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WorksheetsEuropean Exploration and Colonization
Total questions: 50
Worksheet time: 46mins
Who did Columbus encounter in the Bahamas?
the Portuguese
the Taínos
the Aztec
the Inca
How was this object used?
It was used to determine direction with a magnetic pointer.
It was used to predict weather conditions by measuring air pressure.
It was used to determine position by measuring the sun, moon, and stars.
It was used to determine speed by measuring the distance between knots in a rope.
Why was Prince Henry of Portugal called Henry the Navigator?
He invented the astrolabe and the compass.
He was the first to sail around the southern tip of Africa
He made the most accurate maps of Europe, Africa, and Asia of the time.
He supported education and developments and got money for exploration.
Which country developed this type of ship?
Spain
France
Portugal
Great Britain
Who explored the coast of East Africa?
King John I
Bartolomeu Dias
Vasco da Gama
Henry the Navigator
According to the map, what did Dias do after passing the Cape of Good Hope?
He became the first person to sail from Portugal to Asia.
He continued along the east coast of Africa
He set up a trading post in Madagascar.
He turned around and went back west
“The wealth that we enjoy in this our Europe and elsewhere, such as gold, jewels, pearls, and other riches, they hold as nothing; and although they have them in their own lands, they do not labour [work] to obtain them, nor do they value them.”
Who is Vespucci referring to in the excerpt?
the Catholic Church
the crew of his ships
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
Indigenous peoples he encountered
What does the line down the middle of the map represent?
the Treaty of Tordesillas
the known world as of 1494
the limits of the Catholic Church’s influence
the rivalry between Europe and the Americas
What was Vasco Nùñez de Balboa was the first European to see?
the Mississippi River
the Northwest Passage
the South American continent
the east coast of the Pacific Ocean
What was the main achievement of Magellan and his fleet?
They were the first Europeans to circumnavigate the globe.
They discovered many forms of wildlife unknown to Europeans.
They claimed much of the Americas for the Portuguese.
They were the first Europeans to trade with China and India.
Which statement best explains an effect of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494?
It encouraged other European countries to colonize the Americas.
It created a map for future exploration.
It discouraged other European countries from colonizing the Americas
It created separate areas for colonization.
How did Hernán Cortés defeat the Aztec? Select the two correct answers.
He used their enemies to trick their leader.
He started a civil war among the Aztec leaders.
He used weapons the Aztec could not defend against.
He poisoned their food supply and attacked while they were ill.
He captured their leader, demanded ransom, and then killed him anyway.
This man led the conquest of the Inca. Who was he?
Hernán Cortés
Francisco Pizarro
Hernando de Soto
Christopher Columbus
Why did the Spanish set up missions in the Americas?
to train Indigenous people as warriors
to gain gold and silver
to spread Christianity
to help the poor
What system is shown in this image?
mercantilism
mission system
encomienda system
joint-stock companies
What arguments did Bartolomé de Las Casas use to convince people in Spain that the encomienda system was wrong? Select the two correct answers.
Encomiendas were being taken over by the Portuguese
Indigenous people were treated badly by the Spanish.
The Spanish took lands from Indigenous people.
The encomiendas were too easy to attack.
The system was not financially stable.
What was the purpose of joint-stock companies?
to provide soldiers to defend colonies
to provide money for building colonies
to provide priests to convert people to Christianity
to provide interpreters to speak with Indigenous people
Which kingdom had colonies in the middle of North America?
The Netherlands (Dutch)
France
Spain
Britain
Which kingdom colonized most of Central America?
Great Britain
France
Spain
Portugal
What does this image show?
people working under the encomienda system
the founding of the Jamestown colony in Virginia
Hernán Cortés marching with the Tlaxcalan allies to attack the Aztec Empire
Pilgrims leaving England because they objected to the practices of the Church of England
What did the Europeans bring to the Americas that most likely made it easier to conquer the Indigenous peoples?
honeybees
diseases
grains
livestock
Who did the Spanish first enslave to work on their plantations?
Africans
Portuguese
other Spaniards
Indigenous peoples
What was the main reason for the decline of the indigenous population in the Americas after European contact?
Emigration to Europe
Wars between different tribes
Diseases brought by Europeans
Natural disasters
What was the primary role of the encomienda system established by the Spanish in the Americas?
To distribute land among the colonists
To regulate trade between Europe and the Americas
To force Indigenous peoples to work in mines and plantations
To establish educational institutions
What is someone called that is a Spanish explorer who searched for wealth and land throughout America?
Conqueror
Warrior
Vaquerro
Conquistador
Searching for the Northwest Passage, both Giovanni de Verrazano and Jacques Cartier sailed for the country of ______.
Spain
France
Portugal
England
While searching for the Northwest Passage, Henry Hudson's ship became frozen in ice. After much suffering, his crew rebelled setting him and eight of his men adrift in a boat. What is synonym for rebelled?
navigated
mutinied
conquered
devastated
Which animal, introduced by the Spanish, allowed Native Americans to cover greater distances, travel easily, and hunt prey more effectively?
cow
horse
pig
chicken
(King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella)
Which country established the Jamestown colony in 1607?
Spain
France
Portugal
England
What was the primary motivation for European explorers during the Age of Exploration?
To establish new trade routes to Asia
To spread democracy
To find new sources of food
To escape religious persecution
_________ was looking for the Northwest Passage in 1534, he sailed down the Saint Lawrence River.
Which of the following describes a consequence of the death and exploitation of indigenous peoples in the Americas?
Enslaved Africans were brought to the Americans as laborers
A rapid increase in the indigenous population
The establishment of equal land rights between European settlers and indigenous tribes
The total abandonment of the slavery systems in the Americas
Which of the following was NOT a problem with the silk road?
Long distances to travel
Difficult mountain ranges to cross
Highway men made travel dangerous
Food and water shortages
European explorers were sent to the New World for _______.
gold, spices and ships
gold, glory, and to convert native people to Christianity
silver, pearls and slaves
slaves, navigators and cartographers
English and French explorers were searching for what in North America?
Riches
Northwest passage
Land
Workers
Why was Prince Henry of Portugal called Henry the Navigator?
He invented the astrolabe and the compass.
He was the first to sail around the southern tip of Africa.
He made the most accurate maps of Europe, Africa, and Asia of the time.
He supported education and developments and got money for exploration.
Caravels were faster, large enough to carry men, supplies, and trade goods farther than ever before.
True
False
Which European country had colonies in the middle of North America including Louisiana?
France
Spain
Portugal
England
Which European country colonized most of South America and Central America?
Portugal
France
Spain
England
What caused the death of so many Indigenous people in the Americas?
Diseases
Drought
War
Famine
Which was NOT an obstacle faced by European explorers?
Disease
Lack of supplies
Poor navigational tools
Trade
