The first explorers were looking for an ocean route to a place called the Indies. This is an area that today includes three countries. Name one of these.
China, Japan, and India
100
What did Christhopher Columbus do for a living?
He was a master mariner.
100
Columbus and his three ships left Spain on 08-03-1492. Name one of them.
The Santa Maria, the Nina and the Pinta.
100
When did Columbus finally set foot on Asian soil?
He never did. He actually reached the islands we now call the Caribbean.
100
What's a log?
A journal recording the direction and distance travelled.
200
The Europeans had been trading with the Indies since the 1300s. What two goods did they desire the most?
Silk cloth and spices
200
What is a master mariner?
A person who knows enough about sailing and navigation to be in charge of a ship.
200
How do we know so much about this trip?
A copy of Columbus's log has survived to this day.
200
What did Columbus call the people he met on the islands?
Indians
200
Why is the needle in the compass made of metal?
So that it will always point north.
300
What were the most popular spices? What were they used for?
Cloves and cinnamon were the most sought after spices and were used in the preparation of food.
300
Explorers, like Columbus, needed someone to pay the cost of their exploration. Who would normally put up the money and why?
This was usually a king or queen, or a group of traders and they would share in the profits.
300
Why did Columbus's crew threaten to mutiny after two months at sea?
The crew became afraid that if they kept sailing in one direction, they might fall off the edge of the world. In those days, many people believed that the earth was flat.
300
Why did Columbus call the people he met on the islands Indians?
He thought that he had reached an unknown part of The Indies.
300
How long would it take for sand to flow from one part of a sandglass to another?
Thirty minutes
400
Who controlled the routes from Asia to Europe? Be careful,Mr. T is looking for more than just a one word answer.
Traders who charged high prices for bringing goods to Europe.
400
Columbus believed that it was possible to sail from Europe to Asia across the Atlantic Ocean. Why did they agree to pay the cost of the trip?
Silk cloth and spices!
400
Describe the crew's plan for getting rid of Columbus.
They planned to push him overboard. Then they were going to tell everyone back home that he had fallen into the ocean when he stood too close to the railing to take a reading of the North Star with his quadrant.
400
What do Aboriginal people prefer to be called today?
First Nations and by the names of their groups such as Haida.
400
What was a quadrant used for?
To figure out how far north or south of the Equator the ship was.
500
Why did the first explores risk their lives looking for an ocean route to the Indies?
Fame and fortune
500
Columbus didn't know exactly how long it would take to sail from Europe to Asia. He only knew that it would be a very long,very dangerous voyage. Apart from fame and riches, why did he do it?
Curiousity about the world and a desire to test his skills as a master mariner.
500
Luckily, Columbus was able to convince his crew to give him more time. How did he do it?
The promise of riches and fame.
500
Why did Columbus fail to find an ocean route to The Indies?
North America barred his path.
500
Explain how sailors used a log line to estimate their speed?
Sailors dropped the end of a log line into the water. The faster the ship was going, the faster the rope unreeled. Knots were placed at even spaces along the line. Sailors then counted the knots to figure out the speed.