Chapters 1-5 Flashcards
opened a library and museum in Alexandria
Ptolemy
circumference of the earth
24,875 miles
ruler of the Mongol empire
Kublai Khan
connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean
Strait of Gibraltar
sailed West to find India
Columbus
the name of constellation where Big Dipper is located
Ursa Major
built a small village in Sagres, Portugal, and built an observatory and started a school for navigation
Henry the Navigator
country where Great Wall was built
China
gave his name to the “new land”
Amerigo Vespucius
What was the purpose of the Great Wall of China, and what is its approximate length?
The purpose of the Great Wall was to keep out invaders. The approximate length of the wall is 1,800 miles.
the name of Columbus’ largest ship
Santa Maria
first explorer to sail to India
Vasco de Gama
first European to explore China
Marco Polo
What are the special properties of asbestos and coal?
Asbestos is a mineral that does not burn, while coal is a material that can be used as a fuel because it burns.
Why were spices so strongly desired by the Europeans?
They used spices to give variety to the taste of food and conceal the fact that the food might be spoiled
The Phoenicians and Greeks each explored for different reasons. What were they.
Phoenicians explored to find new trade routes.
Greeks explored for military conquest.
southernmost part of Africa
Cape of Good Hope
reference median for longitude (city, country)
Greenwich, England
What was the purpose of the “cross staff,” and why was this information important to sailors?
The cross staff was used to measure latitude. This information told sailors how many degrees or miles above or below the equator the ship was.
How was Ptolemy able to gather so much of the world’s knowledge at that time for his library and museum in Alexandria, Egypt?
He ordered a search of all ships, caravans, and visitors entering Alexandria. When books, maps, or anything interesting was found, they were confiscated, taken to the library where they were copied, and then returned
calculated the circumference (distance around) of the earth
Eratosthenes
