2-1: Europeans Set Sail

In the year 1000, strong winds blew Leif Eriksson’s ship off course to

• the cape of Good Hope.

• Greenland.

• Portugal.

• the North American coast.

How did Prince Henry the Navigator help push exploration forward?

• He set out on a voyage to explore the west coast of Africa.

• He financed research by mapmakers and shipbuilders.

• He published Marco Polo’s inspirational writings on the Silk Road.

• He funded an observatory to advance the study of astronomy.

How did caravels differ from the galleons that had been used before?

• They had taller masts.

• They had square sails.

• They could sail against the wind.

• They could be steered using a rudder.

Which explorer led Portugal in winning the European race for a sea route to Asia?

• Vasco de Gama

• Bartolomeu Dias

• Vasco Núñez de Balboa

• Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca

What was the significance of finding a sea route to Asia?

• It gave Europeans the opportunity to hold political positions in foreign lands.

• It allowed Europeans to bypass merchants who monopolized trade.

• It introduced Europeans to new investors who would support exploration.

• It showed Europeans that interactions with Asians were nothing new.

What advantage did the Viking longship have over earlier vessels?

• size

• strength

• speed

• stability

In what year was Leif Eriksson’s ship carried off course to North America?

• 874

• 900

• 974

• 1000

The astrolabe aided explorers in finding new continents by allowing ship navigators to

• estimate distance from land by measuring the oceans’ depth.

• check location by charting the position of celestial bodies.

• determine direction by aligning a magnetic strip with the North Pole.

• calculate the rate of travel by measuring the speed of headwinds.

Which of the following statements is NOT one of the causes of the discovery of a sea route to Asia?

• Financial backing from Price Henry the Navigator.

• New technology (i.e. caravel, astrolabe)

• Converting people to Christianity.

• Face-to-face contact with traders in distant lands.

Which explorer was the first to reach the Cape of Good Hope?

• Vasco de Gama

• Henry the Navigator

• Bartolomeu Dias

• Vasco Nunez de Balboa