Sailing
What was a tool that helped European sailors navigate the open ocean?
A simple compass
One main goal for many European explorers sailing to the Americas was to find:
A shorter water route to Asia for trade goods.
When Europeans came to the Americas, one thing they brought that made a big difference was
Diseases that Indigenous peoples had no immunity to
Choose one European explorer (e.g., Columbus, Cartier, Coronado, etc.) and describe their main motivations for exploration and one obstacle they faced.
Answer may vary
Before people like Columbus started exploring, countries in Europe became like bigger, stronger teams called nation-states. This meant they shared a lot of the same culture, language, and history. Being bigger and stronger helped these countries do which of the important things?
Have stronger central governments that could fund large expeditions.
What was a consequence European exploration and colonization for the Indigenous peoples of the Americas?
Indigenous populations declined drastically due to new diseases, and many lost their land and way of life
The desire for new routes to Asia, combined with the availability of new navigation tools, led to European exploration. This shows that European exploration was causes by
A mix of economic goals and technological advances.
How did the combination of the astrolabe (for determining latitude) and improved cartography (mapmaking) significantly enable European sea exploration?
They provided sailors with accurate navigation tools, allowing them to plot long-distance courses and return safely.
Comparing the motivations of Spanish conquistadors (like Cortés) with French fur traders (like Champlain), which statement best reflects the diverse economic and cultural motivations for European presence in the Americas?
A. Both groups were solely motivated by spreading their religion to Indigenous peoples.
B. Conquistadors wanted to explore new fishing grounds, while fur traders were interested in finding a route to India.
C. Conquistadors sought gold and empire expansion, leading to conquest, while fur traders sought animal pelts for European markets, leading to more cooperative trade relationships.
D. Both groups primarily aimed to establish large-scale agricultural colonies and export cash crops back to Europe.
C. Conquistadors sought gold and empire expansion, leading to conquest, while fur traders sought animal pelts for European markets, leading to more cooperative trade relationships.
The introduction of European diseases to the Americas had an unintended consequence of drastically reducing Indigenous populations, which then created a perceived "labor shortage" that fueled the transatlantic slave trade. This scenario demonstrates
The complex and often unintended consequences that can arise from one initial exploration and colonization efforts