Why Europeans sailed, and where they went

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Why Europeans looked for sea routes (1400s)

   Arrows carry spices, silk, gems and ivory from Asia overland and through the Middle East to Italian ports such as Venice and Genoa; a shaded area marks the Ottoman Empire across the routes; a second arrow runs from Lisbon, Portugal, down the coast of Africa, labeled "Prince Henry's expeditions, about 1419 to 1460". Key: a solid arrow is an old trade route; a dashed arrow is a new sea voyage; a pepper is spices; a roll of cloth is silk; a gem is gems; a tusk is ivory. Below the map: goods passed through many traders, and taxes and prices rose at each step. Two tools: the caravel, a small sailing ship, and the mariner's astrolabe, which measured the height of the sun or a star to find latitude.

2. 1.

   On Jun's map, where do the old trade routes end in Europe?

   • Asia, at the start
   • The coast of Africa
   • Lisbon, at the start of the dashed arrow
   • Italian ports such as Venice and Genoa
3. 2.

   What empire lies across the old routes on the map, Kira asks?

   • The Portuguese Empire
   • The Ottoman Empire
   • The Roman Empire
   • The Inca Empire
4. 3.

   In the key, what does a pepper stand for, Milo asks?

   • Spices
   • Gems
   • Ivory
   • Silk
5. 4.

   In the key, what does a dashed arrow mean, Noah asks?

   • A new sea voyage
   • An old trade route over land
   • A river
   • A border between empires
6. 5.

   Ren reads about the mariner's astrolabe. What did it help sailors find?

   • The price of spices
   • The depth of the sea
   • Their latitude
   • Their longitude
7. 6.

   Tala reads the word caravel. What was a caravel?

   • A trading port in Italy
   • A spice from Asia
   • A small sailing ship
   • A tool to find latitude
8. 7.

   Zee reads that Prince Henry sent expeditions. What is an expedition?

   • A journey made for a purpose
   • A map of the stars
   • A tax on trade goods
   • A kind of ship's sail
9. 8.

   Why did spices cost so much in Europe, by the note, Ari asks?

   • Prices rose at each step of the trip
   • Spices were made in Venice
   • Spices grew in gardens across Europe
   • Ships carried spices for free
10. 9.

    Why would a sea route straight to Asia appeal to Portugal, Bo asks?

    • It could skip traders and taxes
    • Asia had no spices
    • Ships could not sail far
    • It would cost more than the old routes
11. 10.

    Why would a ship's crew want to know its latitude, Esme asks?

    • To know how far east they were
    • To know how far north or south they were
    • To know the time in Lisbon
    • To know the price of spices