About this Study Set
This study set covers American History through
20 practice questions.
A challenging look at the intersection of American historical events, wildlife, and the natural environment. Every question includes the correct answer so you can learn as you go — pick any format above to get started.
Questions & Answers
Browse all 20 questions from the
American Environmental and Natural History study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
Which bird species, once numbering in the billions, was declared extinct in 1914 following massive habitat loss and commercial hunting in the United States?
-
A
Passenger Pigeon
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B
Carolina Parakeet
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C
Heath Hen
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D
Ivory-billed Woodpecker
2
The 1887 Dawes Act had the unintended environmental consequence of forcing Native American tribes to adopt what specific land-use practice?
-
A
Terrace farming
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B
Slash-and-burn clearing
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C
Private small-plot allotment
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D
Hydroponic cultivation
3
What was the primary ecological impact of the 'Great Die-Off' of the American Bison in the late 19th century on the Great Plains?
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A
Expansion of forests
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B
Invasion of non-native grasses
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C
Increased soil erosion and alteration of biodiversity
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D
Global cooling effect
4
In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt established the first National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. at Pelican Island to primarily protect what?
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A
Brown Pelicans
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B
Manatees
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C
Sea Turtles
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D
Bald Eagles
5
The 'Year Without a Summer' in 1816, which caused crop failures in the Northeastern U.S., was caused by the eruption of which volcano?
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A
Mount St. Helens
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B
Mount Tambora
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C
Krakatoa
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D
Mount Pelée
6
Which invasive plant species was introduced to the American South in the 1870s for erosion control and ornamental shade, subsequently becoming an ecological plague?
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A
Purple Loosestrife
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B
Kudzu
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C
Japanese Knotweed
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D
Garlic Mustard
7
The 'Timber Culture Act of 1873' was an attempt by the U.S. government to encourage tree planting in what region?
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A
The Appalachian Mountains
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B
The Great Plains
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C
The Pacific Northwest
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D
The Florida Everglades
8
What was the primary driver for the near-extinction of the American Beaver in the early 19th century?
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A
Disease
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B
The North American Fur Trade
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C
Agricultural expansion
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D
Native population shifts
9
The 1935 Soil Conservation Act was passed in direct response to which environmental crisis?
-
A
The Great Mississippi Flood
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B
The Dust Bowl
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C
The Exxon Valdez spill
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D
The Love Canal toxic waste incident
10
Which marine mammal species was the primary target of the New England whaling industry that peaked in the mid-19th century?
-
A
Blue Whale
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B
Sperm Whale
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C
Gray Whale
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D
Humpback Whale
11
Which U.S. President signed the 'Lacey Act' in 1900, the nation's first federal law protecting wildlife by prohibiting trade in illegally taken fish and game?
-
A
William McKinley
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B
Theodore Roosevelt
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C
Grover Cleveland
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D
Benjamin Harrison
12
What was the main ecological reason for the introduction of the mongoose into Hawaii in 1883?
-
A
To control rats in sugarcane fields
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B
To provide fur for trade
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C
To replace native bird predators
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D
To control invasive snake populations
13
The 1872 Yellowstone National Park Act was significant because it was the first time in U.S. history that what happened?
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A
A federal law regulated private land
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B
A forest was clear-cut for federal revenue
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C
Land was set aside specifically for public park use by federal statute
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D
A wildlife refuge was established for hunting
14
Which non-native bird was released in New York's Central Park in 1890 by Eugene Schieffelin in an attempt to introduce all birds mentioned in Shakespeare's works?
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A
House Sparrow
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B
European Starling
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C
Common Pigeon
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D
Ring-necked Pheasant
15
What catastrophic environmental event prompted the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970?
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A
The Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969
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B
The Dust Bowl
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C
The Great Smog of St. Louis
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D
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake
16
The 'Bald Eagle Protection Act' was passed in 1940 primarily due to concern over:
-
A
Pesticide poisoning
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B
Illegal poaching and habitat encroachment
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C
Climate change
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D
Overpopulation
17
In the 18th century, 'Bounty Acts' in various American colonies were established to incentivize the killing of what animal?
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A
Wild turkeys
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B
Eastern Cougars
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C
Beavers
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D
White-tailed deer
18
Which river caught fire on multiple occasions due to industrial pollution, becoming a symbol for the need for the Clean Water Act?
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A
Potomac River
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B
Cuyahoga River
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C
Hudson River
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D
Mississippi River
19
The introduction of what crop in the 17th century profoundly altered the soil chemistry and ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay region?
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A
Corn
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B
Tobacco
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C
Wheat
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D
Cotton
20
What was the ecological result of the 'Weeks Act' of 1911?
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A
The federal purchase of land to protect the headwaters of navigable rivers
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B
The banning of all pesticides
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C
The establishment of the first national monument
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D
The total cessation of coal mining
