American Literature CLEP Prep Practice Exam

In what year did the first English settlement in North America occur?

1. 1607

2. 1776

3. 1492

4. 1585

The correct answer is: 1607

The first English settlement in North America occurred in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. Option B (1776) is incorrect because that was the year when the United States declared independence from Britain, not when the first English settlement was established. Option C (1492) is incorrect because that is the year when Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean, not when the first English settlement was established. Option D (1585) is incorrect because that was the year when the Roanoke Colony, also known as the "Lost Colony," was established, not the first successful English settlement.