Afric M1 Practice Questions
b
13. Who made up most of Virginia's free black population? A) Mixed-race descendants, called mulattoes, of unions between slaves and whites B) Descendants of slaves who had secured their freedom during the colony's early years C) Africans who purchased their freedom from Virginia planters D) "New Negroes" who had recently arrived from Africa
c
14. When did the Dutch begin importing slave workers to their settlements on North America's Middle Atlantic coast, in the region known as New Netherland? A) 1586 B) 1606 C) 1626 D) 1716
c
15. Great Britain founded the colony of Georgia in 1732 as a A) base for raids on Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. B) place for slaves to escape from Spanish Florida. C) buffer zone between Carolina and Spanish Florida. D) model colony without slavery.
c
16. Which of the following statements was Samuel Sewall seeking to convey as it relates to the institution of slavery in America? A) Slavery was suited only for non-Christians. B) Africans were enslaved because their lineage could be traced back to Ham. C) Slavery should be outlawed since everyone was a Son of Adam. D) Slavery was spoken of often in the Bible, thus it was a necessary evil.
b
1. Rulers of African kingdoms derived their power from A) deeply held religious beliefs that required that political power be limited. B) a network of kinship ties that bound individuals to communities. C) wealthy merchants who funded the military. D) a form of representative democracy introduced by Arab traders.
a
10. Why did some slave traders prefer "tight packing" their captives on board slave ships, rather than "loose packing" them? A) "Tight packing" allowed traders to maximize profits by shipping as many slaves as possible. B) It confined living conditions, which allowed families to stay together. C) "Tight packing" reduced the number of insurrections on board. D) It allowed traders to negotiate conditions on board with slaves.
b
11. What caused the Taino population on Hispaniola to drop from 500,000 to a few hundred by 1542? A) Brutal military campaigns conducted by Spanish conquistadors B) Old World diseases such as smallpox, chicken pox, mumps, and measles C) Enslavement in silver and gold mines and on sugar plantations D) Civil war between rival indigenous factions
d
12. Why did the Spanish start replacing indigenous labor with African slave labor in the sixteenth century? A) Indigenous rebellions forced the Spanish to abandon the practice of enslaving Indians. B) African slaves knew how to plant sugar, while Indian slaves did not. C) African slaves were less likely to resist enslavement than Indian slaves. D) The Indian population declined rapidly due mostly to disease.
d
38. What was the impact of the increase in annual cotton production from 6.5 million pounds in 1793 to 100 million pounds by 1815? A) Overproduction caused the price to drop. B) Opposition to abolition grew in the North. C) Many slave owners abandoned slave labor. D) Slave owners expanded slavery further south and west.
c
17. Why did slave deaths routinely outnumber births in the Carolinas throughout much of the eighteenth century? A) Separate living quarters prevented slaves from having many children. B) A pandemic of malaria swept the low country, spread by mosquitoes in the shallow water. C) The brutal labor regime worked slaves literally to death. D) Slaves were enlisted to fight for the colony against Spanish forces in Florida.
c
18. What was an impact of laws passed during the seventeenth century that were designed to clarify slaves' legal status in English colonial society? A) The child of a slave woman could inherit property if the father was a freeman. B) The child of a slave woman was free if the father was a freeman. C) Slave women could not seek liberty for their children by claiming freemen as the fathers. D) Slave women could sue for their own freedom but not for the freedom of their children.
d
19. What did a law passed in Virginia in 1662 change about the legal status of slaves? A) All sexual relationships between slaves and free people were outlawed. B) The children of enslaved women fathered by a white man were declared free. C) Children born to enslaved women were freed after twelve years. D) The enslaved status of black women became inheritable.
a
2. What was the greatest cause of death among slaves during the Middle Passage? A) Disease B) Suicide C) Insurrections D) Abuse
a
36. Colonists destroyed shipments of tea in Boston harbor in 1773 because they A) were protesting passage of the British Tea Act. B) were upset that the British were not buying tea produced in the colonies. C) were protesting passage of the Intolerable Acts. D) mistakenly believed the shipments were from France.
a
37. What did black activists identify as the greatest obstacle to the antislavery movement? A) Racist arguments used to justify slavery B) Increased cotton production C) The colonization debate D) The Fugitive Slave Act of 1790
d
20. "90. If any ships or other vessels, be it freind or enemy, shall suffer shipwrack upon our Coast, there shall be no violence or wrong offerred to their persons or goods. But their persons shall be harboured, and relieved, and their goods preserved in safety till Authoritie may be certified thereof, and shall take further order therein. "91. There shall never be any bond slaverie, villinage or Captivitie amongst us unles[s] it be lawfull Captives taken in just warres, and such strangers as willingly selle themselves or are sold to us. And these shall have all the liberties and Christian usages which the law of god established in Israell concerning such persons doeth morally require. This exempts none from servitude who shall be Judged thereto by Authoritie." How did the Massachusetts Body of Liberties of 1641 address the institution of slavery? A) It explicitly outlawed the practice. B) Massachusetts was a slave state, thus making every African American in that region a slave. C) It viewed all foreigners and strangers to the region as slaves. D) It deemed servitude legal if a slave master or mistress could validate his or her ownership of a slave.
b
21. How did England seek to increase the number of laborers in its North American colonies in the early seventeenth century? A) Through the transatlantic slave trade B) By bringing indentured servants to North America C) By capturing Spanish prisoners during raids on Spanish military bases in Florida D) By employing Native Americans who were knowledgeable about corn cultivation
d
22. What was one kind of work that slaves did in England's Middle Atlantic colonies? A) Ship work B) Rice cultivation C) Sugar cultivation D) Domestic work
b
23. What was the largest slave uprising in Britain's North American colonies? A) Bacon's Rebellion B) The Stono rebellion C) The Natchez Rebellion D) The Pueblo Revolt
d
24. Why did the number of English immigrants coming to Virginia decline by the middle part of the seventeenth century? A) Warfare between the English and the Dutch prevented travel to the colony. B) Conflict with local Native Americans made the colony dangerous. C) News of a slave rebellion frightened potential immigrants from England. D) The colony's reputation for abusing and exploiting servants made it unappealing.
d
25. Approximately how many southern slaves escaped from their masters during the American Revolution? A) 5,000 to 10,000 B) 30,000 to 40,000 C) 50,000 to 60,000 D) 80,000 to 100,000
b
26. How did African Americans use writs of habeas corpus to challenge their enslavement in the late eighteenth century? A) Slaves filed petitions with the British Parliament for safe passage to Africa. B) Slaves filed suits that challenged local magistrates to recognize their natural rights. C) Free blacks filed suits in local courts on behalf of enslaved relatives and friends. D) Free blacks challenged the constitutionality of slavery in state courts.
b
27. Why did many colonists resist the enlistment of black soldiers in the Continental army during the American Revolution? A) Patriots feared that African Americans would defect and join British forces. B) Slaveholding colonists feared that arming African Americans would lead to slave insurrections. C) Military leaders thought African Americans could not learn to fight in complex formations. D) Slaveholding colonists believed that only free blacks should be allowed to fight.
b
28. During the eighteenth century, why did many low-country blacks speak a creole language known as Gullah? A) It was a symbolic form of resistance against slavery. B) They were isolated from most English speakers and under the supervision of black drivers. C) It was the language most of them spoke before arriving in America. D) Slaves worked all day and therefore had no time to learn English.
c
29. What did whites in the Chesapeake mean by the term "Virginian"? A) A slave born in Virginia who was sold to another colony B) An English colonist born in Virginia C) A linguistic blend of English and African idioms and syntax D) A strain of tobacco that was favored in England
d
3. Which statement most accurately describes Africa's climate and geography? A) The African continent comprises many deserts and receives very little rainfall. B) Africa's climate is static due to its location at the crossroads of the equator and the prime meridian. C) The African continent is covered by a dense, wet, and mountainous rain forest. D) Africa's climate and geography vary widely and include both hot, dry deserts and dense rain forests.
a
30. What did British forces offer to African Americans to convince them to join their side in the Revolution? A) Freedom to any slave who was owned by a rebel B) Freedom to any slave who served British forces C) Officer training to those who could read and write D) British citizenship for those who fought against the rebellion
b
31. Why did African Americans support protests against Great Britain even though most were unaffected by British taxes? A) The Declaration of Independence called for the abolition of slavery. B) Some patriots portrayed their opposition to Britain's new policies as a struggle for freedom from "slavery." C) African Americans were resentful of the British for controlling the transatlantic slave trade. D) Slaves who joined the Revolution were manumitted by their owners.
c
32. Why did blacks across the North begin to develop a self-consciously African identity by the middle of the eighteenth century? A) Many educated free blacks taught slaves about life in Africa. B) Voluntary African immigrants brought their traditions to northern cities. C) Slaves imported directly from Africa provided a cultural link to their African roots. D) Some whites taught their slaves about African traditions.
d
33. What limited the spread of Christianity among African Americans in the eighteenth century? A) A perception that it was a religion only for whites B) The use of religion to defend the institution of slavery by some whites C) The spread of Islam brought by slaves from West Africa D) The continuing influence of African traditions and the influx of new arrivals from Africa
c
34. Why did colonists oppose the imposition of new taxes by the British Parliament? A) Colonists were not citizens of Great Britain. B) Britain spent the revenue on its war with France. C) Colonists did not have representation in Parliament. D) The taxes were levied on slave imports.
c
35. Approximately how many African Americans fought alongside American forces during the Revolution? A) 1,000 B) 3,500 C) 5,000 D) 8,500
a
39. Why did it become increasingly difficult to pass from slavery to freedom in Virginia? A) Emancipated slaves were required to leave the state, which often meant leaving their families. B) Virginia outlawed manumission in 1806. C) Virginia laws allowed freed slaves to be reenslaved after several years of freedom. D) Free blacks were subject to reenslavement if they did not pay property taxes.
c
4. In addition to manumission, what was another way slaves achieved free status in African societies? A) By converting to Islam B) By suing their owners for their freedom C) By marrying into their owners' families D) By demonstrating supernatural powers
a
40. During the antebellum period, why did black congregants often leave white churches and form their own? A) They had encountered prejudice in the white churches and felt unwelcome. B) They felt most denominations were only for whites. C) It was a source of pride to remain independent of whites. D) Former slaves did not want to worship with whites.
c
41. Black churches often served what other purpose in African American communities during the antebellum period? A) As general stores B) As newspaper press rooms C) As schools D) As warehouses
a
42. After the plot was revealed, the leaders of Gabriel's rebellion were A) tried and executed. B) executed without trial. C) released to their owners. D) sold outside the United States.
a
43. Why did African Americans believe slavery might collapse as a result of the American Revolution? A) Most states had banned the importation of slaves from outside the United States by 1787. B) Southern governors briefly called for abolition during the war. C) Pennsylvania and New York both abolished slavery shortly after the Revolutionary War ended. D) Tobacco prices collapsed in the late eighteenth century.
c
44. What is one way that whites in the early nineteenth century disfranchised blacks in states where blacks legally retained the right to vote? A) The conscription of free blacks into the military B) The removal of registered black voters from the rolls C) High property requirements for black voters D) Property requirements for all voters
d
45. During the antebellum period, how did whites respond to the establishment of black institutions and events celebrating emancipation? A) Indifference and neglect B) Shock and disbelief C) Respect and acceptance D) Hostility and violence
b
46. Why did many African Americans join mutual aid societies in the new Republic? A) They raised money to help fund abolitionist organizations. B) Members were provided benefits such as insurance and pensions. C) They helped slaves escape to northern cities. D) Members could immigrate to colonies of freed slaves, such as Liberia.
c
47. Why did the number of slaves on frontier plantations increase in the early nineteenth century? A) Slave families were allowed to stay together to produce more children. B) Settlers who brought slaves were exempt from taxation on their land. C) Slaves in the North and the Chesapeake were sold and transferred to frontier plantations to grow cotton. D) Slaves mainly from Virginia were imported to grow tobacco.
a
48. What laws did Ohio pass to make the state less attractive to fugitive slaves? A) Black laws B) Fugitive slave laws C) Naturalization laws D) Gradual emancipation laws
c
49. What sectional conflict between the North and the South did a group led by Kentucky senator Henry Clay seek to resolve in 1820 with a bill known as the Missouri Compromise? A) Alabama's admission as a slave state B) Disagreement over protective tariffs on manufactured goods C) Debate over the expansion of slavery D) Removal of Native Americans to Indian Territory
c
5. What role did fortifications such as the Elmina Castle on the southern coast of Ghana play for European traders? A) They helped the Europeans attack African kingdoms in order to kidnap slaves. B) They provided protection for ships seeking shelter from bad weather. C) They served as trading centers for the transatlantic slave trade. D) They helped the traders form allegiances with West African kingdoms.
d
50. How did other slaves warn escaping slaves that fugitive patrols were nearby? A) They placed candles on the roofs of their quarters. B) They hung white ribbons from tree branches. C) They mimicked the sounds of animals. D) They sang songs with cautionary lyrics.
d
51. Why did southern planters prefer to use slave labor rather than free white workers? A) Planters relied on slaves' knowledge and experience. B) European immigrants were unfamiliar with cotton cultivation. C) White laborers formed unions to press for higher wages. D) Slaves were a profitable investment and could be forced to do any kind of work.
c
52. Whose plan for a slave rebellion in Charleston, South Carolina, was leaked by two slaves to their masters, leading to the hanging of the leader? A) David Walker B) Nat Turner C) Denmark Vesey D) William Lloyd Garrison
b
53. Why did many enslaved women often have difficulty bringing their pregnancies to term and raising healthy infants? A) African American women were more susceptible than white women to the stresses of pregnancy. B) Enslaved women worked long hours and had poor nutrition. C) Slave owners did not care whether black infants survived. D) Lack of education made them unfit mothers.
b
54. "My mother was cook in the house for about twenty-two years. She cooked for from twenty-five to thirty-five, taking the family and the slaves together. The slaves ate in the kitchen. After my mistress's death, my mother was the only woman kept in the house. She took care of my master's children, some of whom were then quite small, and brought them up. One of the most trying scenes I ever passed through, when I would have laid down my life to protect her if I had dared, was this: after she had raised my master's children, one of his daughters, a young girl, came into the kitchen one day, and for some trifle about the dinner, she struck my mother, who pushed her away, and she fell on the floor. Her father was not at home. When he came, which was while the slaves were eating in the kitchen, she told him about it. He came down, called my mother out, and, with a hickory rod, he beat her fifteen or twenty strokes, and then called his daughter and told her to take her satisfaction of her, and she did beat her until she was satisfied. Oh! it was dreadful, to see the girl whom my poor mother had taken care of from her childhood, thus beating her, and I must stand there, and did not dare to crook my finger in her defence." How does James Curry's recollection of the institution of slavery portray the interaction between the slave family and the master's family? A) Curry recalls that house slaves were treated better due to their proximity to the master. B) Curry explains how difficult it was for slave children to witness their parents being punished by the slave owner and his family. C) The slave masters' children privileged house slaves because they played a role in their upbringing. D) Due to the proximity of the living quarters of house slaves, slave owners levied more lenient punishment on house slaves than on field slaves.
c
55. What accounted for most of the population growth in the North between 1815 and 1860? A) Migration from the South B) Growth in the numbers of slaves and free blacks C) Immigration from Europe D) Natural reproduction
b
56. Who wrote the autobiography Twelve Years a Slave, which detailed his experience of being kidnapped and sold to a cotton plantation in Louisiana? A) Frederick Douglass B) Solomon Northup C) John Mann D) David Walker
a
57. Why did most black Christians prefer not to worship alongside whites during the antebellum period? A) White preachers stressed obedience and humility in their sermons. B) African Americans sought less emotional services than occurred in white churches. C) Blacks were forbidden to enter white churches. D) Most did not truly embrace Christianity until after the Civil War.
b
58. Why did South Carolina officials adopt new legislation forbidding free black education? A) White southerners did not want blacks to read the Bible. B) Officials feared that educated free blacks would help slaves plan rebellions. C) It was considered a waste of time that distracted from work. D) Lack of education backed up white arguments of natural black inferiority.
b
59. Why did the U.S. Supreme Court free the slaves who led an insurrection aboard the Spanish slave ship Amistad? A) The United States was at war with Spain at the time of the revolt. B) The rebels' enslavement violated treaties prohibiting the international slave trade. C) The U.S. Constitution prevented participation in the slave trade after 1808. D) The justices on the Supreme Court were opposed to slavery.
b
6. What type of ship allowed European sailors to travel through the rough waters south of Cape Bojador? A) The dhow B) The caravel C) The sloop D) The canoe
a
60. Why did slaves often become truant, escaping slavery temporarily for a matter of days, weeks, or months? A) To avoid punishment and abuse B) To seek a religious awakening C) To look for a future spouse D) To find work to purchase their freedom
c
7. How did female slaves aid insurrections on slave ships? A) The women sang songs that gave the men the will to rebel. B) They seduced crew members while the male slaves escaped. C) They passed messages and weapons to male slaves. D) Women trained children to sneak messages to the men in the hold.
b
8. "To prevent such misfortunes, we use to visit them daily, narrowly searching every corner between decks, to see whether they have not found means, to gather any pieces of iron, or wood, or knives, about the ship, notwithstanding the great care we take not to leave any tools or nails, or other things in the way: which, however, cannot be always so exactly observ'd, where so many people are in the narrow compass of a ship. We cause as many of our men as is convenient to lie in the quarter-deck and gun-room, and our principal officers in the great cabbin, where we keep all our small arms in a readiness, with sentinels constantly at the door and avenues to it being thus ready to disappoint any attempts our slaves might make on a sudden. These precautions contribute very much to keep them in awe and if all those who carry slaves duly observ'd them, we should not hear of so many revolts as have happen'd. Where I was concern'd, we always kept our slaves in such order, that we did not perceive the least inclination in any of them to revolt, or mutiny, and lost very few of our number in the voyage." According to James Barbot Jr., what was the chief way to insure a slave uprising would not occur onboard a slave ship? A) Separating aggressive slaves from the mild-mannered slaves B) Having crew members sleep in the gunroom to prepare for insurrection C) Having crew members stay in the slave cabins to keep an eye on them D) Instilling fear in the slaves by inflicting punishment on disorderly slaves
c
9. Between the sixteenth century and the nineteenth century, when the slave trade was finally abolished, at least how many captives left Africa for the New World as slaves? A) 1 million B) 7 million C) 12 million D) 20 million
