Luís Vaz de Torres

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/lus-vaz-de-torres

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. When was Luís Vaz de Torres born?Circa 1565
2. How wide is Luís Vaz de Torres?Approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles)
3. What is the career?Spanish maritime explorer and captain
4. What is the expedition year?1606-1607
5. Who was Luís Vaz de Torres?He was a Portuguese navigator who sailed for Spain and explored the Pacific in the early 1600s.
6. What did he discover in 1607?He was the first European to sail through the strait between New Guinea and Australia, proving that New Guinea is a separate island.

Age of Discovery: A period from the 15th to the 17th century when European ships traveled around the world, exploring new territories.
Maritime Chokepoint: A narrow waterway that is critical for the passage of ships and can be strategically important.
Cartography: The science or practice of drawing maps.