Question

The Plains Village Farmers abandoned their lands and way of life because:

a) a series of raids by the eastern Indians forced them to move.
b) a smallpox epidemic swept through their villages, forcing them to move.
c) a drier climate made crops fail and pushed them to full-time bison hunting.
d) the Caddoan Mound Builders developed a more successful marketing technique for the sale of their products, thus driving the Plains Village Farmers away.

Answer 1

The Plains Village Farmers changed their way of life due to environmental challenges like a drier climate, the overhunting of bison, and economic pressures brought by the arrival of settlers and new market economies. The correct option is c.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Plains Village Farmers abandoned their lands and way of life primarily due to environmental and economic factors. A drier climate and the subsequent crop failures forced them to shift from agriculture to full-time bison hunting. This lifestyle change was further impacted by the introduction of the horse by the Spanish, making the plains groups more efficient in their hunting practices.

Over time, as the buffalo herds dwindled due to overhunting by settlers and deliberate extermination to undermine the Native American way of life, these groups were further pushed to change their living patterns. Moreover, the arrival of settlers bringing new market economies, railroads, and diseases contributed to the displacement and adaptation of the Plains people. Hence, c is the correct option.