European Exploration Quiz

What was a key motivation for European rulers to explore the seas in the 1500s?

• To find new lands for agriculture

• To increase their own power and prosperity

• To escape from wars in Europe

• To discover new species of animals

Which European country led the world in global exploration in the late 1400s?

• Spain

• England

• Portugal

• France

Who was the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope to the Indian Ocean?

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Bartolomeu Dias

• Vasco da Gama

What was the main goal of Portuguese sailors exploring the west coast of Africa?

• To find new lands for settlement

• To establish military bases

• To find trade opportunities and a new sea route to Asia

• To discover new animal species

Which explorer was financed by Spain to find a new route to Asia in 1492?

• Vasco da Gama

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Christopher Columbus

• Bartolomeu Dias

What is the term for sailing completely around the world?

• Circumnavigate

• Navigate

• Circumference

• Circumvent

What new tool, obtained from China, helped sailors navigate without being close to land?

• Telescope

• Magnetic compass

• Sextant

• Astrolabe

What is the science of making maps and globes called?

• Geography

• Cartography

• Topography

• Geology

What type of ship was developed by European craftworkers to aid exploration?

• Galleon

• Caravel

• Frigate

• Brigantine

What was one reason Europeans wanted to bypass Italian city-states in trade?

• To avoid paying high taxes

• To find shorter routes

• To spread their religion

• To establish colonies