WorksheetsEarly European Explorers Review Game
Total questions: 50
Worksheet time: 2hrs 40mins
Which country below was one of the main European explorers seeking new land and trade routes?
France
Brazil
Egypt
China
Which time period is known for the Age of Exploration when Europeans raced to find water routes to Asia?
1400s to 1600s
1900s to 2000s
1100s to 1200s
1700s to 1800s
Leaders in exploring countries supported voyages in what key way?
They banned ocean travel
They sent no crews at all
They loaned ships and supplies
They drew maps only
Several countries joined the exploration race. Which set lists only European nations involved?
Persia, Mali, Korea
Canada, Australia, Peru
Mexico, India, Japan
England, Spain, Netherlands
If a crew wanted to reach Asia faster by sea, which plan would best fit their goal?
Walk over land to Africa
Build forts in Europe
Find a quick water route
Wait for winter storms
Which country sponsored Christopher Columbus’s voyage across the Atlantic?
Italy sponsored his voyage
Spain sponsored his voyage
England sponsored his voyage
Portugal sponsored his voyage
What was one main goal of Columbus’s journey?
Find a faster route to Asia
Settle farmers in Europe
Discover a new moon island
Build a lighthouse in Africa
Columbus believed he had reached India, but where did he actually land?
The coast of Australia
The Mediterranean Sea
The Caribbean islands
The Arctic Ocean
What was a result of Columbus’s voyages known as the Columbian Exchange?
Ended all ocean travel
Built giant stone pyramids
Invented steam-powered ships
Exchanged plants and animals
Which explorer searched for a northern route to Asia across the Atlantic?
Christopher Columbus
Leif Erikson
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
John Cabot
John Cabot sailed for which country?
Spain was his sponsor
Italy was his sponsor
England was his sponsor
France was his sponsor
Which statement describes a highlight of John Cabot’s voyages?
He built canals in China
He led two voyages
He mapped the Sahara
He discovered the South Pole
What result followed Cabot’s exploration for England?
Spain stopped all trade
England led the race to Asia
France took over Portugal
Italy ruled the Atlantic
Which explorer first sighted the Pacific Ocean from the Americas?
Christopher Columbus
John Cabot
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Amerigo Vespucci
Balboa established a colony called Darién. Where did he seek treasure?
In Southern Africa
In Western Europe
In South America
In North America
What was a challenge Balboa faced before his discovery of the Pacific?
Money problems on Hispaniola
Bandits in Australia
A drought on the Nile
Frostbite in Antarctica
Which explorer’s voyages helped start the Age of Exploration for Europe?
John Cabot’s voyages
Vasco Balboa’s trek
Christopher Columbus’s voyages
Marco Polo’s travels
Which statement best explains the Columbian Exchange in simple terms?
Oceans were named by kings
Plants and animals moved between worlds
Maps were copied for sailors
New laws were made for ships
If a country wanted gold and spices and a shorter sea route, whose goal does that match?
Matches Cabot’s goal
Matches Columbus’s goal
Matches Balboa’s goal
Matches Magellan’s goal
Which explorer made early landings in the Caribbean and influenced new colonies?
Henry Hudson
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
John Cabot
Christopher Columbus
Which explorer claimed Florida for Spain after exploring there?
Juan Ponce de Leon
Giovanni da Verrazzano
Jacques Cartier
Hernando de Soto
Giovanni da Verrazzano explored for which country during his voyages?
Portugal
France
Spain
England
Jacques Cartier is best known for exploring and claiming which river area?
Mississippi River region
Rio Grande River region
St. Lawrence River region
Hudson River region
Juan Ponce de Leon first sailed to and settled which island before exploring Florida?
Hispaniola
Jamaica
Cuba
Puerto Rico
Verrazzano’s goal included finding a quicker water route to which place?
Asia
South America
Australia
Africa
Cartier traveled the northern part of the New World and went on how many voyages?
three voyages total
four voyages total
two voyages total
one voyage total
Which explorer helped create better maps of the New World after his journey along the northeastern coastline?
Juan Ponce de Leon
Giovanni da Verrazzano
Vasco da Gama
Jacques Cartier
Cartier explored for which nation and claimed Canada?
Spain
Netherlands
England
France
Ponce de Leon explored for which country and sought gold?
Spain and gold
Portugal and pearls
France and spices
England and furs
Verrazzano began his voyage with four ships but what happened after a storm?
One ship sank quickly
A new ship joined later
Two ships returned to port
All ships continued sailing
Which explorer’s results included claiming New York Harbor for France?
Giovanni da Verrazzano
Juan Ponce de Leon
Jacques Cartier
Henry Hudson
Cartier’s goals included finding gold and which other valuable item?
silver
timber
spices
cotton
Ponce de Leon’s voyage ended after he was badly wounded by natives and later what?
sailed back to Puerto Rico
returned to Spain
died from injuries
was rescued by allies
Which explorer traveled the northeastern coastline while searching for land and wealth?
Juan Ponce de Leon
Christopher Columbus
Giovanni da Verrazzano
Jacques Cartier
Which place did Ponce de Leon claim for Spain during his explorations?
Hudson Bay
New York Harbor
Florida region
Canada region
Which explorer aimed to make a settlement in Florida?
None of these explorers settled Florida
Henry Hudson searched north toward new lands
Samuel de Champlain looked for western passage
Hernando de Soto planned a Florida settlement
Samuel de Champlain mainly explored which major river to reach inland North America?
Ohio River for midwest expansion
Hudson River for Dutch trading posts
Mississippi River for southern travel
St. Lawrence River for inland exploration
Henry Hudson’s voyages led to what outcome along the Hudson River?
Spain built missions across the Southeast
England found a route across the Pacific
France abandoned its Canadian claims
Settlements and trading posts were established
Which country did Hernando de Soto explore for?
France supported de Soto in Canada
Spain sponsored de Soto’s journeys
Netherlands sent de Soto to Asia
England financed de Soto’s voyages
Champlain’s work helped claim new land for which country?
Netherlands ruled the St. Lawrence valley
England secured Lake Champlain for itself
Spain expanded into Hudson Bay region
France gained territory through Champlain
Hudson sailed for more than one nation. Which pair matches his sponsors?
Denmark and Sweden backed Hudson’s search
Portugal and Italy funded Hudson’s trips
Spain and France alternated Hudson’s support
England and the Netherlands hired Hudson
Which explorer is linked with discovering a river that now bears his name?
Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River
All three discovered the same river
Samuel de Champlain discovered the Mississippi
Hernando de Soto discovered the St. Lawrence
De Soto’s journey covered what general region of North America?
Northern coasts around Hudson Bay and Arctic
Central plains near the Great Lakes
Southeastern lands including Florida and Carolinas
Western deserts and Pacific shoreline
Champlain exchanged goods with which groups during his voyages?
Native peoples near Canadian settlements
Spanish settlers along the Mississippi
English colonists in New England
Dutch traders on the Hudson River
Hudson faced a serious challenge on one voyage. What happened?
Pirates captured him on the St. Lawrence
Illness kept him from leaving England
Icebergs forced him to cancel a trip
Storms sank his ship near Florida
Which explorer’s crew continued traveling after the leader died?
Hudson died and all returned home
Champlain died and the voyage ended
None of the crews continued after loss
De Soto died and his crew moved on
What natural feature did Champlain name and claim during his explorations?
Great Salt Lake in the west
Mississippi Delta near Louisiana
Hudson Bay in Arctic Canada
Lake Champlain in northern New York
Hudson hoped to reach new lands by which general direction of travel?
East through the Mediterranean Sea
West across the Pacific Ocean
North over Europe toward the New World
South along the African coastline
Which statement best describes de Soto’s voyage results?
Hudson River settlements were created
Uncharted Southeast lands were mapped
Permanent French towns were founded
A northern sea route was discovered
Which explorer’s birthplace was France?
Henry Hudson was born in France
Hernando de Soto was born in France
Samuel de Champlain was born in France
None of these explorers was French-born
