This Italian sailor set out from Spain in 1492 looking for a western passage to Asia.
Christopher Columbus
This instrument is used to determine direction by pointing to Magnetic North.
The Compass
Columbus struck land in what part of the world when he was attempting to find a western passage to Asia?
The islands of the Carribean (West Indies)
The Spanish word for "Conquerors."
Conquistadors
Why did Columbus think he had struck land in India?
Explorers at the time did not know that there were other continents west of Europe.
This Portuguese ruler establish a school to teach navigation and mapmaking.
Prince Henry the Navigator
The Portuguese designed this lighter, faster ship.
The Caravel
This leader of the Aztecs was held hostage by Hernan Cortes.
Montezuma
To sail completely around the Globe
Circumnavigate
What do you call a long trip on a boat or ship?
A Voyage
This Spanish explorer conquered the Aztecs in Mexico.
Hernan Cortes
Shipbuilders applied these substances to make the ships wood floors waterproof.
Tar and Oil
This disease killed many of the natives in Central and South America.
Small Pox
A disease that spreads quickly and affects many people.
Epidemic
People who buy, sell, and trade goods.
Merchants
This Spanish explorer defeated the Incas in South America and established the capital city of Lima, Peru.
Francisco Pizzaro
Portuguese shipbuilder changed traded tradition square sails for sails of this shape; this made their ships faster and more maneuverable.
Triangular sails
This city was the ancient capital of the Inca in Peru.
Cuzco
A narrow channel connecting two seas.
Strait
How did Hernan Cortes increase the number of soldiers in his army againt the Aztecs?
He recruited other Native American groups to join him.
This explorer was the first to succesfully circumnavigate the world.
Ferdinand Magellan
This instrument is used to measure the the height of a sun or star on the horizon to determine how far North or South they were located.
Astrolabe
The Spanish began to transport large amounts of these precious metals back to Spain.
Gold and Silver
The science of planning and controlling the direction of a ship.
Navigation
Why did early explorers want to find a western passage to Asia?-
They wanted to establish faster, safer trade routes.