CH1 test of knowlege

Question 1

What is the most popular hypothesis on how the ancestors of Indigenous peoples reached the
Americas?

Answer 1

With the formation of Beringia, the nomadic ancestors of Indigenous peoples were able to travel
from Asia to Alaska tracking the game animals they were hunting.

Question 2

What phenomenon allowed the ancestors of First Nations people to settle in the territory of
present-day Québec?

Answer 2

The melting of the glaciers

Question 3

How did the different Indigenous nations form?

Answer 3

Over the centuries, the ancestors of Indigenous peoples settled in different territories. As they
interacted with their immediate environment, they developed distinct cultures, languages and
ways of life.

Question 4

Why was the Inuit way of life considered nomadic?

Answer 4

The Inuit moved according to the seasons, setting up camp where they could hunt animals.
They built their winter camps on pack ice and their summer camps on dry land near water.

Question 5

What did the Inuit diet consist of?

Answer 5

The Inuit diet consisted primarily of the products of hunting (sea mammals, large and small game)
and fishing, but also of eggs, seaweed and seafood.

Question 6

How did the Inuit adapt their dwellings to the seasons?

Answer 6

In winter, the Inuit built igloos out of snow. In summer, they lived in tents made with a framework
of poles covered in caribou or seal skins.

Question 7

What were the characteristics of the territory occupied by the Algonquians?

Answer 7

The Algonquians occupied such a vast territory that the climate and vegetation varied enormously
from north to south.

Question 8

What respective roles did men and women play in children’s education?

Answer 8

The men taught boys the rudiments of hunting and fishing, while the women taught girls various
domestic tasks such as making clothing and preparing meals. The women were also responsible
for educating the children.

Question 9

According to the seasons, what modes of transportation did the Algonquians use?

Answer 9

In summer, they travelled mostly by canoe. In winter, they pulled a toboggan to transport loads.
The use of snowshoes allowed them to walk on snow without sinking into it.

Question 10

Why does a diet based on agricultural products require a sedentary way of life?

Answer 10

Farming requires daily work over several months. Planting, weeding and harvesting require
a constant presence. Farming prompted the Iroquoians to establish villages and settle close
to their crops.

Question 11

How did the Iroquoians supplement their diet?

Answer 11

With products from hunting and fishing, berries, nuts and maple syrup

Question 12

How did men and women participate in the education of their children?

Answer 12

The women taught girls various domestic tasks that were part of their responsibilities. They also
saw to the education of young children. The men taught boys various hunting, fishing and building
techniques.

Question 13

Why was Iroquoian social organization more elaborate than that of the Inuit and the Algonquians?

Answer 13

Because the Iroquoians were sedentary and lived in villages that were made up of hundreds and
sometimes even thousands of people.

Question 14

What distinguished the Inuit and Algonquian concept of lineage from that of the Iroquoians?

Answer 14

Among the Inuit and the Algonquians, lineage was traced through the father (patrilineal social

structure) , while among the Iroquoians, it was traced through the mother (matrilineal social
structure) .

Question 15

What qualities did a First Nations person need to become a chief?

Answer 15

This person had to be courageous, eloquent, generous, brave in battle and a skilled hunter.

Question 16

What roles did Indigenous peoples give their elders?

Answer 16

Elders were given a very important social role since they transmitted to future generations their
nation’s values, beliefs and culture. They had a great deal of influence over the decisions made in
their community.

Question 17

Name one method used by Indigenous peoples to communicate with the spirit world.

Answer 17

Rituals OR Using tobacco smoke

Question 18

What supernatural powers did certain individuals have according to the shamanic tradition?

Answer 18

Indigenous peoples believed that while anyone could interpret dreams and have visions, some
individuals had the ability to interpret dreams more accurately and establish deeper communication
with the beyond. They could also predict the future and chase away evil spirits.

Question 19

Briefly explain the concepts of gifts and counter-gifts.

Answer 19

Indigenous people believed it was their duty to give, to receive and to give back. People’s prestige
was tied to their generosity, among other things. Gifts were offered when visiting someone or
during ceremonies, such as weddings. Gift-giving was followed by a counter-gift, which encouraged
the exchange and circulation of goods.

Question 20

Describe how goods circulated in trade networks.

Answer 20

Indigenous people canoed along various waterways to points of trade. Where navigation was
impossible, they used forest trails. This is how goods circulated from one nation to another.

Question 21

Explain why there was a direct connection between trading, political and military activities
among First Nations.

Answer 21

In Indigenous cultures, trade was not simply of economic value. It also served as the basis for
alliances. Two nations that were trading partners also became political and military partners.

Question 22

Why did First Nations establish systems of alliances?

Answer 22

First Nations established systems of alliances when they shared similar interests. Through these
alliances, they agreed to coordinate their actions in order to defend their interests: conduct trade,
defend each other, fight a common enemy or maintain political relations.