The Age of Exploration
Study Guide for the quiz on March 10th
How and Why the Great Age of Exploration Began
(Great Age of Exploration power point, Chap 1 Section 4 and the handout How Did The Great Age of Exploration Begin?)
- Feudalism and it's decline
- Revival of Towns of Trade
- The Crusades
- The Renaissance
Christopher Columbus – Hero or Villain? (Chap 1 Section 5)
- Do you know the good and bad perceptions of Columbus?
- Why should we still teach about Columbus?
- What was Christopher Columbus really looking for?
The Conquistadors! (The real bad guys)
- Some questions will come from some of the stories we heard - Cortes', Coronado, Cabeza de Vaca
- Who was Bartolomeu de Las Casas? What did he write about and stand against? What did he have to say about the conquest of Cuba?
- Treatment of Native Americans – how were they treated? Remember the account of Bartolomeau de las Casas
- How did Spain succeed in conquering so much of the Americas? (Think of the 4 reasons)
Spanish American Society in the New World
- What did the Spanish call their empire in the Americas?
- How did Spain succeed in conquering so much of the Americas? (Think of the 4 reasons)
- What were the four levels of Spanish society in the New World?
- What were some of the main crops grown on colonial plantations?
- The Columbian Exchange? What is this? Explain the positive and negative effects
- The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) – What were the conditions of this treaty? Why was it so unrealistic?
Other Important Questions and Terms to Know
(All homeworks, Notes in class, and any other possible handouts in class)
In the 15th century – what did Europeans really know about world geography? (Think of the Behaim globe).
Who was Zheng He? Where did he go? Why have we not heard of him until recently?
Homework - Other Vistors to North America before Columbus? (there could be some questions regarding the different idea/stories of earlier people visiting this continent........(i.e. - Egyptian tomb?)
The Caravel – what made it so useful to explore the “Sea of Darkness”?
Importance of the printing press- Who invented it? What is it so important?
Encomienda? What is this?
How did the Italian city-states of Genoa and Venice come to control European trade with Asia? Why was Prince Henry eager to find an all-water route to Asia? – look in notes
Other Vocab to know
Missionary, conquistador, encomienda, circumnavigate, manor system, caravel
Class notes, readings from the textbook, and homework assignments will help you prepare – in a big way!!
