Famous Explorers
Which explorer sailed west in 1492 and reached the Caribbeans?
Christopher Columbus
What valuable seasoning did Europeans want to obtain through trade with Asia?
Spices
What instrument helped sailors determine direction?
Compass
In what year did Columbus sail across the Alantic?
1492
Who already lived in the Americas before European explorers arrived?
Native Americans/Indigenous people
Which Italian Explorer sailed for England and reached the coast of present-day Canada in 1497?
John Cabot
What precious metal motivated many Europeans?
Gold
What instrument helped sailors estimate their location by observing the stars?
Astrolabe
What ocean did Magellen name during his exploration?
Pacific Ocean
Name one disease-related consequence of the European exploration for Native Americans.
Diseases like smallpox caused illness and death among Native Americans.
Which French Explorer traveled along the St. Lawrence River?
Jacques Cartier
Why did Europeans want to find a faster route to Asia?
To make trade easier, faster, and less expensive.
What did explorers use to plan their journeys across the oceans?
Maps
What continent did John Cabot reach in 1497?
North America
What happened to much of the land belonging to the Native Americans?
The lost land to the Europeans.
Whose expedition became the first to sail around the world?
Ferdinand Magellan
Name two countries that became leaders in explorations.
Spain and Portugal
How did improved sails help European explorers?
They allowed ships to travel farther across the oceans.
What river did Jacques Cartier explore?
St. Lawrence River
What are two things that began moving between continents because of exploration?
Goods, plants, animals, and people
Which explorer searched for a Northwest Passage and explored a river named after him?
Henry Hudson
Besides wealth, what was another reason European rulers supported exploration?
To spread Christianity
Why were navigation improvements important during the age of exploration?
They made long ocean voyages safer and more possible.
What was the goal of Henry Hudson's search for a Northwest Passage?
To find a water route through or around North America to Asia.
Why was European exploration both an opportunity and a hardship?
It increased trade and connections but also caused conflict, disease, and loss of Native Americans.