Portuguese and the Voyages of Christopher Columbus
Statue of Bartolomeu DiasCreative Commons
The early 1400s marked an age of rediscovery throughout Europe, which historians term the Renaissance period. Portuguese navigators embarked on long ocean voyages that resulted in their many great discoveries.
In this topic, you'll meet several remarkable explorers including Prince Henry, Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco de Gama, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Ferdinand Magellan, Juan Sebastián Elcano, and Sir Francis Drake.
Essential Questions
- What were the major accomplishments of the following Portuguese navigators?
- Prince Henry
- Bartolomeu Dias
- Vasco da Gama
- Amerigo Vespucci
- Ferdinand Magellan
- Vasco Nunez de Balboa
- Juan Sebastián Elcano
- What was the major accomplishment of Christopher Columbus?
- What was the major accomplishment of Sir Francis Drake?
- What does it mean to circumnavigate the world?