Exploration & Colonization — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which colony was founded primarily as a buffer between English settlements and Spanish Florida?
A) Virginia
B) South Carolina
C) Georgia
D) Maryland
Georgia (1733) was strategically placed between the English Carolinas and Spanish Florida to protect English settlements from Spanish attacks.
2. Why did the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut matter in American history?
A) It was the first treaty with Native Americans
B) It set up the first written plan of government in the colonies
C) It ended slavery in the New England colonies
D) It gave women the right to vote in colonial elections
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639) mattered because it was the first written framework for self-government in the colonies, an early step toward democracy.
3. What role did indentured servants play in the early colonies?
A) They served as governors of each colony
B) They worked for a set number of years in exchange for passage to America
C) They taught colonists how to farm the land
D) They represented the colonies in the English Parliament
Indentured servants could not afford the voyage to America, so they agreed to work for a colonial master for about 4-7 years in exchange for their ship passage.
4. How did the geography of the Middle colonies influence their economy?
A) Rocky soil forced colonists to rely only on fishing
B) Fertile soil and mild winters supported grain farming and trade
C) Dense forests prevented any farming or settlement
D) Mountains isolated the colonies from all trade routes
The Middle colonies had rich soil and a moderate climate perfect for growing wheat and rye, earning the region the nickname "the breadbasket colonies."
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware made up the Middle colonies.
Delaware, along with New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, formed the Middle colonies, a region known for its diverse population and grain farming.
2. The triangular trade route connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The triangular trade route shipped manufactured goods from Europe to Africa, enslaved people from Africa to the Americas, and raw materials like sugar and tobacco back to Europe.
3. Puritans wanted to purify the Church of England rather than separate from it.
Puritans got their name from their goal to purify the Church of England by removing practices they considered too Catholic, unlike the Pilgrims who wanted to leave the church entirely.
4. The Middle Passage was the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic.
The Middle Passage was the brutal ocean crossing where enslaved Africans were packed into ships for the voyage across the Atlantic, with many dying from disease and harsh conditions.
5. Mercantilism was the belief that colonies existed to benefit the mother country.
Under mercantilism, colonies existed to supply raw materials to the mother country and buy its finished goods, keeping wealth flowing back to England, Spain, or France.