The Age of Exploration Flashcards
What is a caravel?
This was a new type of ship. It had square and lateen sales and a clinker built hull. It was fast, strong and easy to manoeuvre
What is the function of compass?
This allowed sailors to work out what direction are travelling in when travelling in the northern hemisphere, needle points North and vice a versa
What was the function of the astrolabe?
This told them how far north or south of the equator they were. It measured latitude by studying the position of the sun
What was the function of a quadrant?
What did the same as the astrolabe, but they pointed the quadrant at the North star
What was the function of the log and line?
Worked out the ships speed in knots
What was the function of the swinging the lead?
This measured depth
What what is the function of portolan charts?
These were maps of the sea showing coastlines and depth
What were the dangers of exploration?
🔹 Shipwreck 🔹 Storms, fog, lack of wind 🔹 Scurvy 🔹 Starvation 🔹 Conflict with natives 🔹 Typhoid 🔹 Mutiny
What did prince Henry the navigator do?
He set up a navigational school for sailors in Sagres, Portugal
What was Bartolomeu Dias’ aim?
To discover how long Africa was
What was Vasco de Gama’s aim?
To sail around Africa and reach India
In what year did Vasco de Gama set sail from Lisbon?
1498
When and where was Christopher Columbus born?
He was born in Genoa, an Italian port, in 1451
What was Christopher Columbus’ aim?
To reach India and the spice Islands by sailing west
Who sponsored Christopher Columbus?
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
What were the names of Columbus’ three ships?
The Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria
When and where from did Columbus set off?
He set off from Palos, Spain on 3 August, 1492
What did Columbus name the island that he first landed on?
San Salvador (Holy Savior)
When did Columbus die?
1506
What was Ferdinand Magellan’s aim?
To reach Asia and the spice Islands by sailing west. He knew the continent of America existed
What were the names of Magellan’s five ships?
The Santiago The Victoria The Concepcion The Trinidad The San Antonio
When and where from did Magellan set off?
From Spain in 1519
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
To stop Spain and Portugal from a war, the Pope drew an imaginary line across the world. All newly discovered land east of the line belonged to Portugal and west of the line belonged to Spain
Who conquered the Aztecs?
Hernando Cortes
Who conquered the Incas?
Francisco Pizarro
For what three reasons did Europeans begin exploring?
- Gold
- God
- Glory
