Lesson 2

2 Columbus reaches the Americas Quiz: Pearson Edexcel History, Unit 9

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 2, Columbus reaches the Americas: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE History (1HI0), Unit 9: Spain and the ‘New World’, c1490–c1555, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which island group did Columbus first reach in October 1492?

    • The Canary Islands
    • The Philippines
    • The Bahamas
    • The Azores

  2. Which fort did Columbus establish on Hispaniola in 1492?

    • Veracruz
    • Santo Domingo
    • La Navidad
    • Panama

  3. What was the main purpose of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494?

    • Ending wars
    • Trading silk
    • Setting taxes
    • Dividing lands

  4. Which Indigenous people did Columbus encounter in the Greater Antilles?

    • Tainos
    • Incas
    • Aztecs
    • Mayans

  5. Which Indigenous group did the Spanish describe as warlike and hostile?

    • Tainos
    • Incas
    • Caribs
    • Aztecs

  6. What did the Spanish find on Hispaniola that fuelled hopes of wealth?

    • Spices
    • Silver mines
    • Gold
    • Salt pans

  7. What did Columbus name the island now called Hispaniola?

    • Cibao
    • La Española
    • Isla Bella
    • Nueva Granada

  8. Which Caribbean island became the first centre of Spanish government and settlement in the Americas?

    • Puerto Rico
    • Jamaica
    • Cuba
    • Hispaniola

  9. Using wrecked ship timber to build a fort shows what about early exploration?

    • Mutiny
    • Carelessness
    • Cowardice
    • Resourcefulness

  10. What was the main economic motive for Spanish interest in the Tainos?

    • Spices
    • Silver
    • Gold
    • Silk

  11. How did Spanish authorities generally classify the Carib people?

    • Royal allies
    • Hostile enemies
    • Peaceful traders
    • Christian converts

  12. What would Spain do if a Portuguese captain crossed the Tordesillas line?

    • Protest the violation
    • Declare war
    • Share the land
    • Ignore the action

  13. Following the Treaty of Tordesillas, which direction of newly discovered lands did Spain receive?

    • South
    • East
    • North
    • West

  14. What was the primary cause of the rapid fall in Taino population?

    • Voluntary exile
    • Disease
    • Volcanoes
    • Starvation alone

  15. Which method was used most quickly to extract gold from river beds?

    • Paid European miners
    • Automated machinery
    • Imported African slaves
    • Forced Taino labour

  16. What is the term for a group of islands such as the Bahamas?

    • A plateau
    • A delta
    • An archipelago
    • A peninsula

  17. Why were Caribs treated differently from Tainos under Spanish policy?

    • Converted immediately
    • Offered alliance
    • Labelled as hostile
    • Paid high taxes

  18. What technical limitation made the Treaty of Tordesillas line difficult to place?

    • Finding true north
    • Measuring longitude accurately
    • Measuring latitude accurately
    • Drawing straight maps

  19. What was the negative effect of the Spanish gold hunt on Taino farming?

    • New irrigation systems
    • Severe food shortages
    • Surplus grain storage
    • Improved crop yields

  20. Why did Spanish explorers perform formal ceremonies when claiming land?

    • Honoured local gods
    • Celebrated peace
    • Atoned for violence
    • Asserted European possession

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