Revision Questions – Age of Exploration
1. Give 3 reasons why people were explain to explore the ocean prior to
the age of exploration
2. Outline four reasons why explorers went on voyages of discovery during
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
3. Explain how each of the three items listed below helped to make
voyages of exploration possible in the fifteenth century.
(i)
Clinker-built ships
(ii)
Lateen sails
(iii)
Caravels
4. Give 3 examples of foods brought on voyages of exploration
5. Give an example of a disease commonly suffered by sailors during the
age of exploration
6. By what name is the fifteenth century prince, Henry of Portugal,
generally known? Why is he famous?
7. (i) Name two navigational instruments used by sailors to plot courses
during the voyages of discovery.
(ii) For each of the two instruments, explain why they were useful to
sailors.
8. Explain how sailors calculated the average speed at which the ship was
travelling?
9. What information did portolan charts show?
10. Outline two reasons why spices were in great demand in Europe during
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
11. In what location were spices mainly produced in the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries?
12. Briefly explain why each of the following explorers is famous.
a. Bartholomew Dias
b. Vasco da Gama
13. Name two Spanish Conquistadors and the civilizations they conquered
14. What was the aim of Christopher Columbus’ voyage of exploration?
15. Who sponsored Columbus’ voyage?
16. Why did Columbus keep two logs?
17. What did Columbus discover?
18. Name Columbus’ three ships.
19. Name Magellan’s five ships.
20. What were Magellan and his crew the first to accomplish?