Age of Exploration Document Centers
Center 1 – Zheng He Chinese Exploration
1. How many voyages did Zheng He make and when?
a. 7 voyages, 1405-1433
2. In 3-5 sentences, describe Zheng He’s fleet and then compare it to
the fleet of Christopher Columbus.
a. Zheng He’s ships were larger at 3,000 tons versus
Columbus’ largest ship was 200 tons, 20,000 crew versus
87-crew, and he had 200 ships in the fleet versus 3 ships.
3. What was the purpose of Zheng He’s voyages?
a. To show China’s military might and power.
4. What technology did the Chinese have that Europeans lacked?
a. They had accurate maps, water-tight compartments, and
magnetic compasses, better steering
Center 2 - Reasons for the Age of Exploration
1. What were some key motives for Europeans during the Age of
Exploration?
a. Europeans desired new trade routes to obtain resources.
2. Which motive do you think was the strongest for encouraging
European exploration? Why?
a. The strongest was probably the desire for resources.
3. What key advances in knowledge and technology allowed
Europeans to explore these new areas?
a. Prince Henry started a school and taught map-making,
using astronomy, and the compass, faster ships, etc.
4. Which advance do you think was the most important? Why?
a. Student Choice AND Explanation
Center 3 - European Exploration and Land Claims, 1488–1610
1. Which explorer was the first to establish a sea route to Asia? For
which European country did he sail?
a. Vasco de Gama, Portugal
2. Which explorer was the first to sail to the east coast of South
America? For which European country did he sail?
a. Cabral, Portugal
3. By 1600, on which continents did Portugal claim or control
territory or cities?
a. South America and Africa
4. Which explorer was the first to sail to what are today the
Caribbean Islands, between North and South America? For which
European country did he sail?
a. Christopher Columbus, Spain
5. Which explorer was the first to lead a voyage that eventually went
around the world? For which European country did he sail?
a. Magellan, Spain
6. Which country had explorers who led expeditions into the lands
of the Aztecs and Incas in North and South America? Who were
these explorers?
a. Spain, Cortes and Pizarro
7. By 1600, on which continents did Spain claim territory?
a. North America, South America, and Asia.
8. Which European countries during this period sent explorers to
North America’s east coast? Name three of these explorers.
a. France (da Verrazano), Great Britain (Cabot), Netherlands
(Hudson)
Center 4 - Later Spanish Exploration and Conquest
1. What contributions did each of these individuals make to later
Spanish exploration and conquest?
a. Hernan Cortes – explored what is now called Mexico and
conquered the Aztecs (powerful and ancient indigenous
civilization)
b. Francisco Pizarro – explored the northern part of South
America and conquered the Incas (powerful and ancient
indigenous civilization)
2. What impact did later Spanish exploration and conquest have on
the people of these continents?
a. Europe –
i. (POSITIVE IMPACT/EFFECT) –
1. colonize the Americas,
2. grow American crops such as potatoes and corn
in Europe
3. enabled a population boom in Europe.
ii. (NEGATIVE IMPACT/EFFECT) – Rulers of European
countries spent wealth from gold and did not invest
in own country, so economy dwindled
b. the Americas
i. (POSITIVE) – New livestock introduced to the
Americas
ii. (NEGATIVE) – Indigenous people such as Aztecs and
Mayans died from enslavement and disease =
POPULATION DECREASED
Center 5 - The Impact of Exploration on European Commerce and
Economies
1. Define the following terms associated with the commercial
revolution in Europe:
a. Capitalism – an economic (money) system based on
investing money for profit.
i. (Ex. Merchants trade and sell goods, pay for more
voyages to buy/sell/trade, buy ownership in ship
companies = own company and make profit)
b. Market economy – Price of items/goods set by how much
of the item/good is available (SUPPLY) and how many
people want to buy it (DEMAND).
c. cottage industry – People use their labor as a money value
(Work to make money instead of working to provide for
needs) Ex. Work as a painter instead of farming small plot of
land to have just enough crops/livestock for family.
d. Mercantilism – colonies provide raw materials for parent
countries to process into finished goods
2. In what ways did the Age of Exploration help spur the commercial
revolution in Europe?
a. Age of Exploration created European colonies in New
World. Ships now traded between the Old and New World.
Countries manufactured raw goods, traded and sold them
to make profit = THE START OF GLOBALIZATION!!!!!!!!