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Lesson 1: American Indians in California — Practice Questions

  1. 1. Why did the Hupa, who lived in forests, have different types of homes than the Chumash, who lived on the coast?

    • A. Because their leaders chose different styles.
    • B. Because they had access to different natural resources.
    • C. Because they did not know how to trade with each other.
    • D. Because one group was better at building than the other.
  2. 2. The use of trees for Hupa houses and shells for Chumash money both illustrate what important idea?

    • A. That a group's survival and culture depend on the environment.
    • B. That every group in California built the exact same type of house.
    • C. That shells were more valuable than wood.
    • D. That these groups did not know how to use other materials.
  3. 3. How did the specific location where a California Indian group lived influence their way of life?

    • A. It determined which language they spoke.
    • B. It shaped the food they ate, the homes they built, and the tools they used.
    • C. It made all groups across California have the same customs.
    • D. It forced them to trade for all of their necessary supplies.
  4. 4. Which of the following is the best example of a natural resource used by a California Indian group?

    • A. A learned skill for weaving baskets.
    • B. A story passed down through generations.
    • C. Trees from a forest used by the Hupa to build houses.
    • D. A special ceremony for the changing seasons.
  5. 5. The coastal Chumash people used ocean shells as a form of money. What does this specific example show?

    • A. That all California Indian groups used shells for money.
    • B. That groups learned to use the unique materials available in their immediate surroundings.
    • C. That the Chumash did not know how to build houses.
    • D. That the most important resource for all groups was money.
  6. 6. What was the main reason that American Indian groups in California developed different ways of life?

    • A. They came from different continents.
    • B. They lived in different natural environments.
    • C. They were told to live differently by their leaders.
    • D. They all spoke the same language.
  7. 7. How did living near the Pacific Ocean most influence the culture of the Chumash people?

    • A. They became expert boat builders and fishermen.
    • B. They built their homes from redwood trees.
    • C. They hunted deer and elk as their main food source.
    • D. They moved to the mountains every summer.
  8. 8. Even though their environments were very different, what was one food source that was important to the Hupa, Chumash, and Miwok?

    • A. Salmon
    • B. Seaweed
    • C. Acorns
    • D. Elk
  9. 9. The Hupa, who lived in forests near a river, built their strong homes out of which local resource?

    • A. Whalebone
    • B. Willow branches
    • C. Cedar wood planks
    • D. Packed earth
  10. 10. What is one way the Miwok people adapted their lifestyle to living in the mountains and valleys?

    • A. They ate mostly fish from the ocean.
    • B. They moved to higher elevations in the summer to hunt.
    • C. They built all of their homes on the coast.
    • D. They used shells from the beach as money.