SS - Chapter 2 Lesson 1

Early Explorers and Advances in Technology

​Early Explorers

-The Vikings were the first European explorers to explore North America
-Leif Erickson was credited with this expedition.
-After his voyage, trade between Europe and Asia made merchants more interest in goods such as silk and spices.
-To avoid the dangerous Silk Road, European sought out for water routes to Asia.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT a reason Europeans began exploring?

• To find a water route to Asia

• To trade for silk and gold

• To trade for silk and spices

• To avoid the dangerous travels of the Silk Road

​Portuguese Explorers

-Finding a sea route to Asia was important to the Portuguese and other European countries.
-Portuguese rulers encouraged exploration and provided money for sailors to go on expensive sea voyages.
-The son of Portugal's king, Prince Henry, opened a school to teach navigation and mapmaking. This school helped to improve sea travel and invent new tools.

Multiple Choice

Prinice Henry's school of navigation had a positive impact on European exploration.

• False

• True

Portuguese Explorers Cont'd

-Prince Henry hired sailors to explore the west coast of Africa.
-During this exploration, the sailors learned of riches such as ivory and gold.
-They also began trading enslaved people.
-Although the initial goal was to find a water route to Asia, the rough waters held them at bay along the west coast of Africa.

Multiple Choice

Prince Henry's efforts to find a water route to Asia failed, however the accomplishments included

• trade of silk and spices from India

• trade of gold, silk, and slave

• finding a water route to Asia

• finding security while traveling along the Silk Road

-Followed Dias's route and crossed the Indian Ocean to land in India.
-Landing in India allowed Portugal to take the lead in India's rich spcie trade.

​Vasco da Gama

-Led three ships to explore Africa's western coast.
-He and his crew made it to the tip of Africa, which is now known as Cape of Good Hope.

​Bartolomeu Dias

Water Routes

Multiple Choice

Which letter labels the New World?

• H

• G

• I

• B

• C

Multiple Choice

Which letter labels the Indian Ocean?

• A

• B

• G

• H

• F

Multiple Choice

Which letter labels Europe?

• A

• B

• C

• D

• E

Multiple Choice

Which letter labels the New World?

• F

• D

• H

• C

• E

Multiple Choice

What purpose this tool serve for explorers?

• help explorers determine the direction in which they were traveling

• help explorers move cargo faster

• help explorer see far away objects like stars

• help explorers determine latitude

Multiple Choice

What purpose this tool serve for explorers?

• help explorers determine the direction in which they were traveling

• help explorers move cargo faster

• help explorer see far away objects like stars

• help explorers determine latitude

Multiple Choice

What purpose this tool serve for explorers?

• help explorers determine the direction in which they were traveling

• help explorers move cargo faster

• help explorer see far away objects like stars

• help explorers determine latitude