U.S. Colonial History Trivia

1. Saint Croix Island was the site of an early French attempt of colonization in 1604. In which New England state would one find Saint Croix Island?

From Quiz Colonial Settlements That Weren't Big Hits

Answer: Maine

Saint Croix Island is located near the mouth of the Saint Croix River which forms part of the border between Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons led the French attempt at colonization as part of a larger area that the French referred to as l'Acadie (Acadia). After over half of the colonists died because of sickness, the colony was relocated to a mainland location on the southern shore of the Bay of Fundy. English adventurer Sir Samuel Argall burned the remaining buildings on the island enroute to his 1613 raid on Port Royal. In 1984, the United States established the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site. There is no public access to the island but a visitor center and signage can be found nearby on the mainland.

From Quiz Back to Basics

Answer: Virginia

Jamestown, VA was noted as the country's first British settlement in 1607, and according to some, the beginning of the British Empire. However, they were not alone; the area surrounding Jamestown was populated by what was known as the Paspahegh tribe. Because of souring relations and disease, the Paspahegh were destroyed as a tribe in 1611.

From Quiz New York Prior to 1783

Answer: King James I

Two of the titles held by King James I was Duke of Albany and Duke of York. The future King James II was, at the time the British took control of New Netherland, called Prince James, Duke of Albany.

From Quiz The Planting of English America, Bailey Ch. 2

Answer: Sir Walter Raleigh

The Roanoke colony was organized by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585. It was located in what was to become colonial Virginia. Three years after the last shipment of supplies was sent to the colony, it vanished. It is still not known what became of the inhabitants of the colony.

From Quiz New World Beginnings, Bailey Ch.1

Answer: 16th century

The Pueblo people were located in the Rio Grande valley in the present day United States. Before they made contact with Europeans, they had already established complex irrigation and housing systems.

From Quiz Colonial Higher Education, 1636-1769

Answer: Harvard College

Set up by the Puritans, Harvard was for the purpose of training new ministers. All Puritan ministers were expected to be college graduates.

From Quiz The Europeans Are Coming!

Answer: John Cabot

Cabot, whose real name was Giovanni Cabato, was hired by Henry VII to see what he could find out about this "New World." Cabot's expedition made landfall on the coast of what is now eastern Canada in 1498, but did not set up a permanent colony.

From Quiz American History by Decade: The 1760s

Answer: George III

George III succeeded his grandfather at age 22. George III became king because his own father had died ten years previously.

From Quiz American History by Decade: The 1750s

Answer: He wanted to demonstrate that lightning is a discharge of electricity

Franklin described the experiment in 1750, but didn't carry it out until 1752.

From Quiz The 13 Colonies

Answer: Harsh winters brought famine and disease.

Because the colonists were not well prepared for the conditions of setting up a new colony in North America, they suffered under the harsh winter and did not have the necessary food or medicine to enable them to survive.

From Quiz American Colonial History

Answer: for settling there

A headright is the right to a certain number of acres of land for each person ("head") for the promotion of settlement in a colony.

From Quiz Early U.S. History

Answer: The Tea Act

The Tea Act granted a monopoly on tea imports to the East India Company, which angered the colonists.

From Quiz Colonial America

Answer: The Plymouth Colony

The Plymouth Colony, founded in 1620, provided a home for the Mayflower pilgrims. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1629.

From Quiz 17th Century Southern Colonies

Answer: Virginia

It gave 50 acres of land to anyone who helped someone, such as an indentured servant, to come to Virginia from England.

From Quiz Women in Puritan America

Answer: Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672), wife of Governor Simon Bradstreet, wrote poems which examined the realities of death, loneliness, and Puritan beliefs in the New World. Some say that within her poems appears a subtle questioning of Puritan theocracy. Her book, "The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America, By a Gentlewoman of Those Parts," was the first book written by a woman to be published in the United States.

From Quiz The Dutch in the New World

Answer: Mauritius River

The Dutch East India Company employed Englishman Henry Hudson to find a northeast passage to the Far East and India for them. After unsuccessfully searching for a route above Norway with his ship the "Halve Maen" ("Half Moon"), Hudson sailed west across the Atlantic and in 1609 he discovered what is now called the Hudson River. Hudson himself originally named it the Mauritius River in honour of Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, who was leading the Dutch Republic's war against Spain. Hudson hoped to discover a "northwest passage" that would allow a ship to pass north of the American continent to the Pacific Ocean and from there to India. He sailed as far as present-day Albany before the river became too shallow for his ship to continue northwards.

From Quiz U.S. History [3] : America's Colonization

Answer: Virginia ; London Company

Virginia was established in 1607 by a charter granted to the London Company by King James I. The London Company, also known as the Charter of the Virginia Company of London, was established by a charter by King James I in 1606. Its primary purpose was to establish colonies in the New World. The earlier colony of Roanoke had vanished mysteriously.

From Quiz U.S. History [1] : 1580-1680

Answer: Queen Elizabeth, Anglicanism (Protestantism)

In 1534, King Henry VIII had broken away from Rome and the various Catholics and Protestants fought for years. The conflict continued till Elizabeth I became queen 1558 and piloted the country through what is often referred to as the 'Elizabethan Settlement'. The struggle between England and Spain (which liked to see itself as the champion of the Roman Catholic Church) was soon to begin.

From Quiz The Thirteen Colonies

Answer: Thomas Hooker

Thomas Hooker found the colony of Connecticut on May 1636. He was one of the people who, at the time, left the Massachusetts Bay because he believed too much power was being given to the governor and officials. Connecticut had become an American colony in the year 1662.

From Quiz American History (Origins-1776)

Answer: Jamestown

This colony couldn't have lasted without the Powhatans!

From Quiz The Sloopers: Part 2

Answer: They were arrested

A law was passed in 1818 limiting how many people you could have on a ship per tonnage of the ship, having regard to any cargo. There were 3.2 tons of Swedish iron that was to be sold when they arrived, but according to the law, they were only supposed to have 16 people aboard the vessel. The Captain and crew were put in jail in New York City.

From Quiz The Sloopers: Part 1

Answer: Quaker Faith

Lars Larson was given a book written in Danish that contained the teachings of the Quakers. He and several men read the book and found the ideas to be very interesting.

From Quiz Early US Government

Answer: Jamestown

Roanoke was first but since everyone disappeared without trace, you can't really consider it to have been a success.

From Quiz Early American History

Answer: New York Bay

Giovanni de Verrazzano- Eastern Seaboard

From Quiz Early American History Figures: 2

Answer: John Locke

Locke, an Englishman, states that God gave us natural rights so the "human world would run as smooth as the physical world." Thomas Jefferson interpreted those rights as "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

From Quiz Early American History

Answer: A trade route from Europe to East Indies

In 1492 Christopher Columbus left Spain to try to find a new, quicker route to the Far East.

From Quiz US History - 3 - Exploration & Early Settlement

Answer: Witchcraft

The individuals were brought to trial because of false tales spread by a couple of girls who had grudges against a few of these people. The Salem Witch Trials were the beginning of several such trials in the religious New England countryside. Salem was the only town to issue a death sentence. It might be added that technically it was not a death sentence, merely a "test" to see if someone was a witch. If the individual survived their sentence they were a witch, if not they were innocent of all charges. It was a "no win" situation for those who stood accused.

From Quiz US History - 2 - Exploration & Early Settlement

Answer: The Netherlands

Henry Hudson, sailing his ship "Half Moon", explored the Hudson River in present day New York State. He sailed as far inland as present day Albany looking for a Northwest Passage across or past the American mainland to the Pacific. He also explored the bay in northern Canada that bears his name, although this land was not claimed for the Netherlands.

From Quiz US History - 1 - Exploration & Early Settlement

Answer: Leif Ericsson

Although no written record has been found of their discovery, the Vikings have been given credit for first setting foot in North America around 1000 AD. There are remains of some Viking settlements that lasted about 2-4 years. These ruins have been found as far south as northern Massachusetts.

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