Terra Australis

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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/terra-australis

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. Who discovered Terra Australis?Never discovered; a hypothetical construct
2. What is the latin translation?'Southern Land'
3. What is the earliest conceptualization?Circa 5th century CE
4. Why did people think there was a big land in the south?Ancient thinkers saw the large northern lands and guessed a matching southern land would keep the world balanced.
5. How did explorers try to find Terra Australis?Sailors like Magellan, Drake, and Cook sailed far south looking for the missing land, but they found oceans and small islands instead.

Hypothetical Continent: A theoretical landmass posited to exist based on speculation rather than empirical evidence.
Cartography: The practice or skill of drawing maps, often reflecting the scientific and speculative knowledge of its time.
Empirical Evidence: Information acquired through observation and experimentation, crucial for scientific validation.
Cosmology: The study of the origin, evolution, and structure of the universe, often influencing early geographical theories.