Age of Exploration Flashcards

Grade 4 · Social Studies · Flashcards

Key explorers, terms, and events from the Age of Exploration.

Flashcards

Age of Exploration: Period (1400s-1600s) when European nations explored and mapped unknown parts of the world
Christopher Columbus: Italian explorer sponsored by Spain; reached the Caribbean in 1492
Ferdinand Magellan: Led the first circumnavigation of the globe (1519-1522); killed in the Philippines
Vasco da Gama: Portuguese explorer; first European to sail from Europe to India around Africa (1498)
Bartolomeu Dias: Portuguese explorer; first European to round the southern tip of Africa (1488)
Columbian Exchange: Transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between Americas and Europe/Africa/Asia after 1492
Circumnavigation: Sailing completely around the world
Expedition: A journey made for a specific purpose, like exploration or discovery
Indigenous peoples: People who are native to a particular place; original inhabitants
Smallpox: Deadly disease Europeans brought to the Americas; killed millions of Indigenous people
Amerigo Vespucci: Explorer who identified the Americas as new continents; the Americas are named after him
Spice trade: Profitable trade in spices (pepper, cinnamon) between Europe and Asia that motivated exploration
Caravel: A fast, maneuverable Portuguese sailing ship used during the Age of Exploration