Texes Social Studies Content Practice Exam

At the end of the most recent Ice Age, which two continents were cut off from one another, dramatically affecting the course of human history?

1. Asia and North America

2. South America and Africa

3. North America and South America

4. Africa and Europe

The correct answer is: Asia and North America

The end of the most recent Ice Age, around 12,000 years ago, marked significant changes in the geography and climate of the Earth. The melting of glaciers and rising sea levels led to the submergence of land bridges that once connected continents. During this period, Asia and North America were linked by the Bering land bridge, which became submerged due to rising sea levels. This separation between the continents led to isolated development of human populations and species, significantly affecting migration patterns and the spread of technologies and cultures. This separation is crucial to understanding the patterns of human migration, as populations that had been able to move across the land bridge were now cut off from one another. The implications of this split are profound, as it influenced the genetic diversity of populations, the introduction of different technologies, and the eventual patterns of settlement in the Americas. While other options represent significant geographic relationships, they did not experience the same level of isolation at the end of the last Ice Age as Asia and North America did.