wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Age of Exploration & Columbian Exchange

Total questions: 33

Worksheet time: 49mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Prince Henry of Portugal is considered one of the most important maritime figures in the Age of Exploration. What does maritime mean?

a)

things related to a journey

b)

things involving the sea/ocean

c)

things related to exploration

d)

things related to marriage and weddings

2.

The Portuguese designed faster ships during the 1400s. There were called

a)

caravels

b)

longboats

c)

canoes

d)

astrolabes

3.

Many skilled and experienced sailors considered the expeditions along the western coast of West Africa very dangerous. Europeans referred to the waters south of Cape Bojador as: The Sea of Darkness. Why?

a)

strong currents

b)

stormy weather

c)

shallow waters

4.
Most of Prince Henry's expeditions were to _____.
a)
Africa
b)
Norway
c)
USA
d)
Spain
5.

A _____ is a person who studies and makes maps.

a)

cartographer

b)

navigator

c)

geographer

d)

mathematician

6.

What is this?

(a)  

7.

Sailors were able to use this and the stars to figure out where they were and where they should go

a)

astrolabe

b)

caravel

c)

observatory

d)

marine

8.

Why didn't the Americas appear on Old World maps?

a)

Because Old World people were jealous

b)

They didn't know it existed

c)

They didn't know how to get there

d)

None of the Above

9.

What was the 'edge of the world' for Europeans in the 15th century?

a)

the Atlantic Ocean

b)

the Pacific Ocean

c)

the Indian Ocean

d)

None of the Above

10.

What was Henry's plan to get to Asia?

a)

sail north above Europe

b)

sail south around Africa

c)

sail southwest around South America

d)

None of the Above

11.

To help accomplish his main goal, Prince Henry opens up the first _______________ in the world.

a)

lumber yard

b)

sailing school

c)

iron ore factory

d)

None of the Above

12.

What was the name of the Portuguese explorer that eventually finds Henry's route to Asia?

a)

Vasco da Gama

b)

Christopher Columbus

c)

Ferdinand Magellan

d)

None of the Above

13.

Which continent was part of the New World?

a)

Africa

b)

Americas

c)

Asia

d)

Australia

14.

Which explorer circumnavigated the world?

a)

Ferdinand Magellan

b)

Ponce De Leon

c)

John Cabot

d)

Hernando De Soto

15.

Why did the Europeans want to find an all water route to Asia?

a)

Muslim control of many land trade routes like the Silk Roads

b)

the decrease in demand o Asian goods

c)

the decline of the Trans-Saharan trade routes

d)

the effects of the Protestant Reformation

16.

What does circumnavigate mean?

a)

to sail from one continent to another

b)

to sail from one hemisphere to another

c)

to sail all the way around the world

d)

to sail to unexplored parts of the world

17.
The Silk Road crossed___________
a)
A. North and South America
b)
B. Europe, South America, and Africa
c)
C. Asia, Europe, and Antarctica
d)
D. Africa, Europe, and Asia
18.
Who brought their goods and ideas with the Silk Roads?
a)
A. merchants and adventurers
b)
B. historians and lawyers
c)
C. diplomats and missionaries
d)
D. jokers and fortune tellers
19.

Which is the correct route of Da Gama

a)
b)
c)
d)
20.

Which is the route of Dias

a)
b)
c)
d)
21.

What three things were the "motto" of these explorers

a)

Ships

b)

God

c)

Water

d)

Gold

e)

Glory

22.

Which country was a major player in the Age of Exploration due to its maritime advancements?

a)

Spain

b)

Portugal

c)

France

d)

England

23.

Which explorer is credited with discovering the New World in 1492?

a)

John Cabot

b)

Ferdinand Magellan

c)

Christopher Columbus

d)

Vasco da Gama

24.

What major trade system was initiated as a result of the Columbian Exchange?

a)
Transatlantic Slave Trade
b)

mercantilism

c)

Europe - Africa - New World Americas exchanged food production

d)

All The Above

25.

The ​ (a)   Exchange is known as the most ​ (b)   exchange of ​ (c)   ,​ (d)   ,​ (e)   , diseases and ideas between the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

Choose from the below words
Columbian
significant
people
plants
animals
26.

What animals were imported to the Americas?

a)

pigs

b)

cows

c)

sheep

d)

cats

27.

What was a major crop that came from the Americas?

a)

Maize (corn)

b)

wheat

c)

coffee

d)

bananas

28.
What animal changed life for the American Indians?
a)
Pigs
b)
Chickens
c)
Horses
d)
Cows
29.

Why did the population of the world increase during the Columbian Exchange?

a)

Millions of Africans and Native Americans were killed, leaving more food and resources for the rest of the world

b)

Young couples in Europe started having more children.

c)

It brought new crops from the Americas, improved nutrition, and started Europe's economic shift towards capitalism

d)

None of the above

30.

Columbus thought he had arrive at ___________ and therefore called the indigenous people he met Indians

a)

Cathay

b)

Africa

c)

America

d)

India

31.

Which best describes conquistadors?

a)

Soldiers from Spain, one of the world superpowers in 1500s, who explored, conquered, and settled in the New World

b)

Aztec and Incan leaders prior to the Spanish explores Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro

c)

Soldiers from France and England, some fo the world superpowers of the 1500s, who explored, conquered, and settled in the New World

d)

None of the above

32.
TRUE OR FALSE: Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans had very different cultures.
a)
TRUE
b)
FALSE
33.
Which of these is an example of the long lasting impact of the Columbian Exchange?
a)
Horses are still used for transportation in many parts of Europe 
b)
Corn remains s staple of many North American diets
c)
Smallpox can now be prevented with vaccines
d)
Spanish is the main spoken language in may South American countries