When civilizations meet: conquest, colonies and freedom, seen from both sides

Tests: 8 of 12 right · Exam: 1 of 4 right · Kind: ★★ · Understood: 13 of 16 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 76 of the history course of Mova's primary school, as Mova's small model took its tests: it had read this lesson and the ones before it and learned from their exercises. Each test shows the options in the order the student saw them, its choice, the right answer, the score of every option and why it chose. The lesson itself, sentence by sentence with trees and pragmatics: the lesson in the corpora.

Every question of this lesson and each of its options parsed by Mova, with trees and pragmatics: the lesson's questions in the corpora.

Test 1 · ★★ · right ✓

Mateo's book says "Columbus discovered America". His mate: "Facts, he found it first, no cap." What's the fair correction?

1. The Americas were empty until 1492 — no support
2. The Vikings never got anywhere near — no support
3. Your mate's right: Columbus was the first human being ever to set eyes on the Americas, in 1492 — no support
4. People lived there for at least 15,000 years; Columbus began lasting contact with Europe — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 8, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 76, line 6: «People reached the Americas at least 15,000 years ago, and millions lived there in 1492 in cities, farms and villages; Norse sailors had reached Newfoundland a…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «begin» (+2); the same doer «columbus» (+2); the same thing acted on «lasting contact» (+2); the same circumstance (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Diego's mate: "A few hundred Spaniards clapped the whole Aztec Empire, they were OP." ("OP" means overpowered; "clapped" means beat.) What's the fuller story?

1. It was all the plan of the Aztec king — no support
2. Spanish swords were magic, so they really were OP, no allies or illness needed — ← Mova's choice · score 5
3. Tens of thousands of Indigenous allies and smallpox were a huge part — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. The Aztecs had no soldiers at all — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 76, line 2: «In Europa Universalis you colonise «empty» provinces with a few natives in them, and a handful of conquistadors can take an empire; real conquests needed local…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «need» (+3); the same thing acted on «local allies» (+2). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★★ · right ✓

In Europa Universalis, Ava sends a colonist to a province with "native population 2,000" and it becomes hers. What does the game leave out?

1. Those people had their own land, rulers and lives, and many resisted — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 7
2. Colonies were always on empty land — no support
3. Native population numbers were exact — no support
4. Native people always invited the colonists in and gave them their land as a gift — score -2

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 7, against -2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 76, line 2: «In Europa Universalis you colonise «empty» provinces with a few natives in them, and a handful of conquistadors can take an empire; real conquests needed local…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same thing acted on «old rulers» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★★ · right ✓

Arjun's grandad: "The British gave us railways!" His mate's grandad: "And famines!" Who's right?

1. Only the railways grandad, since the famines were nothing to do with Britain — no support
2. Both are partly right; historians still argue how to weigh it — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8
3. Neither; Britain never ruled India — no support
4. Only the famines grandad — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 8, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 72, line 11: «Historians argue why factories started in Britain in the 1700s: reasons given include cheap coal, high wages that made machines worth building, inventors, and…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «historians» (+5); the same action «argue» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Hana, proud as punch: "We were never colonised, we beat Italy at Adwa, 1896!" What's the most exact version?

1. Ethiopia won at Adwa and stayed free, though Italy occupied it 1936–1941 — ✓ the right answer · score 8
2. Ethiopia went on to conquer Italy in 1896 — no support
3. Adwa is a city in Italy — no support
4. Ethiopia was never even attacked by Italy or by any other country — ← Mova's choice · score 11

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 11, against 8 for the next best. Its support: lesson 76, line 8: «By 1914 almost all of Africa was ruled by European countries; Ethiopia defeated an Italian army at Adwa in 1896 and stayed independent, as did Liberia, though…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «italy» (+5); it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same thing acted on «ethiopia» (+3). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-1). The right option, 1, scored 8. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Kwame's dad: "Ghana was first in sub-Saharan Africa, 1957, top of the class!" His uncle: "Ah, but what about Sudan?" Best answer?

1. The uncle is wrong: Sudan was never a colony of anyone, so it can't be counted at all — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Ghana became free in 1800 — no support
3. Ghana is often called first, but Sudan, free in 1956, is sometimes counted first — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Both countries are still colonies — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★★ · right ✓

Yuki: "Japan was never a colony." Min-jun: "Yeah, but Japan had colonies, like Korea, ya know?" Who's right?

1. Neither; Korea ruled Japan — no support
2. Both: Japan avoided European rule and ruled Korea and Taiwan — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10
3. Only Yuki: Japan never ruled anyone at all outside its own islands — no support
4. Only Min-jun; Japan was a British colony — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 10, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 76, line 12: «Japan avoided European rule and built its own empire, ruling Taiwan from 1895 and Korea from 1910 until 1945; in some years Koreans were pushed to use Japanese…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «japan» (+5); the same action «avoid» (+3); the same thing acted on «european rule» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★★ · right ✓

Ploy from Thailand: "Siam never got colonised, nah, we was too clever." What should she add?

1. Siam had no neighbours at all — no support
2. Siam was so clever it went on to conquer both Britain and France — no support
3. Siam also gave up some lands to keep the rest free — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 14
4. Siam was a colony of China all along — score 3

Why: It took the question to ask a circumstance (with what, when, how). It chose option 3 with score 14, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 76, line 13: «Siam, now Thailand, stayed independent between British and French colonies through skilled diplomacy, clever talks and deals with both, but gave up some lands…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «give up» (+4); the same thing acted on «lands» (+4); its «because» matches the remembered cause (+4); the same doer «siam» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★★ · right ✓

Jean, whose family is from Haiti: "Our ancestors freed themselves." Her classmate: "So after 1804 it was all sweet?" What's true?

1. France forced Haiti to pay a huge sum, which hurt it for over a century — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10
2. Haiti gave money to France as a gift — score 5
3. Haiti became a French colony again in 1805 — no support
4. Yes, it was all sweet: nothing bad ever happened to Haiti after 1804, ever — score 2

Why: It took the question to ask a circumstance (with what, when, how). It chose option 1 with score 10, against 5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 76, line 14: «Enslaved people in Haiti rose up in 1791 and won independence in 1804, making the first Black republic; in 1825 France forced Haiti to pay a huge sum before Fr…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «pay» (+4); the same thing acted on «huge sum» (+4); the same doer «haiti» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★★ · right ✓

Nathan's Cree kokum (grandma): "Missionaries helped make this writing, my boy, but they took things too." What does she mean?

1. Missionaries invented the Cree language — score 8
2. Missionaries brought writing and schools but often banned local customs and languages — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 12
3. Missionaries only did harm — no support
4. Missionaries only brought good things, and the Cree were glad of every single one of them — score 6

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score 12, against 8 for the next best. Its support: lesson 76, line 15: «Cree syllabics were developed in the 1840s by the missionary James Evans with Cree speakers, and some Cree tell that the script came from a Cree man; missionar…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same action «bring» (+3); the same thing acted on «schools» (+3); the same doer «missionaries» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★★ · wrong ✗

What would happen if historians read only Spanish letters about the conquest of Mexico?

1. They would hear only the Aztec side — ← Mova's choice · score 4
2. Nothing, all sources say the same — no support
3. They would know everything perfectly, because the Spanish wrote down every detail — no support
4. They would hear mostly one side; the Florentine Codex adds Aztec memories — ✓ the right answer · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what happens next. It chose option 1 with score 4, tied with another option at 4 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 76, line 5: «A fair historian listens for both sides, uses words carefully, and remembers that the people on the map were people, not numbers.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «fair historian» (+3); the same action «listen» (+1). The right option, 4, scored 4. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★★ · right ✓

Chidi's sister: "Germany gave back bronzes to Nigeria? Why's Germany got them, mate?" Best answer?

1. Nigeria sent them as a birthday present — no support
2. They were found on the Moon — no support
3. British soldiers took them from Benin in 1897 and they were sold to museums — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8
4. Germany made them in a factory — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 3 with score 8, against 5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 76, line 17: «British soldiers took the Benin Bronzes from the Kingdom of Benin, in today's Nigeria, in 1897; in 2022 Germany agreed to return over a thousand of them and be…», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: the same action «take» (+2); the same doer «british soldiers» (+2); the same thing acted on «benin bronzes» (+2); the same circumstance (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · wrong ✗

Identify the principal reason for which the term «discovery» in respect of the voyage of Columbus is subject to question.

1. The Americas had previously been settled by the Roman Empire — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. The Americas were already inhabited by many millions of persons — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Columbus did not undertake any voyage across the Atlantic — no support
4. The Americas were uninhabited until the twentieth century — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · wrong ✗

Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the conquest of the Aztec Empire?

1. Cortés prevailed solely by means of a few hundred Spanish soldiers — no support
2. The Aztec Empire surrendered without any resistance — ← Mova's choice · score 3
3. Cortés relied upon numerous Indigenous allies, and smallpox gravely afflicted the Aztec capital — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. The conquest was accomplished by a French army — score 2

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 2 with score 3, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 67, line 2: «What really happened: Magna Carta in 1215 mainly protected barons and the Church, but it set the idea that even the king must follow the law, and later people…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same doer «people» (+1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · right ✓

Select the response consistent with the established facts concerning the independence of Haiti.

1. It was granted freely by France without any condition, together with a gift of money and ships — no support
2. Haiti has never been independent — no support
3. It was won in eighteen hundred and four by formerly enslaved people, and France subsequently exacted a heavy payment — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 4
4. It was won in nineteen hundred and fifty-seven by peaceful negotiation — score 3

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 4, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 76, line 14: «Enslaved people in Haiti rose up in 1791 and won independence in 1804, making the first Black republic; in 1825 France forced Haiti to pay a huge sum before Fr…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «win» (+2); the same thing acted on «independence» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗

Ascertain the means whereby Siam preserved its independence.

1. By the possession of the largest army in the world — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. By the conquest of the British Isles — no support
3. By its incorporation into the French Empire — no support
4. By skilful diplomacy and the cession of certain territories — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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