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Exploration of the Americas

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

European missionaries wanted to spread __________ to other lands.

a)

the religion of Christianity

b)

their recipes

c)

their wealth

d)

all of the above

2.

European sailors used __________ to figure out sailing directions.

a)

backstaffs

b)

compasses

c)

mariner's astrolabes

d)

all of the above

3.

Marco Polo was a European who made many trips to __________.

a)

America

b)

India

c)

China

d)

all of the above

4.

The Crusades were __________.

a)

goods that Christians traded with Muslims

b)

wars that Christians fought against Muslims

c)

people from the Middle East

5.

What is a word that means "how people get from place to place"?

a)

communication

b)

navigation

c)

interaction

d)

interpretation

6.

Why did the explorers think they could become wealthy by going to Asia?

a)

They read Marco Polo’s stories about trading their goods.

b)

They had traveled there before and got rich by selling goods.

c)

Marco Polo found a faster and cheaper route to get there.

d)

There was nowhere else for them to trade other than Asia.

7.

Why did it become safer for ships once they could navigate?

a)

Ships had newer square sails instead of triangle sails.

b)

Sailors had better training and education.

c)

The printing press could make books with directions.

d)

They were able to make maps and mark the dangers.

8.

Besides trade routes and riches, why did explorers want to find new land?

a)

Europe was crowded and they needed more space.

b)

The king wanted them to farm new lands.

c)

Europe had spice and goods to exchange.

d)

There would be new people to learn their religion.

9.

After a long exploration, what happened to some of the sailors?

a)

They stayed in Europe.

b)

Sailors stayed on ships.

c)

Sickness killed many.

d)

They stayed in Asia.

10.

Columbus first landed in America on __________

a)

October 12, 1892

b)

October 12, 1492

c)

December 12, 1492

11.

Columbus set sail with three ships called the __________.

a)

Nina, Santa Maria, and Columbus

b)

Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria

c)

San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Clause

12.

What did Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand hope to gain by giving Columbus money for his voyages?

a)

They wanted to make Spain more powerful.

b)

They wanted to have more trade routes to Asia.

c)

They wanted to spread their religion.

d)

All the above answers are correct.

13.

What happened when Columbus and his men arrived in the Bahamas?

a)

The Arawak people greeted Columbus with gifts.

b)

The Arawak people fought with Columbus and told him to leave.

c)

The Arawak people asked Columbus if he would take them back to Spain.

14.

When Christopher Columbus landed in America, he thought he was in __________.

a)

India

b)

China

c)

neither of the above

15.

When sailing west, what did Columbus use to be sure he was on course?

a)

a ships log

b)

a compass

c)

a pincers

d)

a lateen

16.

Amerigo Vespucci sailed to __________. He was the first explorer to find out that there was another continent to the west of Europe.

a)

North America

b)

South America

c)

Asia

d)

Africa

17.

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian businessman who became a(n) __________.

a)

king

b)

mapmaker

c)

teacher

d)

explorer

18.

Why did Amerigo Vespucci get to have the new world named after him?

a)

Columbus thought the land was not Asia.

b)

Vespucci was the first to sail west from Europe.

c)

Vespucci knew the land was not Asia.

d)

Columbus was not a good name for a country.

19.

Which of the following are in the correct order from earliest to latest?

a)

Columbus lands on North American and Vespucci lands on South America.

b)

Columbus discovers islands and Vespucci lands on North America.

c)

Vespucci lands on South America and Columbus lands on Asia.

d)

Vespucci lands on North America and Columbus lands on islands.

20.

Columbus discovered many new __________ during his first two trips to the New World.

a)

continents

b)

mountains

c)

islands