4. The Northern Colonies in the Seventeenth Century, 1601

Quiz for Making Historical Arguments: How Did Seventeenth-Century Colonists View Nature?

Choose the best answer to each question. Click the “submit” button for each question to turn in your work.

1. How did seventeenth-century scientists understand the role of God in their new discoveries?

God constantly intervened in the natural world.

God had created the world but allowed natural laws like gravity to order creation.

God had nothing to do with the world’s creation or natural laws.

God inspired the work that these scientists did and was responsible for their new discoveries.

2. Which of the following was an example of God’s intervention in the world, according to the colonists?

A new scientific discovery that could help the colonists

A war that killed many colonists

A bolt of lightning that spared a copy of the Bible

An epidemic that decimated the colonists’ enemies

3. According to the colonists, why did God intervene in the natural world?

To show his power

To show his pleasure or displeasure with his people and their actions

To punish people who were not Christians

To convince people to become Christians

4. How did colonists interpret violent storms that killed many animals but spared a group of children?

They believed that the animals’ owners must have done something evil and were therefore punished by the storm.

They saw it as a random act that did not have much significance.

They believed it was a sign of God’s providence and a reward for following God’s commands.

They saw it as a first warning from God that they needed to repent and obey his laws.

5. In addition to God’s intervention, what was another way that colonists interpreted miraculous signs and wonders?

As the work of Satan

As consequences of natural laws

As the work of angels

As evidence of magic