers move to New England?
A. To find gold and natural resources
B. To establish large farms
C. To trade with Spain
D. To practice religion freely
D. To practice religion freely
What was the Mayflower Compact?
A. A trade agreement with England
B. A law passed by Parliament
C. A plan for self-government created by settlers
D. A treaty with Indigenous peoples
C. A plan for self-government created by settlers
What was the main goal of the Treaty of Tordesillas?
A. To prevent conflict by dividing newly claimed lands
B. To establish trade rules between European nations
C. To create alliances with Indigenous peoples
D. To end exploration in the Americas
A. To prevent conflict by dividing newly claimed lands
Why did Jamestown struggle at first?
A. Colonists refused to work and lacked survival skills
B. The area had too much fertile land to manage
C. Strong Indigenous resistance prevented settlement
D. The colony focused only on religious goals
A. Colonists refused to work and lacked survival skills
What economic activity was most important to the French in North America?
A. Large-scale plantation farming
B. Gold and silver mining
C. Manufacturing goods for export
D. Fur trading with Indigenous peoples
D. Fur trading with Indigenous peoples
What was a major difference between New England and Southern colonies?
A. Language spoken
B. Type of government
C. Economy based on geography and climate
D. Level of education
C. Economy based on geography and climate
Why was religion important in New England colonies?
A. It determined trade policies
B. It shaped laws, education, and daily life
C. It controlled all economic activity
D. It limited immigration
B. It shaped laws, education, and daily life
Which best explains why Europeans searched for new routes to Asia?
A. To avoid taxes placed on land trade routes
B. To gain faster, more direct access to valuable goods
C. To discover new continents for settlement
D. To compete with Indigenous trade systems
B. To gain faster, more direct access to valuable goods
What was a major effect of tobacco farming in the colonies?
A. It reduced the need for land expansion
B. It increased demand for labor, including enslaved workers
C. It led to less trade with Europe
D. It caused colonies to become more industrial
B. It increased demand for labor, including enslaved workers
Which best describes capitalism?
A. A system where businesses are privately owned for profit
B. An economy controlled entirely by the government
C. A system based only on farming and agriculture
D. An economy with no trade between regions
A. A system where businesses are privately owned for profit
Which factor most influenced the Southern colonies’ economy?
A. Rocky soil and cold climate
B. Access to large rivers for trade
C. Proximity to European markets
D. Fertile land and warm climate for farming
D. Fertile land and warm climate for farming
Which best describes the relationship between Europeans and Indigenous peoples?
A. Mostly peaceful with little interaction
B. Based only on conflict and warfare
C. Included both cooperation (trade) and conflict
D. Completely controlled by European governments
C. Included both cooperation (trade) and conflict