The Age of Exploration Review

​The Age of Exploration

By Meredith EastWakeMS

Open Ended

The Source: The Broken Spears (Aztec Account of Smallpox)

"It spread over the people as great destruction. Some it quite covered on all parts—their faces, their heads, their breasts, and so on. There was great havoc. Very many died of it. They could not walk; they only lay in their resting places and beds."

Does this account describe a military defeat or a biological disaster? Use one piece of evidence from the text to support your answer.

Motivations

(The 3 G's)

• Gold: Finding new trade routes to Asia to bypass Italian and Ottoman monopolies on spices.

• God: The desire to spread Christianity to new lands (Protestant & Catholic).

• Glory: Competition between European kings to build the largest empire.

Multiple Choice

Which of the "3 G’s" refers to the desire of European monarchs to expand their political power and outshine their rivals?

• Gold

• God

• Glory

• Goods

Navigation Tech

• The Caravel: A small, fast ship with "Lateen" (triangular) sails that could sail into the wind.

• Astrolabe & Compass: Tools that allowed sailors to calculate latitude and find magnetic North.

Multiple Choice

How did the Lateen sails on a Caravel change maritime travel?

• They allowed the ship to carry more cargo.

• They made the ship invisible to enemies.

• They allowed the ship to sail into the wind.

• They kept the ship from sinking in storms.

The global transfer of foods, plants, and animals.

From Americas: Corn, Potatoes, Tobacco.

From Europe/Africa: Horses, Sugar, and Smallpox (which killed roughly 90% of Native populations).

The Columbian Exchange

Multiple Choice

Which of these items traveled from the Americas to Europe during the Columbian Exchange?

• Horses and Cattle

• Sugar and Wheat

• Corn and Potatoes

• Smallpox and Flu

Multiple Choice

What was a major long-term benefit of the Columbian Exchange for the global population?

• It led to the end of all wars in Europe.

• It encouraged people to stop farming and move to cities.

• The introduction of new crops like potatoes and corn improved diets and increased the world population.

• It made travel across the Atlantic Ocean free for everyone.

Multiple Choice

What was the most devastating result of the Age of Exploration for the indigenous people of the Americas?

• They were forced to learn new languages.

• They lost access to European horses.

• Millions died due to lack of immunity to European diseases like smallpox.

• They were unable to trade their gold for European goods.