Chapter 3 Social Studies
Study Guide
1. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that connects two larger land areas.
2. An encounter is a meeting.
3. A small round hill is sometimes called a knoll.
4. Searching for unknown lands is called exploration.
5. Scurvy is an illness caused by not eating enough fresh fruit.
6. A compass is a tool with a needle inside that always points north.
7. A conclusion is a decision reached by thoughtful study.
8. Navigation is the planning and directing of a ship's course.
9. The Italian explorer who figured out that Columbus had not reached Asia was Amerigo Vespucci.
10. Constantinople is the city captured by the Turks, closing off trade routes between Europe and Asia.
11. The first Europeans known to have visited the Americas were the Vikings.
12. Vinland was the first European settlement in the Americas.
13. The Portugese explorer who found a sea route to Asia by sailing around Africa was Vasco Da Gama
14. Ferdinand Magellan was the European who proved it was possible to reach Asia by sailing west from Europe.
15. Prince Henry was the Portuguese leader who started a school for navigators.
16. Martin Behaim was the first European to make a globe.
17. Leif Eriksson was the leader of the first Europeans to visit the Americas.
18. Guanahani was the local name for the island on which Columbus first landed.
19. The European whose descriptions of the riches of China and Asia made traders want to go to Asia was Marco Polo.
20. The Pacific Ocean was the body of water reached by Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa.
21. The Portuguese explorer who was the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa was Bartholomeu DiasI.
22. Giovanni Caboto was the Italian explorer who landed in present-day Newfoundland but told people he had found Cathay.
Sequencing Events
These events are in the proper sequence for the story of European exploration:
The trade routes between Europe and Asia are closed off.
The first European school for training sailors in navagation is set up.
Christopher Columbus receives support from Spain to sail to Asia.
Amerigo Vespucci concludes that Columbus did not reach Asia.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa proves that Vespucci was right and Columbus was wrong.
One of Ferdinand Magellan's ships sails around the world.
Changes in Europe
By the time the trade routes between Europe and Asia had been closed off, many changes had taken place in Europe. In the chart below are listed 3 changes in technology and one change in government that helped set the stage for European exploration.
| Technology | Government |
| 1. better sails
2. faster ships 3. compass |
1. strong monarchs |
