Technological Advances
This navigation device has a magnetic arrow that always points north so that people can figure out which direction they're going.
The Compass
This explorer recorded his travels in a book, contributing to European interest in exploration and trade.
Marco Polo
Name two reasons why Europeans began exploring other lands during the Age of Exploration
Pilgrimages (religious journeys), desire for foreign goods (spices, perfumes, silk), gold, territory, maritime power, competing religions and ideas, fleeing persecution
The period between ancient and modern times is called the...
The Middle Ages (450-1450)
People that make a living by buying and selling goods.
Merchants
This device measures the positions of the stars in the sky and helps sailors determine their ship's latitude.
The Astrolabe
This explorer wanted to find a quicker route to the East Indies and stumbled upon the Americas instead.
Christopher Columbus
How did the printing press encourage European exploration?
The printing press helped spread the news of other people's discoveries and voyages. This inspired more exploration.
Christopher Columbus reached the New World in...
1492
The science of guiding a boat is called...
navigation
This technological advancement directs the flow of water passing over it to help steer a ship. Hint: it hangs off the back of the boat...
The stern-mounted rudder
This explorer attempted to sail around the circumference of the entire world!
Ferdinand Magellan
Through the invention of the sextant and the chronometer, sailors were able to determine latitude and longitude. How did this contribute to exploration?
They made navigation and mapmaking more accurate, so sailors wouldn't get lost on their voyages.
When did Prince Henry of Portugal begin sponsoring explorations of the west coast of Africa?
1425
To declare that a place belongs to one's country upon arrival at that place
Claim
Invented by Johannes Gutenberg, this technological advancement contributed to the mass-production of books.
The Printing Press
The Americas were named after this explorer...
Amerigo Vespucci
Why is it important to know that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who paid for Christopher Columbus's voyage, were rivals to Portugal?
The age of exploration was largely fueled by competition between countries for domination of the seas and surrounding territories.
The printing press was invented around..
1450
A territory settled by people from another place, usually far away
Colony
The Santa Maria, the ship Columbus sailed to the new world, was a new, stronger type of ship (better for long voyages) called a...
Carrack
This explorer was the first to record seeing the great waters (The Pacific) west of the Americas
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Where does the English word "hurricane" come from?
The word "hurricane" (and the word "barbecue"!) comes from the language of the Taíno, a people native to the Americas before the Europeans arrived in what is today known as the Bahamas.
The first voyage around the entire world was completed in...
1522
Spain wanted to become even more powerful, so they began reconquering territory they had previously lost. The name given to the Spanish reconquering of lost territory is...
Reconquista