The Columbian Exchange: plants, animals and diseases crossing the Atlantic

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Disease and population in the Americas (historians' estimates)

   a chart beside a map. Americas in 1491: estimates range from about 8 million to over 110 million people, with no agreement. Within 100 to 150 years after 1492: an estimated fall of 80 to 95 percent. Central Mexico: just under 15 million people in 1519; about 1.5 million a century later. Hispaniola's Taíno people: estimates from 60,000 to 8 million before 1492; very few remained 50 years later. Key: a red dashed arrow is the spread of disease from the coast inland; shading shows places where counts were made. Below the chart: Native peoples had never met these diseases, so they had no immunity to them. Disease often spread inland ahead of the Europeans, so the first counts Europeans made may have been too low.

2. 1.

   What range does the chart give for the Americas' people in 1491, Bo asks?

   • About 15 million to 1.5 million people
   • About 8 to 110 people
   • About 8 million to over 110 million
   • Exactly 110 million
3. 2.

   Why do estimates for 1491 range so widely, Kira asks?

   • The counts agree
   • The chart has a typing slip
   • Few counts, and disease came first
   • People moved to Europe
4. 3.

   Disease spread inland ahead of the Europeans. What does that mean for the first counts, Luz asks?

   • They count Europeans and no one else
   • They may be too low
   • They are exact
   • They may be too high
5. 4.

   Which sentence about Hispaniola's Taíno people is the most careful, Milo asks?

   • Exactly 8 million lived there
   • The Taíno grew in number after 1492
   • Estimates differ; very few remained
   • No one lived there
6. 5.

   Central Mexico fell from about 15 million to about 1.5 million. About what fraction remained, Noah asks?

   • About one-hundredth
   • About one-half
   • About one-tenth
   • About the same
7. 6.

   About what percent of Central Mexico's people were lost in that century, Pia asks?

   • About 10 percent
   • About 50 percent
   • About 15 percent
   • About 90 percent
8. 7.

   About how many people were lost in Central Mexico, by the chart, Ren asks?

   • About 13.5 million
   • About 1.35 million
   • About 16.5 million
   • About 1.5 million
9. 8.

   Tala's note says, "Europeans counted exactly 110 million people in 1491." Which fix is right?

   • Change people to horses
   • Change 1491 to 1941
   • Change it: estimates range widely
   • Leave it: the number is exact
10. 9.

    Zee's note says, "Europeans had no immunity to American diseases." Which fix is right?

    • Change Europeans to llamas
    • Change it: Native peoples lacked immunity
    • Change diseases to crops
    • Leave it: it is right
11. 10.

    Ari's note says, "The Americas' population rose after 1492." Which fix is right?

    • Change 1492 to 1942
    • Leave it: it rose
    • Change Americas to Europe
    • Change rose to fell