Age of Discovery Quiz

A period of exploration, primarily during the late 15th to 17th centuries, where European explorers embarked on voyages to find new trade routes and lands. It resulted in the discovery of new continents like the Americas.

Trade of spices, largely from India and Southeast Asia, that spurred the Age of Discovery. European nations wanted to bypass intermediaries and trade directly with these regions.

The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453 disrupted existing trade routes between Europe and the East, as Italian and Arab merchants controlled these routes. This fueled European impetus to find alternative sea routes.

An economic policy focused on maximizing exports and acquiring wealth for a nation. It encouraged overseas trade and exploitation of resources in newly discovered lands.

A Portuguese prince in the 15th century who heavily funded and supported maritime exploration of the West African coast, laying the groundwork for the Age of Discovery.

The practice of establishing and maintaining colonies in other territories by European powers during the Age of Discovery. Colonization was driven by the pursuit of gold, spreading religion, and achieving glory through conquest.

One of the major European empires during the Age of Discovery, with colonies in Brazil, parts of Africa, India (Goa), and Macau. They were known for their maritime skills and exploration.

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and cultures between the Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa) and the New World (the Americas) following Columbus's voyages.

Plants like potatoes, maize (corn), tomatoes, and tobacco that originated in the Americas and were introduced to Europe and Asia during the Columbian Exchange.

The Age of Discovery disrupted the Italian and Arab monopoly on the spice and silk trade with the East, as new sea routes offered alternative ways to reach these goods.

A complex trading system involving Europe, Africa, and the Americas, where manufactured goods were exchanged for slaves in Africa, who were then transported to the Americas to produce raw materials, which Europe imported.

Large farms in the New World established by European colonists to grow cash crops like sugarcane, cotton, and cocoa beans, often using enslaved African labor.

Crops grown for profit, often traded internationally, like sugarcane, cotton, and cocoa beans.

Raw materials like sugarcane, cocoa beans, and cotton, produced on plantations by enslaved Africans.

To spread Christianity and Western culture to new lands, often replacing indigenous cultures with their own.

It made Christianity a global religion as missionaries spread the faith to new continents.

Knowledge from East Asian texts, art, and cultural practices, as well as technological advancements like the compass, gunpowder, and printing techniques.

It expanded significantly, incorporating new continents like the Americas, challenging the previous understanding of the world as mostly centered around Europe.

Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese explorer, reached the southernmost tip of Africa in 1488, proving that a sea route to Asia was possible. This marked a significant milestone in European exploration, leading to the establishment of new trade routes.

Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, in 1498 became the first European to reach India via the Cape of Good Hope, proving that a sea route to Asia existed. This marked the beginning of a new era of trade and colonialism.

Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer sponsored by Spain, landed in the Bahamas in 1492, mistakenly believing he had arrived in India. This discovery led to the colonization of the Americas and the misnomer 'Indians' for the native people.

Pedro Álvares Cabral's Portuguese expedition in 1500 traveled from Europe to Africa, then across the Atlantic to America, and finally to Asia (India), demonstrating the growing scope of European exploration and influence.

Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer, unlike Columbus, realized that the newfound land was a continent distinct from Asia. This led to the naming of the 'New World' as 'America,' after Vespucci.

Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, led a Spanish expedition from 1519 to 1522, completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. This historic voyage marked a significant milestone in human history.

The discoveries of new trade routes and lands, particularly the Cape Route, led to the decline of Italian dominance in trade and the rise of Portuguese and Spanish colonial empires. They established new trade networks and controlled vast territories.

The Age of Discovery had profound impacts, including the establishment of new trade routes, the rise of European empires, the opening of new markets and resources, and the exchange of goods, people, and ideas across the globe. It marked a period of great upheaval and transformation in human history.