Sources & Evidence
What makes a primary source different from a secondary source?
Primary sources are firsthand accounts from the time an event happened; secondary sources are written later and analyze those events.
What caused ocean levels to drop during the Ice Age?
Large amounts of water froze into glaciers.
Why do historians call the Olmec the “Mother Culture” of Mesoamerica?
Their ideas and traditions influenced many later civilizations.
What kind of homes did the Iroquois build and live in?
Longhouses made from wood and bark.
The Vikings originally came from which northern region?
Scandinavia
Why might a historian include both types of sources in their research?
To compare firsthand evidence with later interpretations and expert explanations.
Through which land feature did early humans travel from Asia to North America?
The Bering Strait land bridge.
What were the Maya especially advanced in developing?
A complex writing system and studies of astronomy and math.
What animal was most important to tribes of the Great Plains?
The buffalo.
The first Viking attack happened at what kind of place?
A monastery
What is one example of a secondary source students might use for research?
A textbook, documentary, or encyclopedia article.
Around how long ago did the Bering Land Bridge disappear underwater?
About 12,000 years ago.
Where did the Aztecs build their capital city, Tenochtitlán?
On an island in the middle of a lake.
How did the Pueblo adapt to their desert climate?
By using irrigation to farm in dry areas.
What does “Glory” represent in the phrase “God, Gold, and Glory”?
Fame and national pride for explorers
What is one benefit of using primary sources in historical study?
They give direct insight into the experiences or ideas of people from the past.
What kind of lifestyle did the first Americans live before farming began?
They hunted animals and gathered wild plants.
How did the Pueblo people bring water to their crops?
They dug and used irrigation canals.
What did many Native American groups believe about land ownership?
Land was sacred and shared, not bought or sold
What was Columbus’s main goal when he set sail in 1492?
To find a faster sea route to Asia by sailing west
Why is it important to check multiple sources when studying history?
To confirm accuracy and avoid relying on only one person’s perspective.
Why did early people migrate across continents?
They followed migrating animals and searched for new food sources.
The Iroquois mainly lived in which modern-day state?
New York.
The quote “We borrow the Earth from our children” shows what belief?
People must care for nature for future generations
What was one major effect of the Columbian Exchange?
New foods and animals spread between Europe and the Americas