Chapter 2

Which tool helped European sailors know how far they had sailed from the equator?

• Modern maps

• The astrolabe

• The telescope

• The magnetic compass

How did the compass help European explorers navigate their ships?

               

• It allowed them to sail at night.

• It told them which direction they were going.

• It helped sailors control the wind on their ships.

• It measured the distance north or south from the equator.

Who started a Portuguese navigation school around 1419?

              

• Vasco da Gama

• Bartolomeu Dias

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Prince Henry the Navigator

Who was probably the first European to sail to North America?

           

• Eric the Red

• Leif Ericsson

• Vasco da Gama

• Christopher Columbus

Which of the following was an improvement in shipbuilding in the 1400s?

           

• Triangular sails that controlled the wind

             

• Stone decks that lasted longer.

• Ropes that were made from silk.

• Smaller cargo areas that made ships weigh less

Which direction did Columbus sail in his attempt to reach Asia?

                  

• South

• North

• East

• West

Why did Columbus name the natives "Indians" on his first voyage?

              

• Because the word means "freedom" in Portuguese

• Because Columbus's voyage was paid for by Spanish royalty

• Because Columbus thought he had landed on an island near India

• Because that is what natives are called in Spain.

Which of the following was a reason Cortés took Moctezuma prisoner?

                

• Cortés wanted to conquer the Aztecs.

• Cortés wanted to take Moctezuma back to Spain.

• Cortés was afraid of the Aztecs' superior weapons.

• Cortés was furious Moctezuma had not welcomed him.

Ponce de León, De Soto, and Coronado failed to find riches, treasures, or fountains of youth. Yet why can it be concluded that their expeditions were still very important?

                  

• They taught American Indians about advanced technology.

• They introduced Europeans to new lands and discoveries.

• They started a great migration of American Indians to Europe.

• They built successful settlements in different parts of North America.

Why did Catholic priests and explorers build missions in New Spain?

           

• spread Christianity

• trade for silk and spices

• find the fountain of youth

• conquer the American Indians living there