Essential Questions History

4.1 
During this period, maritime trade was booming. The Chinese invention of the compass, the
Muslim creation of the astrolabe, and the countless variations of boats improved sea travel. The
Europeans especially gathered all of these ideas to make an improved maritime trade. Europe
was often behind in development, so their enhanced trade led them to explore new land, namely
North America. Maritime empires rapidly grew as exploration increased in popularity.

4.2
Conquests were expensive projects that couldn’t be completed without the support of a state.
They often brought in resources and converts, so states funded them. Portugal is an example of
this, as the kingdom could only grow overseas. A man very well-known for exploration was
Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus’ voyage to India was sponsored by the Spanish
monarchs and led to Europeans discovering the new world. Commerce was already well
established, especially with the improved naval tools, but finding the Americas made exploration
ten times more appealing. To remember why humans explored, just recall the three G’s: gold,
God, and glory.

4.3 
The connection of the Eastern and Western hemispheres via Christopher Columbus was
dubbed the Columbian Exchange. This Columbian Exchange contributed to the mass death of
Native American populations due to European diseases. Meat became a staple food in the
Americas because of the Europeans, and, in turn, potatoes became their staple. One of the
most popular parts of the Columbian Exchange was the kidnapping and forced labor of Africans.
The Americas experienced a diffusion of African culture throughout the land with their food,
music, crops, and language.