Is this a bad question on a history test?

Question

Which of the Following revolutionized early Native American cultures?
a) the discovery of hunting
b) the developement of agriculture
c) tribal political alliances
d) emergance of a writen language
e) the domestication of the horse

I think this is a bad question because it does not specify "early". It could be E, but the horse did not come to america untill the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. That does not seem early to me. Does anybody have an answer and a reason. This is confusing me alot. Pardon my spelling.

Answer 1

You are right to have reservations about (e), because 500 years ago is nowhere near early in the story of Native American cultures. Choice (b) is the most correct option, as agriculture was apparently developed in the New World independently of its development in the Old, and the effects of the Agricultural Revolution (as anthropologists often refer to it) are among the most far-reaching in any human history.

Answer 2

Depending on the timeframe you're studying, yes, I'd also be challenging the teacher/professor, because the question is not clear.

To me, "early Native American cultures" could **easily** go back several thousand years before present. (There are 1948 corn findings from Cave, New Mexico, which were estimated at 5,600 years old----early enough for you, teacher?---see p. 10 of _Shucks, Shocks, and Hominy Blocks: Corn as a Way Of Life in Pioneer America_, Nicholas P. Hardeman, 1981; Louisiana State University.) Considering the dietary and religious importance that _zea mays_ has had upon many tribes....and let's not even get into the corn-squash-bean complex....I'd make a VERY strong argument for "b".

Unfortunately, you'll find many questions in school tests are poorly written. If you're lucky, you MAY be able to get the question thrown out, or credit given to multiple answers depending on rationale.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I would have to agree with your arguement. Several of these answers could be right depending on the time period in question. Probably the only one that I wouldn't choose would be a) because that is a basic that goes back to almost the beginning of time therefore falling completely out of the general Native American frame of mind. As it is a very general question I would have to go with e) myself. It is the one that would most likely fit the questions requirement of "revolutionizing".

Hope that I helped.

Answer 4

I believe the answer is E, but, this sounds like one of those questions my prof used to ask. After buying about $150 dollars in "used" books he informed the class that despite the information written in the books only "His" answers ( the ones given in class or lectures) would be counted as correct .

So I would ask my classmates if they remember what he / she said on the subject.

Answer 5

I think that as you go through school you are going to have to deal with a lot of questions where the teacher didnt totally explain exactly what he meant or just made a mistake with the question. I see your point about this question, but I think you should just let it go and get on with the rest of the course.

Answer 6

The answer they are going for is doubtlessly e) but I agree that the question is poorly worded.

Answer 7

the question should have been word differently

Answer 8

you are overthinking it . the answer is simply the horse. stop agonizing over it.