European Exploration
Who is credited with reaching the Americas in 1492 while sailing for Spain?
Christopher Columbus.
Which country sent Zheng He on his famous voyages during the early 1400s?
China
Ibn Battuta was originally from which North African country?
Morocco
Which Portuguese explorer first reached the southern tip of Africa, proving it was possible to sail around it?
Bartolomeu Dias. Vasco Da Gama was after him and completed the voyage to India
Which Chinese emperor sponsored Zheng He’s voyages?
Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty.
About how miles did Ibn Battuta travel?
75000
Why was Vasco da Gama’s voyage around the Cape of Good Hope to India so important for European trade?
It established a direct sea route to Asia, breaking the overland trade monopoly and opening up profitable spice trade.
What type of ships did Zheng He use that were much larger than European ships of the same time?
Treasure Ship
Ibn Battuta: What religion was Ibn Battuta, which influenced many of the places he visited?
Muslim
The Columbian Exchange dramatically changed the world. What were two major positive and two major negative impacts of this exchange?
Positive: New foods like potatoes and corn improved diets worldwide; animals like horses transformed Indigenous life.
Negative: Spread of diseases like smallpox devastated Indigenous populations; transatlantic slave trade expanded.
China eventually stopped Zheng He’s voyages. What was one reason the Ming dynasty decided to end them?
The voyages were costly, officials saw little benefit, and the government wanted to focus on defending the northern border from Mongols.
Both Zheng He and Ibn Battuta traveled widely, but their purposes were different. What was Zheng He’s main mission compared to Ibn Battuta’s?
Zheng He was sent on diplomatic and trade missions to expand China’s power and influence; Ibn Battuta traveled primarily for pilgrimage (Hajj), religious scholarship, and curiosity.
Why was the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) important in the Age of Exploration?
It divided newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal to avoid conflict.
What goods or animals did Zheng He famously bring back to China from Africa?
Exotic animals such as giraffes, zebras, and ostriches.
How did Ibn Battuta’s travels help historians understand the cultures and societies of the 14th century?
His detailed travel writings (the Rihla) described cities, governments, trade, and cultural practices across Africa, the Middle East, India, and Asia.