Columbus' Voyage (incl. technology)
In which year did Columbus sail to America (first time)?
1492
Name a country in the New World. Name a country in the Old World.
Many countries are correct.
Name one disease brought from the Old World to the New World.
Smallpox, measles, influenza, or malaria
What is an “ecosystem”?
A community of living organisms and their environment.
Which ocean did Columbus cross?
The Atlantic Ocean
What was Columbus trying to find when he sailed west?
A faster way to get to Asia (spices), and he wanted gold
Where did potatoes originate?
Why were Native Americans hit harder by European diseases than Europeans?
They had worse reactions to European diseases because they had no prior exposure or immunity to Old World diseases.
What is an “invasive species”? Give one example from the Columbian Exchange.
A non-native species that disrupts its new ecosystem; pigs or rats.
The Columbian Exchange led to what system of trade?
The Triangular Trade
What navigational tool used the stars to find latitude at sea?
Astrolabe
Name something previously exclusive to the New World. Name something previously exclusive to the Old World.
Answers may vary.
What crops from the New World caused a population boom in Europe, Africa, and Asia? (1/3 = no loss, 2/3 = you get pts, you may say 3 crops)
Potatoes, corn, and cassava
What animal introduced by Europeans changed the Great Plains ecosystem?
The horse
What valuable product(s) made from New World plants drove the slave trade? (2/4 needed for full points)
What is “dead reckoning,” and why was it risky?
Dead reckoning is where you estimate your location by your ship's speed, the time you've traveled, and your direction. It's risky because it involves gross approximation.
Why was the Old World more advanced than the New World? (4 reasons, 1/4 = no loss, 2/4 = full pts, you get to say 4 reasons total)
How did the Columbian Exchange affect human genetics over time?
It mixed populations and increased genetic diversity by introducing new genes through migration, slavery, and trade.
How did European farming methods harm New World environments?
Clearing forests for crops, overgrazing, and soil erosion.
Which modern foods includes ingredients from both worlds? State two.
Answers may vary (e.g. Pizza and Burgers)
How did Columbus and his crew measure the ship's speed?
They used a log and line. Sailors would throw a wooden board attached to a knotted rope into the water. The number of knots that passed through their hands in a set time (using a sandglass) measured their ship’s speed in knots.
What is the most ancient New World civilization? What is the most ancient Old World civilization?
Caral-Supe; Sumeria (accept Mesopotamia)
Name one disease brought to the Old World from the New World
Syphillis (a little debated)
How does the Columbian Exchange still affect Earth’s ecosystems today?
It started global species mixing; crops, animals, and microbes still spread worldwide (across the oceans) through trade and travel.
When was the term "Columbian Exchange" first used?
1972