Question

questions 15 through 18 refer to the following. the isolation of the native peoples of the americas from old world germs prior to the 1490s was nearly absolute. not only did very few people of any origin cross the atlantic in those years, but those who did must have been healthy or they would have died on the long - ocean voyages. native americans were not without their own diseases, of course, but native americans seem to have been without any experience with old world microbes. the susceptibility of native americans to old world infections appears most immediately after the invasion of the whites. in 1492, columbus kidnapped a number of natives to return as specimens and to show to king ferdinand and queen isabella. several of them died on the stormy voyage to europe in 1493. in 1495, 1,500 arawak slaves were shipped across the atlantic to be put to work in spain. the majority of these soon were also dead. when settlers arrived in 1496 and 1499, columbus certainly did not want to kill his potential labor force and therefore must have had no interest whatever in the outright slaughter of the arawaks. the most likely candidate for the role of exterminator of the first native american victims was disease. the arawaks had killed so many of their enemies in the decades before 1492 that their society was nearly depopulated. source: alfred crosby, ecological imperialism: the biological expansion of europe, 900 - 1900, published in 1986. 15 mark for review which of the following developments in the late 1400s and early 1500s is depicted in the excerpt? a native americans adapted to diverse geographical environments and developed complex societies. b alliances with europeans aided some native american societies in their efforts to conquer rival powers. c europeans persecuted for their religious beliefs established new separatist settlements in the americas. d europeans undertook voyages across the atlantic to the americas in search of new sources of wealth.

Explanation:

The passage focuses on the interactions between Native Americans and Europeans in the late 1400s - early 1500s. Option A discusses Native - American adaptation and society development which is not directly related to the main theme of European - Native American interactions during that specific time period. Options B, C, and D all involve interactions or actions of Europeans towards the Americas in the late 1400s and early 1500s.

Answer:

A. Native Americans adapted to diverse geographical environments and developed complex societies.