1. "The people called the Iroquois... are many nations, each with its own language and separate interests, yet they are joined in a common league to preserve peace among themselves and to resist the encroachment of their enemies." - Description of the Iroquois Confederacy, 18th century Which of the following best explains the primary purpose of the political structure described above?

2. "The Mississippians... built great earthen mounds, some over a hundred feet high, which served as platforms for religious temples and the residences of the elite... This suggests a society with sharp social distinctions." - Archeological summary of Cahokia The construction of the mounds at Cahokia most directly provides evidence for which of the following?

3. "In the Southwest, the Ancestral Puebloans developed masonry buildings and complex irrigation systems to manage the scarce water of the high desert." - Historical overview of the American Southwest The development of the systems described in the excerpt was primarily a response to:

4. In the Pacific Northwest, the Chinook people developed societies characterized by high population density and economic specialization. This was made possible primarily by: