Topic 1
What group of Europeans reached North America about 500 years before Columbus?
a) the Dutch
b) the English
c) the Spanish
d) the Vikings
d) the Vikings
Who explored and claimed for Spain what is now the state of Florida?
a) Vasco Nunez de Balboa
b) Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
c) Henry Hudson
d) Juan Ponce de Leon
e) Hernandez de Soto
d) Juan Ponce de Leon
Who was the leader of the first expedition to sail around the world?
a) Vasco Nunez de Balboa
b) John Cabot
c) Ferdinand Magellan
d) Hernando de Soto
c) Ferdinand Magellan
Which European nation sponsored Columbus's expedition across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492?
a) England\
b) France
c) Portugal
d) Spain
d) Spain
Who explored and claimed for Spain much of what is now the southwestern United States?
a) Vasco Nunez de Balboa
b) Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
c) Henry Hudson
d) Juan Ponce de Leon
e) Hernandez de Soto
b) Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Use this passage to answer the question:
New technology, such as the compass and the astrolabe, improved navigation in the late 1400s.
What does the word technology mean in the passage above?
a) scientific knowledge and tools
b) a trip taken with the goal of exploring
c) the science of planning and following a route
d) an instrument used to find direction
a) scientific knowledge and tools
Who explored the land that connects the Americas and become the first European explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean?
a) Vasco Nunez de Balboa
b) Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
c) Henry Hudson
d) Juan Ponce de Leon
e) Hernandez de Soto
a) Vasco Nunez de Balboa
What did Verrazano, Cartier, and Hudson search for in North America?
a) the Fountain of Youth
b) the Indies
c) the Northwest Passage
d) the Seven Cities of Gold
c) the Northwest Passage
Which Spain conquistador took control of the Inca empire in Peru?
a) Hernando Cortes
b) Francisco Pizarro
c) Hernando de Soto
d) Juan Ponce de Leon
b) Francisco Pizarro
What happened during Hudson's last voyage?
a) He found the Northwest Passage.
b) His crew mutinied and set adrift at sea.
c) He returned to England with furs and other riches.
d) He set up trade routes with Asia.
b) His crew mutinied and set adrift at sea.
Which of the following was the main reason Columbus sailed west from Europe?
a) to find a more direct waterway to Asia
b) to set up colonies
c) to spread the Catholic religion
d) to discover new continents
a) to find a more direct waterway to Asia
Who explored and claimed for Holland much of what is now the state of New York and surrounding areas?
a) Vasco Nunez de Balboa
b) Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
c) Henry Hudson
d) Juan Ponce de Leon
e) Hernandez de Soto
c) Henry Hudson
What were THREE problems that early European explorers faced?
They needed better maps and new technology for long voyages. They needed a lot of money to pay the costs of their expeditions. They faced great dangers exploring unknown sea and lands.
Which empire did the army of Hernando Cortes conquer in Mexico?
a) the Aztec
b) the Inca
c) the Mayan
d) the Ancient Puebloan
a) the Aztec
Who explored and claimed for Spain much of the southern half of what is now the United States?
a) Vasco Nunez de Balboa
b) Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
c) Henry Hudson
d) Juan Ponce de Leon
e) Hernandez de Soto
e) Hernando de Soto
Which conquistador crossed the Mississippi River?
a) Coronado
b) De Soto
c) Cortes
d) Ponce de Leon
b) De Soto
What was Christopher Columbus's belief about the lands he reached in 1492?
He thought the lands he had reached were Asia.
Why did Columbus have to wait until after Reconquista to start his voyage?
Columbus needed the support the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to pay for the costs of his voyage. The two were too busy fighting a war to support Columbus.
What were some of the costs and benefits of expeditions for explorers and their sponsors?
Costs included money to pay for ships, crew, and supplies. Ships could sink or explorers may not find anything of value. Benefits included: finding gold, furs, valuable resources, claiming new land, gaining power.
Why did so many Europeans want to find the Northwest Passage?
Many Europeans believed the Northwest Passage would be a shortcut to Asia. They wanted to find it so they could set up trade routes that would bring them wealth and power.