Name ______period ____
Age of Exploration and Voyages of Discovery: A Quest for Learning Scramble Activity
Directions: As a lead in to future differentiated independent studies, students will access a PowerPoint, read it and
answer questions as directed by the prompts. The questions that follow may not follow in the order
that they are presented in the PowerPoint –students may find it easier to read the Ppt. first and then and
go back to find the answers.
A Quest worth 40 points will be generated from this activity, related maps and class discussions!
Be certain your answers are right – correct any errors, pay attention to maps and class discussions!
Part 1: Key People Scavenger Hunt
1. ______was the Italian merchant in the late 1200s who explored much of
the Mongol Empire of China – he returned to Italy and related stories believed to be too fabulous to be true.
2. In the mid-1400s, this Portuguese prince was responsible for establishing a school of navigation that trained sea
captains how to use the newest technologies in seeking trade routes to India. ______
3. ______was from the West African empire of Timbuktu and his pilgrimage to
Mecca became legendary because of the wealth he brought with him.
4. Queen Elizabeth granted ______permission to start a colony
known today as ______; it vanished leaving little trace as to what happened to the
settlers. The only clue left behind was the word ______carved on a tree.
5. According to legend, ______purchased Manhattan for the sum of
approximately $24 worth of trade trinkets. It gave the Dutch a foothold in North America.
Part 2 Chart People Match:
Analyze the PPt. and you will find the answers in there…...somewhere.
Write the letter of the choice in front of the explorer that matches the description.
Discoverer Facts describing the important person- Who, What, Why, When, Where, etc.
__ 6. Francis Drake / A. One of the early graduates of the school of navigation, he led and expedition in 1487-88, itgot around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa before returning to Portugal with the charts.
__ 7. Henry
Hudson / B. One of the greatest Eng. explorers, he was a famous privateer/Sea Dog who attacked
Spanish treasure ships in the late 1570’s and also successfully sailed around the world too.
__ 8. John Cabot / C. He too failed to find a N. West passage but he is credited with founding a colony in New
Foundland for England in the 1583, his ship the “Squirrel” sank off the Azores.
__ 9. Peter Minuit / D. Actually an Italian who sailed for England in the late 1490s seeking a N. West Passage from
The North Atlantic to the “Indies” and although he failed others would follow his efforts.
__ 10. Bart. Dias / E. Made 2 voyages, one for the Dutch and one for England, sought a route to the Indies, a river
and bay bear his name, and his ship the Half Moon sailed in 1609. His men mutinied and he
was set adrift! He was seeking a NW Passage to the Indies.
__ 11. Erik the Red / F. Although he is rarely mentioned for having help founded New Sweden, he did so only
after he had a falling out with the Dutch in the 1630s or so.
__ 12. Humphrey
Gilbert / G. Around 985AD he sailed from Norway, then to Iceland and lastly to Greenland, he fled
because he had killed the son of a chief and his life was in danger.
Part 3 Short Answer: Read through the Ppt. + answer the following questions and analyze the maps too!
13. According to various historians and archaeologists, there are 3 possible theories that explain the means by
which humans reached the New World before Columbus? Briefly explain each below.
A. ______
B. ______
C. ______
14. Which theory is most accepted? ______
And this theory suggests peoples came over in waves during the last Ice Age approx. 15,000 years ago.
15. The archaeologist ______from the Smithsonian Institute suggests
a controversial theory that humans came from the region of ______around
17,000 years ago and this people and their culture is known as the ______culture.
16. The first Viking to supposedly have seen the coast of North America was ______
Around 985-986AD but he was followed by ______around 1000AD and
is credited with starting a Viking settlement at ______. The Vikings referred
to this place as “Vinland” in their oral histories which were later written into the “Icelandic Sagas”
17. A series of holy wars called the ______took place from 1096 – 1204AD and those
who participated and travelled to the Holy Land experienced wonders unavailable in Europe. List the
valuable items they came in contact with… ______
______
______
18. Portuguese sea captains trained in the school of navigation were expected to master 4 things. List
them______
19. Although B. Dias moved Portugal closer to reaching its goal of getting to India it would actually be this
captain who was the first to do it in 1498? ______
20. At nearly the same time, ______and ______of Spain
helped pay for ______to find a route to India - going west – he led 4 expeditions – none
really succeeded!
This next question requires critical thinking and is not in the Ppt. – be thoughtful- show effort!
21. Although Columbus failed to achieve his goal of teaching the Indies or India… was he a failure?
Yes? No? How should Columbus be remembered in history today?
______
Part 4 Map Analysis: Observe the maps of European Exploration of the Americas and complete the 2 Column activity below. The clues to the answers are in the map and explained in the Col. B descriptions.
Col. A Col. B
___ 22. Coronado A. In 1519 he set sail around S. America, was 1st to make it around the world
___ 23. Pizarro B. Sailed up the coast of California in 1541-1542 – claimed it for Spain
___ 24. Verrazano C. Spaniard who explored Florida, sought “Fountain of Youth” in 1512-1513
___ 25. Cabeza De Vaca D. Ital. sailed for England in 1497 – seeking N. West Passage in N. Atlantic
___ 26. Magellan E. French explorer 1534-35 sailed across N. Atlantic down St. Lawrence River
___ 27. Vespucci F. Explored along the Gulf of Mexico from 1528-36 and made it to Mexico City
___ 28. Cabot G. He explored the isthmus of Panama from 1510-1513, was 1st to see Pacific
___ 29. Cortes H. Ital. who sailed for France along the east coast of N. America in 1524
___ 30. De Soto I. Explored NW of S. America south to Cuzco in 1531-33 – defeated the Inca
___ 31. De Leon J. Spaniard who explored into Georgia west to Miss. River from 1539-1543
___ 32. Cartier K. Great conquistador, defeated the Aztec Empire of Mexico from 1519-1521
___ 33. Balboa L. Spanish explorer of the S. West of USA in 1540-42 seeking El Dorado
___ 34. Cabrillo M. Sailed for Spain + Port. along northern coast of S. America 1499-1500s, a
Navigator + cartographer who realized the new lands weren’t the Indies
Part 5 Short Answer: Analysis/Application: Closely study the slide with the map of French Explorers and answer this question. Good Luck – be sure to mention where each person went.
It has been suggested that explorers frequently followed in the footsteps previous explorers, how is this precisely the case when one studies the process by which the French explored parts of N. America? Explain
______
______
Part 6 Overlooked Contributions: Observe the slides dedicated to New Amsterdam and to New Sweden.
While neither nation had lasting settlements in this general region, each left behind an architectural style now common in America. Which nation contributed which type of architecture?
Sweden contributed the ______while the Dutch contributed the ______
Now, use the Ppt. to complete maps of the French Explorers, New Amsterdam and New Sweden – label, code as directed and neatly color!
Name ______period ______
Age of Exploration and Discovery – Quest Based off of Ppt. Activity, Maps + Class Discussions {40 points}
Part I Multiple Choice: Write the letter of the choice that best answers each item. {1 point each}
___ 1. Stories of his pilgrimage to Mecca became legendary – it would lead nations to explore around Africa
A. Columbus B. Hudson C. Minuit D. Mansa Musa
___ 2. According to history, he purchased Manhattan for $24 worth of trade trinkets.
A. Polo B. Minuit C. Cabot D. Drake
___ 3. He was the first Viking who is credited with seeing the coast of N. America.
A. Erik the Red B. Leif Eriksson C. Lars the Lame D. Bjarni Herjolfsson
___ 4. As a royal of Portugal, he helped start schools of navigation that launched the Age of Discovery.
A. Henry B. Isabella C. Ferdinand D. Elizabeth
___ 5. A graduate of the school of navigation, he was the first to make the trip to India in 1498.
A. Dias B. Drake C. Da Gama D. Columbus
___ 6. In the late 1400s to early 1500s, he led 4 voyages of discovery but never reached his goal of India
A. Columbus B. Magellan C. Dias D. Gilbert
___ 7. He is credited with being the first European to start a colony in N. America, it however failed.
A. Herjolfsson B. Erik the Red C. Columbus D. Eriksson
___ 8. Which of the following theories is the most accepted theory for ancient migration to the Americas?
A. Polynesian ocean going canoes B. Solutrean ocean voyage from Europe
C. Oceanic trip from Siberia to South America D. Crossing an Ice Age land bridge from Siberia
Part 2 Cause and Effect: What nations sought, where they explored and settled {1 point each}
Directions: Match the effect in Col. B that goes with the cause in Col. A.
Col. A Cause Col. B Effect
____ 9. Because Spain sought a route to India A. Their great Sea Dog was second around world
____ 10. Because Portugal sought a route to India B. They explored down the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes
+ were first to make it down the Mississippi River
____ 11. Because England wanted route to East C. Nat. Americans would lose their lands + their lives
____ 12. Because France sought wealth to East D. Their explorer entered up a river bearing his name
____ 13. Because Sweden wanted to explore too E. They were able to briefly control trade to Indies
____ 14. Because the Dutch sought a route to Indies F. They established a short-lived colony in S. Jersey
____ 15. Because Europeans sought new empires G. They were able to claim a huge New World
American empire
Part 3 People Match: Match the location in Col. B to who went there in Col. A. {1 point each}
{All of these explorers are linked to Spain and were items in the explorers chart from the class activity}
Col. A Col. B
___ 16. Cabrillo A. Second to make it around the world – a notorious “Sea Dog” for England
___ 17. Pizarro B. Explored present day Georgia and west, died of “fever” near the Mississippi River
___ 18. Balboa C. Spanish Conquistador who defeated the Aztec and found treasure
___ 19. De Leon D. Spanish Conquistador who defeated the Inca in 1530s and gained treasure too
___ 20. Cortes E. Explored the isthmus of Panama and was credited as being 1st to see the Pacific
___ 21. Vespucci F. Sailed along the coast of California – giving Spain claim to those lands
___ 22. Drake G. Sought El Dorado or the Seven Cities of Gold in the S. West of USA in the 1540s
___ 23. Coronado H. Famous for exploring Florida in 1513 for the fabled “Fountain of Youth”
___ 24. De Soto I. Late 1400s -Early 1500s, sailed for Spain + Portugal, realized the new lands were
not the Indies but were new land masses – those 2 continents bear his 1st name
Part 4 Chronology of Exploration/Flow and Scope of Exploration: Derived off Map Activity {1 point each}
Directions: Recall in class that the French Explorers were especially noted for following in each other’s
Footsteps or canoe wake… complete the following list by inserting the missing explorers.
Write of letter corresponding to the order in which the French explored North America
A = Explored 1st B = Explored 2nd C = Explored 3rd D = Explored 4th E = Explored 5th F = Explored 6th
French Explorers What they did but not in order
___ 25. Robert de LaSalle 1st Explored/ sailed up the coast of N. America - entered NY harbor
___ 26. Samuel de Champlain 2nd Explored St. Lawrence Bay and partly down the St. Lawrence Riv.
___ 27. Jacques Cartier 3rd Explored the NY/Vermont region and up to the great lakes
___ 28. Antoine de Cadillac 4th Re-explored the Great lakes – made ½ way down the Miss. River
___ 29. Giovanni da Verrazano 5th Explored all the way down the Miss. River – died off coast Texas
___ 30. Marquette and Joliet 6th Explored across Miss. River, up Missouri River, founded Detroit
Part 5 Analytical Writing/Understanding History and Forming Sound Judgments {10 points}
Premise: In class, you have completed activities, participated in discussions and are now carrying out
independent research on who you believe to have been the greatest explorer ever.
Question: In your opinion, which one person, by their actions and discoveries, stands above all their peers
and deserves to be judged as the greatest explorer of all time. Why is this the case.