Question 1

How did the Portuguese adapt to the demands of lengthy ocean voyages in the fifteenth century?

Accepted Answer

The Portuguese developed a vessel known as the caravel, which was smaller and more maneuverable than traditional ships and had a combination of sails that allowed it to navigate against the wind. This made it easier for the Portuguese to make long ocean voyages.

Question 2

Why was Portugal an unlikely nation to lead Europe into the Age of Exploration?

Accepted Answer

Portugal's population was much smaller than that of other European nations, making it seem unlikely to lead Europe into the Age of Exploration.

Question 3

Exploration and territorial expansion became popular with Europeans in the fifteenth century because

Accepted Answer

Monarchs saw exploration and territorial expansion as a way to increase their power and wealth. This was especially true in the case of Portuguese and Spanish monarchs who sponsored voyages to find new trade routes to Asia and to claim new territories in the New World.

Question 4

Which event brought Queen Isabella to the throne in 1474?

Accepted Answer

Queen Isabella came to the throne in 1474 after the death of her brother Henry.

Question 5

Who were the "Indians" that Columbus met at San Salvador?

Accepted Answer

The Tainos were the indigenous people that Columbus encountered at San Salvador in the Bahamas. The Mexica (also known as the Aztecs) were located in Central Mexico, while the Mayans were in Mesoamerica and the Incas were in South America.

Question 6

Portugal's early interest in exploration and expansion stemmed from its desire to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Portugal's early interest in exploration and expansion...

Question 7

The Treaty of Tordesillas,a 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal,

Accepted Answer

The Treaty of Tordesillas divided the Atlantic territories between Spain and Portugal, with Spain receiving rights to everything west of a line drawn 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands and Portugal receiving rights to everything east of that line. This effectively divided the New World between the two countries and also gave Portugal control of the African trade routes.

Question 8

What was a long-term consequence of the catastrophic bubonic plague in Europe?

Accepted Answer

The bubonic plague killed millions of people in Europe and caused significant economic disruption. However, it also led to the exploration of new trade routes and marketplaces as Europeans sought to rebuild their economies and find new sources of wealth. This eventually contributed to the expansion of global trade and the rise of European colonialism.

Question 9

According to Map 2.2: European Exploration in Sixteenth-Century America,which European country was the last to send explorers to the New World?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Map 2.2: European Exploration in...

Question 10

How did a sea route to Asia affect Europe?

Accepted Answer

The sea route to Asia allowed merchants to bypass traditional routes and intermediaries, allowing them to charge lower prices for imported Eastern goods. This resulted in greater availability and affordability of these goods in Europe, and contributed to the rise of a new merchant class.

Question 11

According to Map 2.2: European Exploration in Sixteenth-Century America,which European explorers traveled to the Inca empire?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Map 2.2: European Exploration in...

Question 12

Who sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in order to find a sea route from Europe to Asia?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who sailed around the Cape of Good...

Question 13

Which area did John Cabot claim for England in his search for a Northwest Passage?

Accepted Answer

John Cabot claimed Newfoundland for England in 1497 during his search for a Northwest Passage to Asia.

Question 14

Cities in what European nation dominated trade with the Far East until the fifteenth century?

Accepted Answer

Italian cities, such as Venice, Genoa, and Pisa, dominated trade with the Far East until the fifteenth century. They controlled key trade routes and established trading posts and colonies in the Middle East and Asia.

Question 15

Which technological advance aided European explorers by 1400?

Accepted Answer

The compass aided European explorers by helping them navigate the seas and determine their direction. The telescope was not invented until the early 17th century, the steam engine was not invented until the late 18th century, and the printing press was invented in the 15th century but did not directly aid exploration.

Question 16

Christopher Columbus,like most educated Europeans,believed that

Accepted Answer

Christopher Columbus believed that the earth was spherical and could therefore be circumnavigated. This belief led him to think that he could reach the East Indies by sailing west, which he attempted to do with his famous voyage in 1492.

Question 17

In the early 1500s,Martin Waldseemüller was among the very first to understand that

Accepted Answer

Martin Waldseemüller was one of the first to recognize and depict the Americas as a separate continent from Europe and Asia on his world map in 1507.

Question 18

In the 1460s,the Portuguese inaugurated a new phase of plantation labor by staffing the Cape Verde islands with

Accepted Answer

The Portuguese inaugurated a new phase of plantation labor in the 1460s by staffing the Cape Verde islands with African slaves. This marked the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, which saw millions of Africans forcibly brought to the Americas to work on plantations.

Question 19

The government of which country sponsored Christopher Columbus's 1492 exploration?

Accepted Answer

The government of Spain sponsored Columbus's 1492 exploration.

Question 20

How did Ferdinand and Isabella react to Columbus's first voyage?

Accepted Answer

Ferdinand and Isabella were ecstatic about Columbus's first voyage as it opened up new opportunities for trade and colonization, and they believed Spain could challenge Portuguese dominance of the seas.

Quiz 2: Europeans Encounter the New World 1492-1600