DIRECTIONS: During this unit, we will discuss basic concepts surrounding the “Age of Exploration”. Complete the essential questions for each topic using classroom discussions, class notes, your text book, and www.mrgigliotti.com. This guide through the material can be used to help you compose your History Journal short essay questions, study for tests and quizzes and answer questions during classroom review sessions.

Motives, Technology, and Navigation

A. The Known World:

1. What did a map of the world look like to most Europeans before the

“Age of Exploration”?

2. Europeans were unaware of what parts of the globe?

B. Motives for European Exploration:

1. The _______________ introduced Europeans to riches and exotic items from the East?

2. Europeans also read the accounts of _______________ who had gone to China in the late

1200’s and who wrote of the many riches their civilization possessed.

3. Due to dangerous trade routes, these exotic items became very _______________?

4. Europeans wanted to find a new _______________ to the spices and riches of the East in

order to avoid paying the high prices set by the middle men traders.

5. Other reasons for exploration: – (The 3 G’s)

a. Explorers hoped to find _______________ and other valuables in order to become rich?

b. Explorers hoped to spread Christianity and the word of _______________ as they knew it?

c. Explorers hoped their voyages would make them famous and many explored for

the _______________ of new discoveries?

C. New Technologies at Sea:

1. A _______________ was a new type of long thin ship designed with the _______________ at

the aft (back) of the ship for improved steering and a ______________ sail allowing the

ship to sail into the wind?

2. During this time there were also major advances in _______________?

3. The definition of “navigation” is: ________________________________________________?

4. During the “Age of Exploration”, European explorers navigated by using the _____________?

5. List TWO tools that European explorers used to “navigate” below and describe each:

a.

b.

Early Explorers

D. Portuguese Explorers:

1. Prince Henry the _______________ established an observatory and a school for navigators

along the Atlantic coast of Portugal called _______________?

2. The Portuguese attempted to get to the riches of Asia by sailing around _______________?

3. _______________ was the first European to sail around the Cape of _______________ that

he originally named the Cape of Storms?

4. _______________ was the first European to reach _______________ by sailing around the

continent of Africa during a three year journey.

5. As the Portuguese explored the coast of Africa, they established _______________ along the

coast to trade with the native peoples of Africa?

6. What three items did Europeans trade for in Africa? List them below.

a. b. c.

E. Christopher Columbus:

1. Christopher Columbus was born in _______________?

2. After spending a few years in Portugal, Columbus moved to _______________?

3. Columbus believed that one could reach Asia by sailing in this direction: ______________?

4. After some convincing, King _______________ and Queen ______________ of Spain agreed

to sponsor Columbus’ voyage?

5. Columbus asked Ferdinand and Isabella for three things if he made the voyage successfully.

List and describe those three wishes below:

a.

b.

c.

6. Columbus would set out for Asia with three ships called the _______________,

_______________, and the _______________ in the year _______________?

7. During the voyage, Columbus kept two _______________ in order to deceive his crew about

the actual distance they had traveled?

8. The definition of “mutiny” is ____________________________________________________?

9. On October 12, 1492 Columbus landed on a small island he named _______________ in

what is now in the island nation of the _______________?

10. Believing that he was near the coast of Asia, Columbus explored

several other islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola. On Hispaniola

Columbus built a fort he called _______________?

11. Columbus returned to Spain after his first voyage with items from

the New World and was welcomed by Ferdinand and Isabella

as a _______________?

12. Columbus would make a total of _______________ trips to the New World always believing

that he had found a water route to _______________?

13. On his second voyage, Columbus would establish a _______________ on the island of

Hispaniola called “La Isabella”?

14. A “colony” is ____________________________________________________________?

15. Why do many historians consider Columbus to be a “successful failure”?

F. The Columbian Exchange:

1. As a result of Columbus’ discovery, European and _______________ cultures met for the first

time.

2. The “New World” refers to _______________? The “Old World” refers to ______________?

3. There were many goods and items that were only found in the either the “Old World” or in the

“New World” before Columbus’ discovery. The exchange of those unique items

between the Europeans and the Native Americans after Columbus’ voyage was known

as _______________?

4. Complete the chart below by listing items found in both the “Old World” and the “New World”:

From	New World	Old World
Plants
Animals
Diseases

G. Other Exploration and Accomplishments:

1. The “Americas” were eventually named in honor of _______________ Vespucci, who was

one of the first explorers to understand that new continents had been discovered rather than

the continent of Asia?

2. The Pope once divided the world at the

“Line of Demarcation” between the nations of

_______________ and _______________?

3. Vasco Nunez De ____________ is credited with being the first European to see the

_______________ Ocean which he named the “South Sea”?

4. Ferdinand _______________ is credited with being the first man to _______________ or sail

around the world even though he was killed during the voyage?

5. Magellan renamed the “South Sea” the _______________ Ocean

because he claimed it was peaceful after having sailed through

several storms near “Cape Horn”.

Spanish Conquest of the New World:

H. The Conquistadors:

1. Who were the “Conquistadors” _________________________________________________?

2. Ultimately, the “Conquistadors” destroyed many _______________ cultures?

I. Hernando Cortez:

1. In 1519, Cortez landed in what is now ____________ with 500 men and 16 horses?

2. Cortez and the Spanish had heard stories about an advanced and rich Native American

empire located in central Mexico known as the _______________?

3. The Aztec capital “Tenochtitlan”, once stood were the capital of

Mexico ________________ stands today?

4. The leader of the Aztecs was named _______________?

5. Montezuma and many Aztecs believed that Cortez was an Aztec god

known as ______________?

6. After a warm welcome, Cortez eventually held Montezuma _______________ for six months

and used him to help plunder the riches of the Aztec Empire?

7. In 1521, Cortez was driven out of the Aztec capital, but soon returned with the help of

_______________ to finally _______________ the Aztecs and steal their vast riches.

J. Francisco Pizarro:

1. Pizarro and the Spanish had heard stories of a rich Native American empire in South America

known as the ____________?

2. The Incas lived in what is now _______________ high atop the

_______________ Mountains?

3. The Incas at first believed that Pizarro and his 180 Spanish

soldiers were _______________?

4. The leader of the Incas was named _______________?

5. After a brief battle in which the Spanish were victorious, Pizarro forced Atahualpa to fill a room

with _______________ and _______________?

6. Once Pizarro and the Spanish had taken possession of the vast riches of the Inca Empire,

Pizarro ordered Atahualpa to be _______________ and his body _______________?

7. Pizarro and Spanish expositions to follow ______________ the Inca Empire during the

1530’s?

K. Why were the Conquistadors so successful?

1. There are several reasons why the “Conquistadors” and a relatively small number of Spanish

soldiers were able to so easily defeat the Native Americans. List and describe them below:

a.

b.

c.

d.

L. Other Conquistadors:

1. Complete the Conquistadors chart below?

Conquistador	Year(s) of Exploration	Location of Exploration
Ponce De Leon
Coronado
DiSoto
Cabrillo

Other European Nations Explore the New World

M. Other European Nations’ Explorers:

1. Although they had discovered a “New World”, Europeans still wanted to find a shorter water

route to _______________?

2. Explorers began to search for the _______________, or the imaginary water route from the

Atlantic Ocean through the Americas to the Pacific Ocean?

N. Important Explorers from other Nations:

1. Complete the chart below based on information about explorers from other European nations:

Explorer	County for which they sailed	Info about their Discoveries
Varranzano
Cartier
Frobisher
Hudson
Drake

O. The Spanish Armada:

1. Spain wanted to punish _______________ and Queen _______________ for

_______________ Sir Francis _______________ and for _______________?

2. The Spanish used much of their wealth from the “New World” to construct a huge

________________ of warships?

3. During an epic sea battle the “Spanish Armada” was _______________ by the

_____________?

4. As a result of the Spanish Armada, Spain began to ______________ power, and the door

began to open for England to _______________ and _______________?

KEY PEOPLE TO KNOW IN THE AGE OF EXPLORATION!

1. Prince Henry “The Navigator” – Portugal - started navigation school at Sagres

2. Bartholomeu Dias – Portugal – 1^st European to sail around Africa

3. Vasco De Gama – Portugal – 1^st European to sail to India (around Africa)

4. Ferdinand and Isabella – King and Queen of Spain

5. Christopher Columbus – Spain (Italian) – 1^st to sail to the New World (West)

6. Amerigo Vespucci – Spain (Italian)- New World named after him

7. Vasco N. de Balboa – Spain – 1^st European to see the Pacific (South Sea)

8. Ferdinand Magellan – Portugal – 1^st to sail around the world (circumnavigate)

9. Hernando Cortez – Spain – Destroys Aztecs

10. Francisco Pizarro – Spain – Destroys Inca

11. Ponce De Leon – Spain – Explored Florida (Fountain of Youth)

12. Francisco Cornado – Spain – Explored South West USA

13. John Cabot – England – 1^st Englishman to sail to the New World

14. Giovanni Verranzano – France – explored New York Harbor (East Coast USA)

15. Jacques Cartier – France – explored St. Lawrence River

16. Martin Frobisher – England – explored northern Canada

17. Henry Hudson – England & Netherlands – Hudson Bay in Canada