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Quiz about A Peoples History of Massachusetts

A People's History of Massachusetts Quiz

"Special Edition" of history you will rarely find in a textbook. This quiz will focus on Massachusetts history from Howard Zinn's book, "A People's History of the United States".

A multiple-choice quiz by triathlonrules. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
triathlonrules

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
249,993

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1108

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What did the Puritans NOT use as an excuse to take land from the Native Americans? Hint

Psalms 2:8 from the Bible

The Mayflower Compact

Claiming the Native Americans had a natural right, but not a civil right

The murder of a white trader and kidnapper of Indians

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Between 1687 and 1770 what happened to the percentage of poor adult males in Boston, which Zinn defines as those who owned no property. Hint

Decreased from 29% (1687) to 14% (1770)

Decreased from 89% (1770) to 2% (1687)

Increased from 2% (1687) to 89% (1770)

Increased from 14% (1687) to 29% (1770)

3. Zinn states that "By 1787 there was not only a positive need for strong central government to protect the large economic interests, but also immediate fear of rebellion by discontented farmers" (Zinn, p.91). What 1786 Massachusetts event does Zinn cite as being the main reason for the fear of rebellion? Hint

Shays Rebellion

Boston Rebellion

Bacon's Rebellion

Plymouth Rock Rebellion

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Which is NOT true of Anne Hutchinson? Hint

She was put on trial for heresy and challenging the government.

She "defied" the church fathers of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

When she was banished, she went to Vermont.

When she left Massachusetts 35 families followed her.

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. In what city in 1834, when a woman was fired from her job, did other women leave their looms? (One of them even climbed the town pump and made a women's rights speech). Hint

Boston

Lowell

Cambridge

Gardner

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. What was the "Lowell system"? Hint

A system where all male workers were replaced with female workers when they left their jobs.

Having young female workers living in dormitories.

An early assembly line system.

Giving workers a month each year of vacation time to rest, to make them more productive.

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. In what Massachusetts city did the largest strike prior to the Civil War in the United States take place? Hint

Boston

Lynn

Lowell

Marblehead

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Which is NOT true of Fall River, Massachusetts in the 1800s? Hint

The women refused to take a 10% wage cut.

3,500 looms were brought to a halt.

Women weavers formed an independent union from men weavers.

The women refused to take a 15% wage cut.

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. What took place in Boston during the civil rights era of the 20th century? Hint

All children were required to attend public elementary schools.

Martin Luther King frequently made speeches in Boston.

Busing of black children to white schools

Large amounts of money was invested to improve public schools.

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Since this quiz is about both Massachusetts and Zinn, it seems fitting to ask, what Massachusetts school has Zinn taught at, according to his biography? Hint

Boston University

MIT

Harvard

Amherst

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What did the Puritans NOT use as an excuse to take land from the Native Americans?

Answer: The Mayflower Compact

In 1636 the murder of the white trade and Indian-kidnapper, became an excuse that the Puritans used to make war against the Native Americans (Pequots). Also, according to Zinn "John Winthrop created the excuse to take Indian land by declaring the area legally a "vacuum" (Zinn, p. 13). Additionally, according to Zinn, claiming the Native Americans had a natural right, but not a civil right denied them legal rights to the land (Zinn, pp. 13-14).

2. Between 1687 and 1770 what happened to the percentage of poor adult males in Boston, which Zinn defines as those who owned no property.

Answer: Increased from 14% (1687) to 29% (1770)

Zinn states that "everywhere the poor were struggling to stay alive, simply to keep from freezing in the cold" (Zinn, p.49). In the 1730s many cities began to build poorhouses. Zinn states that those who were poor may have also rented a room or slept in the back of a tavern (Zinn p.49)

Answer: Shays Rebellion

Shay's rebellion took place due to small farmers who were angry about taxes and debt. Shay himself had served in the revolution, but left in 1780 after not being payed.

4. Which is NOT true of Anne Hutchinson?

Answer: When she was banished, she went to Vermont.

Anne Hutchinson stated that she and other common people, "could interpret the Bible for themselves" (Zinn, p. 108). She had both a religous and civil trial. At her religous trial she was interrogated for weeks.

5. In what city in 1834, when a woman was fired from her job, did other women leave their looms? (One of them even climbed the town pump and made a women's rights speech).

Answer: Lowell

Lowell is also considered by many to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in America. 19th century Lowell played an important part in the textile industry.

6. What was the "Lowell system"?

Answer: Having young female workers living in dormitories.

According to Zinn the conditions became quite bad in these "dorms". Zinn states they became prison-like. The young women often woke at 4am and worked until 7:30pm. When they finished work they were often given a dinner of only bread and gravy (Zinn, p. 228). It is scary to think that condition like this still exist in sweatshops in some parts of the world.

7. In what Massachusetts city did the largest strike prior to the Civil War in the United States take place?

Answer: Lynn

It consisted of shoemakers. The shoemakers also founded a newspaper called the "Awl". Lynn was a factory town northeast of Boston (Zinn, p. 231).

8. Which is NOT true of Fall River, Massachusetts in the 1800s?

Answer: The women refused to take a 10% wage cut.

The women weavers refused to take the 15% wage cut though the male weavers had done so. They founded their own union, although the male weavers eventually gave their support. They started a strike, but it didn't last long as they had children that had needs (Zinn, p. 241).

9. What took place in Boston during the civil rights era of the 20th century?

Answer: Busing of black children to white schools

The civil rights movement had an impact in the North, as well as in the South. Unfortunately, according to Zinn many of the schools in Boston were inadequate both for poor whites and for poor blacks (Zinn, p. 467).

10. Since this quiz is about both Massachusetts and Zinn, it seems fitting to ask, what Massachusetts school has Zinn taught at, according to his biography?

Answer: Boston University

According to his biography, Zinn has also taught at Spelman College and has been a visiting professor at University of Paris and University of Bologna.

Source: Author triathlonrules

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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