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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What adjective does the narrator use to describe the Pilgrims' eagerness to share their beliefs?
(a) Dreadful.
(b) Bold.
(c) Hard-working.
(d) Fierce.

2. According to the narrator, which of the following is a logical outgrowth of the Puritan spirit?
(a) Democracy and collective responsibility.
(b) Know-nothingism and opportunism.
(c) Creativity and genius.
(d) Inventiveness and resourcefulness.

3. Where do De Soto and his men retreat to after the Indians burn their camp?
(a) Mabilla.
(b) Chicacilla.
(c) Cutifachiqui.
(d) Anhaica Apalachi.

4. What is De Soto looking for?
(a) The Fountain of Youth
(b) Food.
(c) Slaves.
(d) Treasure.

5. What does the narrator say that Queen Elizabeth did not trust Raleigh enough to let him do?
(a) Go on voyages of exploration.
(b) Marry one of her maids.
(c) Serve in the army.
(d) Serve on great councils.

6. How does Williams suggest that Ponce de Leon feels when he hears about Cortez and the wealth of Montezuma?
(a) Happy.
(b) Restless.
(c) Angry.
(d) Jealous.

7. Why are the Puritans important, according to the narrator?
(a) They are among the earliest European settlers.
(b) They find a way to survive in an inclement environment.
(c) They bring Christianity to the New World.
(d) They begin to form the national character.

8. Why do the Aztecs have two aqueducts?
(a) So that enough water can be provided for the needs of the emperor and his entourage.
(b) So that one can supply one half of the city, and the other can supply the other half.
(c) So that one can be used while the other is being cleaned.
(d) So that one can be used to carry water out, and the other to carry water in.

9. Which of the following quotations reveals Williams' opinion of Cortez?
(a) "...Nothing at the present moment seemed to disturb his aristocratic reserve."
(b) "Courageous almost beyond precedent, tactful, resourceful in misfortune..."
(c) "Spain cannot be blamed for the crassness of the discoverers."
(d) "With the force bred of a determination to face at any cost a situation fast going beyond his control..."

10. How much time does Samuel de Champlain spend in North America before he is permitted to establish a French colony?
(a) Three years.
(b) Fifteen years.
(c) Ten years.
(d) Five years.

11. Which of the following names does the narrator call Raleigh?
(a) James' man.
(b) The new King.
(c) The planter who never planted.
(d) Explorer of the Orinoco.

12. What does Gregory mean when he says that "if anyone is looking for the secret of their good health and the freedom they exert within an individual speech and manner, it may be found in their determination to 'stay at home,' to accept the roots of their being and to grow slowly to their own maturity."
(a) Freedom is based on ideas, not experiences.
(b) Only staying at home can free you to travel elsewhere.
(c) To be truly free, you have to be true to yourself and your heritage.
(d) To be free you have to break apart from your background and upbringing.

13. What does Gregory say about the way in which the reputation of In the American Grain grew?
(a) It became more popular after Williams died.
(b) It became more popular when it was marketed more aggressively.
(c) It became more popular as it was falling out of print.
(d) It became more popular when it was published in a magazine.

14. What is the moral of the story about the lusty young man who fell overboard and was hauled back in?
(a) It is good to have friends who can help you when you need it.
(b) It is important to pay attention so that you are not swept overboard.
(c) Faith and hope can see you through even tough times.
(d) Tenacity and determination can save your life.

15. Who or what is Mabilla?
(a) The river along which De Soto and his men were traveling.
(b) The woman who traveled with De Soto and translated for him.
(c) The town where the Tuscaloosa attacked De Soto and his men.
(d) The place Do Soto had heard of, called a "country toward the rising sun."

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does the narrator address "Sir Walter Raleigh" to?

2. Which of the following statements shows that Eric the Red has accepted his fate?

3. Which statement shows that Gregory believes that most people revere history without understanding it?

4. What is Columbus' point when he makes the following statement: "I was twenty-eight years old when I came into your Highnesses' service, and now I have not a hair upon me that is not gray; my body is infirm..."

5. Who tells Ponce de Leon there is a fountain of youth?

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