Age of Discovery

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/age-of-discovery

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary period of maritime exploration?Circa early 15th century to early 17th century
2. What is the key maritime powers?Portugal, Spain, later followed by England, France, and the Netherlands
3. What was the Age of Discovery and when did it happen?The Age of Discovery was a period from the 15th to the 17th centuries when brave explorers sailed across the oceans to find new lands.
4. Why did Portugal and Spain want to find new sea routes?Portugal and Spain looked for new sea routes because the Ottoman Empire controlled the land paths to Asia, and they wanted to trade spices, silks, and precious metals.

Mercantilism: An economic theory advocating that a nation's economic strength depends on its wealth, particularly in gold and silver, and that trade should be controlled to benefit the home country.
Cartography: The science or practice of drawing maps.
Demographic Collapse: A severe and rapid decrease in the population of a region or group, often due to disease, famine, or conflict.