1. Who is credited with discovering the Americas in 1492?
A. Vasco da Gama
B. Christopher Columbus
C. Ferdinand Magellan
D. Amerigo Vespucci
Answer: B. Christopher Columbus
Explanation: Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer sponsored by Spain, reached the Americas in 1492 while searching for a westward route to Asia.
2. Which treaty divided the newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal in 1494?
A. Treaty of Versailles
B. Treaty of Westphalia
C. Treaty of Tordesillas
D. Treaty of Utrecht
Answer: C. Treaty of Tordesillas
Explanation: The Treaty of Tordesillas divided the New World between Spain and Portugal, giving Portugal control over Brazil and Spain dominance over most of the Americas.
3. What was Vasco da Gama’s major achievement?
A. Discovering the Americas
B. Circumnavigating the globe
C. Finding a sea route to India
D. Exploring the Pacific Ocean
Answer: C. Finding a sea route to India
Explanation: Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, was the first to reach India by sea in 1498, establishing a direct maritime route from Europe to Asia.
4. Who led the first expedition to successfully circumnavigate the globe?
A. Ferdinand Magellan
B. James Cook
C. Bartolomeu Dias
D. John Cabot
Answer: A. Ferdinand Magellan
Explanation: Magellan’s expedition (1519–1522) was the first to circumnavigate the globe, though Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines before the journey was completed.
5. What was the primary goal of early European explorations?
A. To spread Christianity
B. To establish colonies
C. To find new trade routes
D. To study indigenous cultures
Answer: C. To find new trade routes
Explanation: Early European explorations were primarily driven by the search for direct trade routes to Asia to bypass Middle Eastern intermediaries.
6. What name was given to the exchange of goods, ideas, plants, and diseases between the Old World and the New World?
A. The Global Trade
B. The Columbian Exchange
C. The Atlantic Pact
D. The Transatlantic Trade
Answer: B. The Columbian Exchange
Explanation: The Columbian Exchange refers to the transfer of goods, crops, animals, and diseases between Europe, Africa, and the Americas after Columbus’ voyages.
7. Which explorer is associated with the discovery of the Pacific Ocean?
A. Hernán Cortés
B. Vasco Núñez de Balboa
C. Francisco Pizarro
D. Amerigo Vespucci
Answer: B. Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Explanation: In 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean after crossing the Isthmus of Panama.
8. What motivated Spain to sponsor Columbus’ voyage?
A. To gain wealth from trade
B. To spread Christianity
C. To compete with Portugal
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: Spain sponsored Columbus’ voyage to expand its trade network, spread Christianity, and compete with Portugal’s growing maritime dominance.
9. What was Prince Henry of Portugal famously known as?
A. Henry the Navigator
B. Henry the Explorer
C. Henry the Conqueror
D. Henry the Merchant
Answer: A. Henry the Navigator
Explanation: Prince Henry of Portugal earned the title “Henry the Navigator” for his significant contributions to maritime exploration and the establishment of navigation schools.
10. What is Amerigo Vespucci best known for?
A. Leading the first circumnavigation
B. Mapping the Americas
C. Discovering the Cape of Good Hope
D. Colonizing Brazil
Answer: B. Mapping the Americas
Explanation: Amerigo Vespucci realized that the lands discovered by Columbus were part of a new continent, and the Americas were named after him.
11. The first English colony in the Americas was:
A. Plymouth
B. Jamestown
C. Roanoke
D. Massachusetts Bay
Answer: B. Jamestown
Explanation: Established in 1607, Jamestown in Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.
12. What major commodity drove the Atlantic slave trade during the Age of Exploration?
A. Tobacco
B. Sugar
C. Gold
D. Coffee
Answer: B. Sugar
Explanation: The demand for sugar in Europe led to the establishment of plantations in the Americas, which fueled the transatlantic slave trade.
13. Who was the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope?
A. Vasco da Gama
B. Ferdinand Magellan
C. Bartolomeu Dias
D. Christopher Columbus
Answer: C. Bartolomeu Dias
Explanation: In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope, demonstrating the possibility of a sea route to India.
14. The conquest of the Aztec Empire was led by:
A. Francisco Pizarro
B. Hernán Cortés
C. Pedro Álvares Cabral
D. Juan Ponce de León
Answer: B. Hernán Cortés
Explanation: Hernán Cortés led the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521, marking a significant event in the colonization of the Americas.
15. Which explorer claimed Canada for France?
A. Samuel de Champlain
B. Jacques Cartier
C. Giovanni da Verrazzano
D. Henry Hudson
Answer: B. Jacques Cartier
Explanation: Jacques Cartier explored the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and claimed parts of Canada for France in 1534.
16. What significant waterway did Henry Hudson explore?
A. Amazon River
B. Hudson River
C. Mississippi River
D. St. Lawrence River
Answer: B. Hudson River
Explanation: Henry Hudson explored the river that now bears his name while seeking a northwest passage to Asia.
17. The encomienda system in the Spanish colonies was:
A. A trade agreement with natives
B. A labor system
C. A missionary program
D. A navigation route
Answer: B. A labor system
Explanation: The encomienda system granted Spanish settlers the right to force labor from indigenous people in exchange for providing protection and Christian instruction.
18. Which empire was defeated by Francisco Pizarro?
A. Maya
B. Aztec
C. Inca
D. Olmec
Answer: C. Inca
Explanation: Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in 1533, leading to Spanish control of Peru.
19. The Portuguese colony of Brazil was famous for which product?
A. Spices
B. Sugarcane
C. Silk
D. Tea
Answer: B. Sugarcane
Explanation: Brazil became a major center for sugarcane plantations, contributing significantly to the Portuguese economy.
20. The Dutch East India Company was primarily focused on:
A. The Americas
B. The Indian Ocean
C. Africa
D. The Arctic
Answer: B. The Indian Ocean
Explanation: The Dutch East India Company dominated trade in the Indian Ocean, particularly in spices, during the 17th century.
