Age of Exploration

Why did Europeans want new routes to Asia?

• They wanted to spread religion.

• Goods from Asia were expensive and in demand.

• They wanted to avoid trade with Africa.

• They wanted to discover new animals.

Why were land routes to Asia considered dangerous?

• The terrain was easy to navigate.

• They were often controlled by hostile forces such as thieves.

• The climate was too harsh for travelers.

• Travelers lacked the proper equipment.

What made Portugal a good place for sea exploration?

• It had a strong navy and favorable geography surrounded by ocean.

• It had large populations of merchants.

• It had many mountain ranges for protection.

• It had alliances with Native Americans.

Why did Prince Henry open his navigation school?

• To educate sailors about trade laws.

• To teach sailors to navigate and explore new lands.

• To improve farming techniques in Portugal.

• To encourage artists and writers.

What was a major accomplishment of Prince Henry’s voyages?

• Reaching India directly by sea.

• Mapping the west coast of Africa and beginning trade with them.

• Colonizing the Americas.

• Defeating rival European explorers.

How did Portugal benefit from Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India?

• It gained knowledge about Asian spices and gold.

• It allowed them to take a leading role in trade routes that brought wealth to Portugal.

• It expanded Portugal’s colonies in Asia.

• It created alliances with African kingdoms.

Why did Portuguese rulers pay for exploration?

• To spread Christianity.

• To gain wealth and expand trade.

What was the purpose of the caravel?

• To increase speed and improve navigation.

• To improve farming techniques.

• To carry large amounts of gold.

• To create better maps.

What event started the Columbian Exchange?

• The invention of the caravel.

• Christopher Columbus’s voyages to the Americas.

• Vasco da Gama’s trip to India.

• The Treaty of Tordesillas.

How did the Columbian Exchange affect Native Americans?

• They gained wealth and new trade routes.

• Many died from diseases brought by Europeans.

• They established colonies in Europe.

• They gained more powerful weapons.