Key Figures and Concepts of the Age of Exploration

These flashcards cover key figures, concepts, and motivations during the Age of Exploration.

Prince Henry the Navigator

He was crucial in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and promoted the exploration of the West African coast.

Vasco da Gama

He was the first European to reach India by sea, establishing a sea route to Asia.

Bartolomeu Dias

He was the first to sail around the southern tip of Africa, paving the way for future explorations.

John Cabot

An Italian navigator who explored the coast of North America under the English flag.

Ferdinand Magellan

Led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe, proving the world's roundness.

Christopher Columbus

Completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the Americas for European colonization.

Amerigo Vespucci

A navigator who demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies did not represent Asia's eastern outskirts.

Bartolome de Las Casas

A Spanish Dominican friar and historian who advocated for the rights of Indigenous peoples.

Francisco Pizarro

Conquered the Incan Empire and claimed much of South America for Spain.

Henry Hudson

An English sea explorer known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States.

Jacques Cartier

A French explorer who claimed Canada for France and helped establish French settlements.

Motivation for Exploration

Explorers were driven by the search for spices, resources, and religious conversion.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, culture, and ideas between the New and Old Worlds.

Mercantilism

An economic policy that promotes governmental regulation of a nation's economy to augment state power.

Supply and Demand

The relationship between the quantity of a commodity available and the desire of consumers for it, influencing prices.

Instruments for Navigation

Tools such as the astrolabe and sextant that helped sailors determine their location at sea.