Willem Barentsz

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/willem-barentsz

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 Willem Barentsz born?Circa 1550
2. When did Willem Barentsz die?June 20, 1597 (age approximately 47)
3. Where was Willem Barentsz born?Bruinisse, Holland, Dutch Republic
4. What was Willem Barentsz trying to find?He was looking for a new sea route to Asia called the Northeast Passage.
5. Why did his ship get stuck in ice?The ship was trapped in pack ice off the coast of Novaya Zemlya, and the ice crushed it.

Northeast Passage: A sea route that passes through the Arctic Ocean, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, sought for its potential to shorten trade voyages.
Pack Ice: Sea ice that has broken into pieces and is floating freely, often forming dense, impassable fields.
Cartography: The science or practice of drawing maps, involving surveying and the representation of geographical features.
Scurvy: A disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, characterized by swollen gums, weakness, and anemia, common among sailors on long voyages.