Name _________________________
Western Civilization-Age of Exploration
Age of Exploration Review Guide Part #1
MOTIVES AND MEANS
1. Which European countries led the way in the realm of exploration?
2. Which traveler and writer described experiences in Asia that made Westerners curious
about the East?
3. Why did Westerners lose trade routes by land to the East?
4. What was the main economic motive for Europeans to explore the East by sea?
5. What other motive was extremely important for Catholics?
6. What other motivation inspired travelers to look beyond their borders?
A RACE FOR RICHES-PORTUGUESE EXPLORATION
7. Which country took the lead in exploration?
8. Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?
9. Where had the Portuguese discovered a source of gold, calling this region the Gold
Coast?
10. How could Europeans reach India by sea?
11. Who rounded the tip of Africa? (Cape of Good Hope)
12. Which explorer actually rounded the tip of Africa and made it to India?
13. Where did the Portuguese take control of the spice trade in 1509?
14. Why were the Portuguese so successful in sailing early on in the Age of Exploration?
15. Who was Pedro Cabral? Why was Amerigo Vespucci important?
RACE FOR RICHES-THE SPANISH EXPLORERS
16. In which direction to the Spanish sail to reach the spices of the East?
17. Who was the first Spanish explorer to sail west?
18. Which modern day islands did Columbus explore in 1492?
19. How many voyages did Columbus make, still convinced he reached Asia?
20. Which explorer was funded by Isabella and Ferdninand to sail west in 1519?
21. Which continent did he sail near the coast? What was the Strait of Magellan?
22. What was Magellan most known for?
THE TREATY OF TORDESILLAS
23. What was the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494?
24. Where did Portugal control trade routes, and where did Spain control trade routes?
THE SPANISH EMPIRE-THE CONQUEST OF THE AZTECS
25. Literally, what does ‘conquistadores’ mean?
26. Which civilization ruled much of central Mexico?
27. Who was Hernan Cortes?
28. What was the Aztec capital where Cortes marched?
29. Who did the Spanish eventurally take hostage?
30. How did many Aztec eventually die?
31. Within 30 years, where did Spain have control?
SPANISH EXPLORERS-CONQUEST OF THE INCAS
32. Where was the Incan Empire located?
33. Which explorer landed on the Pacific Coast of South American with 180 men?
34. What advantages did he and his men have over the Incas?
35. Which disease devastated the Inca?
36. What happened between the ruling family of the Incan Empire?
37. How did Pizarro take advantage of this family feud?
THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE
38. What was the Columbian Exchange?
39. How did the Spanish affect the Americas and the Natives?
EUROPEAN RIVALS
40. Who challenged the Portuguese and Spanish by the end of the 16th Century?
41. Where did the other countries at first compete with the Spanish and Portuguese?
42. Which European peoples settled in North America?
43. Where did the English and the French settle?
44. Who kicked the Dutch out of New Netherland?
Age of Exploration Review Guide Part #2
The Atlantic Slave Trade
Trade, Colonies, and Mercantilism
45. Study the Chart on page 439 – Be able to determine what were the characteristics of the
Atlantic Slave Trade
46. What was the result of the slave trade on the continent of Africa? (Page 440)
47. Describe the types of supplies that were exported from the Americas to Europe. What
were the specific types? (Page 445)
48. Describe the concern that Congo King Afonso I had with slavery in Africa. (Page 440)
49. Originally what was the reason that Africans were brought to the America’s? (Page 440)
50. What is the name of the enslaved journey that Africans took from Africa to the Americas?
(Page 440)
51. How did mercantilism work and describe what the balance of trade is? (Page 438)
52. Describe the treatment that existed on slave ships such as the Amastad? What were the
Africans put through on this journey?
53. What were the effects on the society of Benin because of the Atlantic Slave trade? (Page
441)
Colonial Latin America
54. What were encomiendas? How did they impact the society of Latin America
negative/positive? (page 445-446)
55. What were the conditions that many Native Americans were living in during the
colonialization of Latin America? Example work in the mines, were they paid? ( Page
446)
56. What was the mita system and why was it important to Latin American society? (Page
446)
57. Describe the role of the Catholic church in Latin America during colonial times. What
did they provide for the Latin Americans that were beneficial? (Page 447)
58. Describe each of the different social classes that existed on Latin America and where they
ranked in society as well. (Page 444)
59. What types of activities and endeavors made the Portuguese and Spanish money in the
new world? (Page 445-446)
60. Who helped the European powers in exerting control in the New World? (Page 447)
Be able to identify the following explorers as to where they are most well known for reaching.
Columbus Dias
Champlain
de Leon
da Gama
Hudson
Cabot
Magellon
Cortes
Pizzaro
Lasalle