The Age of Exploration and Colonization Review

Flashcards covering the Age of Exploration, major explorers, the Columbian Exchange, colonization efforts by the Big 5, and the religious shifts in Europe.

Why did Western European countries seek an all-water route to Asia?

They competed for control of Asian markets, land routes were difficult and long, and Muslim nations had closed land routes to Christian nations.

Which five countries are known as 'The Big 5' in the context of European exploration?

Spain, Portugal, France, England, and the Netherlands (the Dutch).

What did Prince Henry the Navigator establish in the early $1400s$ to support exploration?

He established a school on the Atlantic Coast of Portugal to train sailors about shipbuilding and navigation.

Who were the first European explorers to find a new all-water route to Asia?

Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama.

What was the specific achievement of Bartolomeu Dias?

He made it to the southern tip of Africa before returning to Portugal.

What was the achievement of Vasco da Gama?

He reached India and returned with Indian spices, reestablishing direct trade between Europe and the East.

What was Christopher Columbus' strategy for reaching the Indies?

He proposed sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean instead of around Africa.

Which monarchs funded the voyages of Christopher Columbus?

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.

What were the names of the three ships Columbus took on his voyage in $1492$?

The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.

Where did Columbus land on October $12$, $1492$?

He landed on a small island in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador.

Why did Columbus call the natives he encountered 'Indians'?

He believed he had landed in the East Indies, off the coast of Asia/India.

What did Amerigo Vespucci conclude about the land Columbus discovered?

In $1502$, he concluded that South America was a continent and not part of Asia.

Who was the first European to see the eastern parts of the Pacific Ocean via an expedition across Panama?

Vasco Nunez de Balboa.

What significant feat did Ferdinand Magellan's crew accomplish in $1522$?

They became the first people to circumnavigate, or sail around, the world.

What is mercantilism?

An economic system where countries keep the sole right to trade with their colonies to make the mother country wealthy and powerful.

What are the 'Three G\'s' that explain why Europe explored the world?

Gold, Glory, and God.

What is the definition of The Columbian Exchange?

A transfer of goods, people, and ideas between the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

What were some positive items exchanged during the Columbian Exchange?

Potatoes and corn (maize) moved from the New World to the Old World, and horses moved from the Old World to the New World.

What was the primary negative impact of the Columbian Exchange on native populations?

The spread of diseases like smallpox to natives who lacked immunity, killing hundreds of thousands.

Which Spanish Conquistador conquered the Aztecs in Mexico?

Hernan Cortes.

Why were the Aztecs and Incas easily conquered by the Spanish?

The Spanish had better weapons and large animals, natives were exposed to smallpox, and some natives allied with the Spanish.

Who discovered Florida in $1513$ while looking for the Fountain of Youth?

Juan Ponce de Leon.

Who founded St. Augustine and in what year?

Pedro Menendez de Aviles in $1545$.

What is the significance of St. Augustine in Florida?

It was the first permanent European settlement and served as a refueling stop for Spanish ships.

What was the nickname for the French in the Americas and why?

The 'Friendly Furry French' because they peacefully traded fish and fur with natives and lived among them.

Who explored for the Dutch and discovered the territory that became New Netherlands (present-day New York)?

Henry Hudson.

What is the Northwest Passage?

A hypothetical all-water route through North America to reach Asia that does not actually exist.

Who led the Protestant Reformation in $1517$ and what did he create?

Martin Luther; he wrote the $95$ Theses protesting ideas of the Catholic Church.

Why did King Henry VIII create the Church of England?

The Pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine, and he wanted to ensure a male heir to the throne.

What were the religious identities of monarchs Mary I and Elizabeth I?

Queen Mary I was Catholic and Queen Elizabeth I was Protestant.

How long was the reign of Queen Elizabeth I?

$44$ years.

What was the Spanish Armada and what happened to it in $1588$?

A fleet of $130$ ships sent by King Philip I to dethrone Elizabeth I; half of the fleet was destroyed by England\'s smaller, faster ships.

What was the outcome of England\'s victory over the Spanish Armada?

England gained confidence and power to develop its own colonies in the Americas, known as the $13$ Colonies.