In pre-colonial America, what term best describes kinship and inheritance traced through the mother's line?

• A. Patrilineal
• B. Matrilineal
• C. Cognatic
• D. Bilineal

Answer: (B)

Descent and inheritance traced through the mother's line is matrilineal. In this system, lineage is defined via the maternal line, and things like property or status may be inherited through maternal kin. Some pre-colonial American groups organized families and succession around matrilineal lines, which often gave women important roles within the clan and its decisions because lineage runs through them. Patrilineal describes descent through the father’s line, while cognatic or bilineal describe descent through both parents, not exclusively through the maternal line. So the term that fits the description is matrilineal.