Competition for the New World

Santa Maria Sailing Ship

European explorers had many challenges in their efforts to settle in new lands including weather, native populations, and ineffective technology, among many others.

Imagine that you are an explorer living in Spain. Access a modern map of the world from the CIA World Factbook website. Using the map, devise and trace two routes to China from Spain on the map. What are some of the different populations and geographic features with which you would come into contact along the way?