AP World History Practice Test Chapter 1 [UPDATED]

AP World History Practice Test Chapter 1: You can also download Advanced Placement exam full-length review practice test in printable pdf.

The AP World History Prep for Practice Test for Chapter 1 is a rigorous and comprehensive examination designed to test your understanding and recall of the foundational concepts and significant events of global history. This chapter primarily delves into the early stages of human history, taking you from the Paleolithic era to the dawn of civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

This practice test is an invaluable resource for any student preparing for the AP World History exam. It is structured to reflect the format and rigor of the actual AP exam, thereby offering you an authentic testing experience. It includes multiple-choice questions, short answer prompts, and essay questions, each aimed at testing different aspects of your understanding of the chapter’s content.

The multiple-choice section assesses your factual knowledge and comprehension of major events, movements, and developments from the chapter. Questions in this section may require you to identify significant figures, understand geographical contexts, or recall specific historical events.

AP World History Practice Test Chapter 1

Chapter 1

AP World History Practice Test Chapter 1

AP World History Practice Test

Chapter 1: The Peopling of the Earth and the Paleolithic Age
Total Items: 15 MCQs
Time Limit: N/A

1 / 15

Questions 1–4 refer to the map below.

Which of the following conclusions can be supported by the map?

Humans failed to migrate into areas of North America until after the end of the Ice Age.

Human migration occurred gradually from Africa to Eurasia and then to the Americas.

Migrations occurred relatively rapidly due to the need to find additional resources.

Early humans originated in Eastern Asia and moved eastward into the Americas.

2 / 15

Which of the following most directly contributed to the movement of people as reflected on the map?

Early humans domesticated draft animals, which allowed for many of the early migrations.

The adoption of agriculture led to the growth and movement of early human populations.

Early humans responded to strains on local resources, which may have precipitated migration.

The end of the last Ice Age allowed early humans to move more easily from one region to another.

3 / 15

Which of the following was most likely a direct result of the patterns reflected on the map?

The establishment of sedentary communities organized through a rigid system of social hierarchy

The development of new technologies that allowed for adaptations to a wide range of environments

The development of long-distance interregional trade networks

The creation of advanced navigational technologies that led to increased communication and economic exchange among regions

4 / 15

Which of the following characterizes the nature of early human societies in the era depicted on the map?

Civilizations developed among foragers due to the need for militaries to protect settlements

Small groups of foragers lived in isolation, with very little contact with other groups.

Settlements characterized by monumental architecture and large militaries formed.

Small nomadic clans traveled seasonally to procure food.

5 / 15

Questions 5–7 refer to the following two images.

The objects in Image 1 best support which of the following conclusions about life in the Paleolithic Age?

Humans developed a variety of stone tools to adapt to their surroundings

Metallurgy enabled early humans to develop more sophisticated tools.

Tools were primarily developed to control draft animals.

Technologies were mainly developed independently, with very little diffusion from one group to another.

6 / 15

Questions 5–7 refer to the following two images.

The drawings shown in Image 2 best illustrate which of the following about early humans?

The centralized nature of government was reflected in artistic traditions.

Systems of written symbols were used to record knowledge of animal herds.

Monotheistic belief systems with icon paintings were common.

Art reflected interactions between humans and animals.

7 / 15

Questions 5–7 refer to the following two images.

When taken together, the two images best support which of the following conclusions?

Early humans adapted their technology and cultures to new regions as they migrated.

Early humans lacked the intellectual ability to adapt to the environment effectively

Early humans mainly lived in regions in which caves were accessible

Early humans primarily gathered small plants to sustain themselves

8 / 15

Questions 8–10 refer to the passage below.

“Lower and Middle Paleolithic hominins [humans] were
capable of at least some innovation, of solving novel adaptive
problems by altering their behavior. They learned to cope
successfully with a wide range of environments, particularly
after 800,000 years ago when they began to establish
populations in the northern temperate zones. They also were
able to exploit stones with very different working properties
to produce tools, and to maintain a supply of tools and raw
materials even when suitable stone was scarce. The
proposition that early humans could maintain highly
conservative traditions over such long spans of time and over
such a large area implies a very high level of fidelity in
cultural transmission.”

L. S. Premo and Steven Kuhn, anthropologists, 2010

Based on Premo and Kuhn’s argument, why were humans of the Paleolithic Age able to produce stone tools consistently?

Conservative attitudes led to a lack of innovation.

Stone was widely available in the various environments where humans settled.

Groups were able to transfer knowledge due to contact with one another.

Knowledge of stonemaking was developed by individual clans.

9 / 15

Questions 8–10 refer to the passage below.

L. S. Premo and Steven Kuhn, anthropologists, 2010

The migrations described in the passage were most likely due to which of the following?

The need for land for cultivation as populations grew

The need for resources to sustain their populations

The desire to escape control of an authoritarian government

The development of specialized jobs leading to more opportunities

10 / 15

Questions 8–10 refer to the passage below.

L. S. Premo and Steven Kuhn, anthropologists, 2010

Human behavior described in the passage best supports which of the following conclusions about the Paleolithic era?

People of the Paleolithic era had limited capacity to modify their environments effectively.

Groups exploited one another due to the demand for a large workforce.

Large groups adopted sedentary lifestyles due to their adaptations to the environment.

Early humans were creative in adapting to different geographic settings from savanna to tundra.

11 / 15

Questions 11–12 refer to the image below.

The sculpture is best seen as evidence of which of the following?

The political dominance of women in Paleolithic society

The use of art to glorify rulers

The development of tools to manipulate available resources

The availability of ample leisure time in the Paleolithic era

12 / 15

Questions 11–12 refer to the image below.

A historian would most likely use the image as support for which of the following assertions?

Women played a prominent role in cultural life of the Paleolithic era

Paleolithic society was matriarchal in nature.

Women did not play a role in securing resources in the Paleolithic era.

Gender roles were strictly defined as patriarchal societies developed.

13 / 15

Questions 13–15 refer to the passage below.

“Nomadic tribes ventured across the landscape, driven neither
by the spirit of adventure nor the pursuit of profit nor the
desire to accumulate property, but merely in hope of survival.
Traditions, habits, and customs were almost reverently passed
on from one generation to the next because, primitive and
unimaginative as these behavioral guidelines might appear
today, they were considered to be proven means of keeping
small groups of people alive. Relative isolation reduced
possibilities for advances in technological know how or what
institutionalists call the community of knowledge.

In this pre-scientific era, superstition and ceremonialism held
an enormous influence over the thought patterns people
possessed. Superstition was rampant as primitive humans
sought to understand that which they could not explain in
practical terms. Various gods were invented to account for
the inexplicable; the sun god, for example, was somewhat
logically worshipped as the source of life. Wind, water, and
thunder were similarly judged to possess divine attributes. In
place of critical or scientific reasoning, prehistoric humans
often resorted to imaginary explanation and false belief
rooted in lack of understanding (or, put more bluntly,
ignorance).”

Joseph E. Pluta, economist, “Technology vs. Institutions in
Prehistory,” Journal of Economic Issue

Based on Pluta’s argument, why did habits and rituals guide early humans?

The people lacked the capacity to use logic to understand the environment.

These practices ensured the preservation of early humans.

The development of organized belief systems promoted these rituals.

These practices were encouraged by the political system.

14 / 15

Questions 13–15 refer to the passage below.

Joseph E. Pluta, economist, “Technology vs. Institutions in
Prehistory,” Journal of Economic Issue

The beliefs about divine forces as discussed in the passage is best understood in the context of which of the following?

The development of organized belief systems that provided an ethical code by which to live

The rise of large settlements dependent on favorable conditions for agriculture

The necessity of natural forces in ensuring successful crop harvests

The precarious relationship between foragers and the environment

15 / 15

Questions 13–15 refer to the passage below.

Joseph E. Pluta, economist, “Technology vs. Institutions in
Prehistory,” Journal of Economic Issue

Based on the passage and on your knowledge of world history, which of the following could be best inferred about the lifestyle of early humans?

The sedentary nature of Paleolithic era humans caused a strong belief in nature gods.

The superstitions and customs of early humans were rooted in scientific understanding.

The nomadic lifestyles of early humans prevented the formation of organized belief systems.

The rise of monotheistic belief systems centered on a sun god arose in the Paleolithic era.

Your score is

See also:

AP World History Practice Test 2024 with Study Guide