Here are the answers to the questions based on the text “The First Americans”:
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1. What is the name of the land bridge which emerged between Asia and North America during the last ice age?
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Beringia
*Explanation:* The first paragraph states: “...a land bridge, known as Beringia, emerged between Asia and North America.”
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2. Why did the first people cross into North America from Asia?
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They were following game (large animals) for survival, just as their ancestors had done for thousands of years along the Siberian coast.
*Explanation:* The second paragraph says: “They would have been following game, as their ancestors had for thousands of years, along the Siberian coast and then across the land bridge.” This implies they migrated in pursuit of food sources.
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3. According to archaeological artifacts, how long have human beings lived in the Western Hemisphere?
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At least since before 10,000 BC — possibly much earlier, with some evidence dating back to nearly 12,000 BC or more.
*Explanation:* The third paragraph mentions that “little of it [early life in North America] can be reliably dated before 12,000 BC,” and a recent discovery may date from “almost that time.” The fourth paragraph adds: “Similar artifacts have been found at sites throughout North and South America, indicating that life was probably already well established in much of the Western Hemisphere by some time prior to 10,000 BC.”
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4. What animals were hunted by the earliest Americans?
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Large animals such as mammoths (initially), and later bison.
*Explanation:* The first paragraph notes that early humans hunted “the large animals that early humans hunted for their survival.” The fourth paragraph specifies: “Around that time the mammoth began to die out and the bison took its place as a principal source of food…” So both mammoths (early on) and bison (later) were key prey.
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5. How early was corn planted in what is now Arizona?
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By 3,000 BC.
*Explanation:* The fifth paragraph clearly states: “By 3,000 BC, a primitive type of corn was being grown in the river valleys of New Mexico and Arizona.”
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6. Describe life for the Hohokam of present-day Arizona.
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The Hohokam lived in settled communities near Phoenix, Arizona, by the first centuries AD. They built ball courts and pyramid-like mounds similar to those in Mexico. They also constructed a canal and irrigation system to support agriculture.
*Explanation:* The final paragraph describes them as living in settlements, building ball courts and mounds, and developing irrigation systems — all signs of an organized, agricultural society adapted to the desert environment.
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✔ All answers are directly supported by evidence from the provided text.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of 3rd grade history worksheet.
