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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When did the history of humans begin?
(a) 15 million years ago
(b) 2 thousand years ago
(c) 1 million years ago
(d) 7 million years ago

2. How did Native American hunting and gathering societies become farmers?
(a) By acquiring Mexican crops
(b) By conquering the Spanish
(c) By domesticating wild yaks
(d) By acquiring Canadian crops

3. Plants like olives, figs and dates were domesticated around what time?
(a) 10,000 B.C.
(b) 4,000 B.C.
(c) 8,000 B.C.
(d) 1,000 B.C.

4. What was one factor in the differing developments in the timing of food production?
(a) Advantages of seeds
(b) Advantages of water
(c) Advantages of steel
(d) Advantages of youth

5. Which of the following is not one of the fourteen large mammals that have been used in agriculture or war?
(a) Dog
(b) Cow
(c) Reindeer
(d) Horse

Short Answer Questions

1. Where did the Maori live?

2. What argument about the mass extinction of large mammals does Diamond argue against?

3. What weapons did the Spanish have in their encounter with the Incas?

4. About what time did food production begin in the United States?

5. Plant and animal domestication led to which of the following?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does an early colonization date not ensure a head start, according to Diamond?

2. How do inventions spread between societies?

3. What is one other explanation (different than Diamond's) to explain the uneven distribution of wealth and power.

4. What is one new piece of information that has come to light since Diamond's work was first published?

5. Why did plant domestication and food production did not develop earlier in some of the ecologically better areas?

6. Where did food production develop independently?

7. Why was a north-south axis a disadvantage in the domestication of plants?

8. What is surprising about where food production developed early?

9. Did hunter-gatherers adopt the crops and agriculture from neighboring groups or did invaders bring with them the knowledge and crops?

10. How do historical sciences differ from non-historical sciences?

(see the answer keys)

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