Early Explorers Study Guide
Identify notable contributions for each explorer
1. Hernan Cortes-conquered the Aztec Empire
2. Samuel de Champlain-Founded Quebec
3. Henry Hudson-Made the first Dutch Claims in North America
4. Ferdinand Magellan-Spain Sea captain that sailed completely around world
5. Francisco Pizzaro-Spanish conquistador that conquered the Incan Empire
6. Christopher Columbus-Sailed for Spain and discovered the New World
Answer in complete sentences
7. Christopher Columbus sailed for which country?--Spain
8. Define conquistador-A Spanish conqueror
9. Explain life in the Spanish borderlands-Life in the borderlands was made
up mostly of priests and soldiers. Cultures clashed, and sometimes mixed
10. Who is John Smith?—Famous settler of Jamestown who said “he who does
not work, shall not eat”
11. How did Pocahontas help the settlers of Jamestown?—She brought peace
between the settlers and her people.
12. Define Northwest Passage-An all water route through North America to
Asia
13. How was the Dutch settlement able to prosper?-By setting up a trading
post in New Amsterdam to trade guns for furs
14. What did New Netherland eventually become called?-New York
15. What happened to Natives as Europeans made contact with them?-Many
native Americans were killed by European diseases
16. What was the largest social class in New Spain?-Native Americans
17. Define Columbian Exchange-The Columbian Exchange was an exchange
between the New World and the Old World
18. What are the 3 G’s of Exploration?-Gold, God, Glory
19. Who owned the land in Feudal societies in Europe?-The Lords. Peasants
worked the land for the Lords in order to receive protection
20. How did the Crusades lead to exploration?-The surviving crusaders
brought newly discovered goods back to Europe and sparked an interest in
how to continue to get more of these goods.
21. Define adapt-Adapt means to change or modify to make more suitable.
22. What was the food supply like for the Natives living in the Great Basin?
The food supply of the Great Basin was limited as was the water supply.
23. How did natives of the Southwest adapt to their environment?
-By building thick-walled adobe houses
24. Which cultural region built towns clustered around earthen mounds?
-The Southeast
25. What did Champlain do to the Iroquois?
-Champlain helped the Hurons fight their rival the Iroquois. He shot his musket
at them and this was the first time they had seen gunfire.
26. How did the relationships between the French and the Natives differ
from the relationships between the Spanish and the Natives?
-The French had well-established relationships with the Natives. The French
and the Natives worked together at farming, hunting, fighting rivals, and
trading. The French respected Native culture and even tried to learn about
their customs.
The Spanish were more interested in conquering the Natives and forcing
them into a system close to slavery. The Spanish forced natives to convert to
Spanish culture and brutally attacked those who resisted.
27. How does New Spain’s society and social class differ from modern-day
American society?
New Spain’s social class was based on race, and where you or your parents
were born. Peninsulares were at the top of New Spain’s social class; these
people were born in Spain and then came to the New World. Natives were at
the bottom of social class permanently based upon their race.
In American society today people are all seen as equals under the law. Race,
ethnicity or background has no influence on what you can accomplish or
what heights you can reach.