Setting Sail
What was the main reason Europeans began searching for new trade routes to Asia in the 15th century?
The Ottoman Empire blocked traditional land routes and raised trade fees.
Which European country led early sea exploration efforts?
Portugal
Who sponsored Christopher Columbus’s voyage westward in 1492?
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain
What type of ship combined lateen and square sails, making long voyages possible?
The caravel
What period of intellectual growth encouraged Europeans to find new ways to reach Asia?
The Renaissance
What Portuguese leader established a navigation school to train explorers?
Prince Henry the Navigator
What was Columbus trying to find by sailing west?
A new route to Asia
What part of the ship, developed in China, improved steering and stability?
The sternpost rudder
What invention from China allowed sailors to determine direction even without seeing land?
The magnetic compass
Who was the first European to reach the southern tip of Africa?
Bartolomeu Dias
Which two empires did Spanish conquistadors conquer in the Americas?
The Aztec and Incan Empires
How did the magnetic compass help sailors?
It pointed toward true north, allowing direction at sea.
What was used to measure the angle of the sun or stars to determine latitude
The Astrolabe
What explorer reached India by sailing around Africa?
Vasco da Gama
What was the agreement that divided the world between Spain and Portugal?
The Treaty of Tordesillas (following the Papal Line of Demarcation)
Why was the caravel such an important innovation?
It allowed ships to sail farther and more efficiently on long voyages.
Which innovation allowed ships to sail against the wind, making long voyages possible?
The lateen sail
Which explorer’s voyage was the first to circumnavigate the globe?
Ferdinand Magellan (his crew completed the journey after his death)
Which conquistadors were responsible for the fall of the Aztec and Incan empires?
Hernán Cortés (Aztec) and Francisco Pizarro (Incan)
What did navigational tools and ship designs of the era have in common?
They were influenced by technologies borrowed from other cultures (China, Muslim traders, etc.)