wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Age of Discovery

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 20mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Why did European countries want to find a faster route to Asia?

a)

to satisfy Columbus' need for adventure

b)

to claim more land

c)

a quicker trade route meant more profits

d)

so they could buy more khakis

2.

What did King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella probably believe about the success of Columbus's voyage

a)

that he would come back

b)

that he probably would never return

c)

that he would find the Earth really was flat

d)

that he would fall off the Earth

3.

Who were the people that already lived in the New World?

a)

Native Americans

b)

early Europeans

c)

other explorers who had already discovered land in the New World

d)

Insurance salesman

4.

Why was Columbus's journey considered the beginning of the Age of Discovery?

a)

He inspired others to explore for wealth, power, and religion

b)

he sailed when new discoveries were being made in his own country

c)

he discovered the world was flat

d)

he discovered the world was round

5.

What was the reason England and France sent explorers into the New World?

a)

for the KIng

b)

for the Queen

c)

they were jealous of Spain's success with Columbus

d)

they wanted riches and land for themselves

6.

What did the idea of "for gold, glory, and "God" mean?

a)

they believed they could spread more love and kindness with their discoveries

b)

to find more riches for the church

c)

to find more christians

d)

Europeans wanted to explore to become richer, gain more land, and spread Christianity to natives

7.

What month does the United States celebrate Columbus?

a)

September

b)

November

c)

October

d)

July

8.

What was the main reason for other countries to colonize the new lands?

a)

they wanted places named after them

b)

they wanted a foothold in the new land: their presence would firmly this land for their country

c)

they wanted to establish a place to start a Gold's gym

d)

they wanted to be part of history

9.

What makes us believe Columbus many not have treated the Natives fairly?

a)

he made some of them slaves

b)

he would not allow them to learn to read

c)

he made them wear khakis

d)

he made them leave their homeland

10.

Who was the Spanish explorer that founded St. Augustine, Florida in 1565?

a)

Ponce de Leon

b)

Cabeza de Vaca

c)

John Cabot

d)

Pedro Menendez de Aviles

11.

King Henry VII gave permission for which Englishman to explore in 1497, who claimed land in Canada?

a)

Henry Hudson

b)

Sir Francis Drake

c)

John Cabot

d)

Ponce de Leon

12.

What people did Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes violently conquer in Mexico in 1521?

a)

Native Americans

b)

Maya Indians

c)

Aztec Indians

d)

Inca Indians

13.

In 1513, this Spanish explorer landed in the New World on the day called the Spanish Feast of Flowers, or Pascua Florida. He named the new land Florida.

a)

Ponce de Leon

b)

Pedro Menendez de Aviles

c)

Cabeza de Vaca

d)

Amerigo Vespucci

14.

Why was Pedro Menendez de Aviles sent by Spain to Florida

a)

to name it after the Spanish Feast of Flowers

b)

because he was a famous explorer who was good at finding gold

c)

to push the French out of the land and claim it for Spain

d)

to push the Spaniards out of the land and claim it for Spain

15.

Who controlled Fort Caroline in Florida before it was destroyed?

a)

France

b)

England

c)

Portugal

d)

Spain

16.

What does colonize mean?

a)

to wear cologne

b)

develop

c)

discover

d)

settle

17.

Why did many of the explorers believe they had failed?

a)

because they had not found a quicker trade route to Asia

b)

because Columbus found more gold than they did

c)

because they did not have lands named after them

d)

because they died before returning home

18.

What was one major effect of the success of Columbus's first voyage to the New World?

a)

Spain no longer had to fight other countries for land

b)

other European countries began to plan explorations

c)

Columbus was able to settle down as a rich man

d)

Columbus was a failed explorer who nobody respected

19.

In his many explorations, what elusive treasure did Juan Ponce de Leon seek but never find?

a)

Applebees

b)

The legend of Bigfoot

c)

The legend of the Fountain of Youth

d)

the Legend of El Dorado

20.

Why did the Spanish take over the Timucuan Council House in Florida, built by the Native American Timucua tribe

a)

to have complete control of the land and use it as a fort

b)

They were to lazy to build their own fort

c)

because they admired how the building looked

d)

they wanted to help the tribe improve the building

21.

What is the name of a person who makes maps?

a)

stenographer

b)

photographer

c)

mapographer

d)

cartographer

22.

What era did explorers and sailors give mapmakers information that was compiled with each new exploration completed

a)

Age of Discovery

b)

The Stone Age

c)

The Age of Information

d)

The Age of Columbus

23.

What is the drawing of the shapes of bodies of land and water called

a)

water

b)

landforms

c)

map

d)

illustrations

24.

Why do mapmakers use a grid system on their drawings?

a)

they make it easier to locate a specific location

b)

they only had grid paper to work with

c)

they like to be neat and line things

d)

it's the only notebook paper Rylan's mom bought him

25.

What did maps created before the Age of Discovery usually look like?

a)

they were messy and hard to read

b)

between Europe and Asia, they showed the world as a flat piece of land and often nothing but blank space

c)

they were full of color and fantastic drawings

d)

they looked like chicken scratches

26.

Why were cartographers important during this time period?

a)

they were providing information about the world outside of

Europe

b)

they knew how to draw maps showing the fastest route to Asia

c)

they knew how to show distance and scale

d)

they really weren't that important

27.

Where were spices mostly found in the early days?

a)

Antarctica

b)

Asia

c)

Australia

d)

America

28.

Why were spices seen as valuable and used as currency in trade?

a)

they were mass produced like money

b)

they were expensive and could not be found everywhere

c)

the rich people were bored with the taste of their food

d)

they were rare

29.

What information is found on a compass rose?

a)

details of a flower as drawn by a cartographer

b)

the trade routes of previous explorers

c)

zig zag lines pointing to the north

d)

Cardinal directions: north, south, east, west, intermediate directions: ne, nw, se, sw

30.

Why was it important to map each route of each explorer?

a)

each new journey and exploration led to more information about the world

b)

the mapmakers were in a race to complete their maps

c)

each explorer was paid according to how far they travelled.

d)

so they could claim their route

31.

What British sea captain and explorer landed in present day Manhattan and allowed the Dutch to settle and build a fur trading post nearby?

a)

Hernan Cortes

b)

Sir Francis Drake

c)

John Cabot'

d)

Henry Hudson

32.

What does mutiny mean?

a)

to disobey a ship's captain's rules

b)

to abandon your job under a ship captain

c)

to take over ship and head to Asia

d)

to overthrow the ship captain and officers

33.

Henry Hudson was an Englishman but he convinced which foreign company to let him lead an expedition to the New world?

a)

European East India company

b)

French East India Company

c)

English East India Company

d)

Dutch East India Company

34.

Why did leaders of other countries allow foreigners to lead their expeditions?

a)

they wanted foreigners to take the risk

b)

countries were so eager to claim new land they sent whoever would work for them

c)

they worked for less money

d)

they were secret undercover explorers

35.

How did Henry HUdson's voyage end?

a)

in mutiny, he was set adrift by his men an never seen again

b)

in tragedy, he was killed by Native Americans

c)

in glory, and he returned to England as a hero

d)

In disgrace, he returned with huge disapproval

36.

What 4 famous landmarks are Hudson's legacy?

a)

Hudson Bay, HUdson Valley, Hudson River, and the Dutch settlement that became New York City

b)

HUdson Bay, HUdson Valley, HUdson /river and the statue of Liberty

c)

HUdson Bay, Hudson Valley, HUdson River, NIagara Falls

d)

Hudson Bay, Hudson Mecham, Hundred Dollars

37.

What was the main reason that the Dutch East India Company wanted the explore?

a)

they wanted to be famous

b)

they were especially interested in a quick passage to Asia because they were making huge profits in spice and goods trade

c)

they wanted to be one of the great powers like England, France and Spain.

d)

they wanted to take over the other trade companies

38.

What were the two countries that Hudson claimed land for?

a)

America and England

b)

France and Spain

c)

Spain and England

d)

England and Holland

39.

Hudson believed he was near the Pacific at the end of his failed expedition. In reality, in what body of water did he finally have to stop and turn around

a)

Hudson Bay

b)

Mississippi River

c)

Hudson River

d)

St. Lawrence River

40.

What Frenchman was the first explorer of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1534, discoverer of the St. Lawrence River in 1535 and gave Canada it's name?

a)

Cabeza de Vaca

b)

John Cabot

c)

Jacques Cartier

d)

Francisco Pizzaro