First Global Age Quiz

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  • 1/10 Questions

    Which empire was known for its dominance over the spice trade in the Indian Ocean?

    • Spanish Empire
    • Ottoman Empire
    • Portuguese Empire
    • British Empire
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About This Quiz


Do you think you know the world’s first steps toward global connections? This First Global Age Quiz will test your knowledge of the explorers, trade routes, and cultural exchanges that began shaping the modern world.

The First Global Age refers to the period from the 15th to the 18th centuries when European powers expanded their influence through exploration, trade, and colonization. But how much do you really know about this transformative time? In this quiz, you will answer questions about famous explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama, key trade routes such as the Silk Road, and the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between continents

First Global Age Quiz - Quiz

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  • 2. 

    Who was the first European to reach India by sea during the First Global Age?

    • Ferdinand Magellan

    • Vasco da Gama

    • Christopher Columbus

    • Bartolomeu Dias

    Correct Answer
    A. Vasco da Gama
    Explanation
    Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India by sea, arriving in 1498 after navigating around the Cape of Good Hope. His voyage opened the direct sea route from Europe to Asia, which allowed the Portuguese to establish a trading empire in the Indian Ocean. This eliminated the need for overland routes controlled by Muslim and Venetian merchants, making European access to Asian goods more profitable. Da Gama’s success marked a turning point in global trade, establishing Portugal as a dominant force in maritime exploration and trade during the First Global Age.

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  • 3. 

    What was the primary purpose of European exploration in the 15th century?

    • Establish new trade routes

    • Spread Christianity

    • Discover new cultures

    • Build military alliances

    Correct Answer
    A. Establish new trade routes
    Explanation
    The primary purpose of European exploration in the 15th century was to establish new trade routes, particularly to access valuable Asian commodities like spices and silk. European powers sought alternatives to the overland trade routes controlled by Muslim empires. By finding direct sea routes to Asia, they aimed to increase their wealth and bypass middlemen. This economic motivation drove major expeditions, including those of Columbus, da Gama, and Magellan, whose voyages laid the foundation for European dominance in global trade and marked the beginning of the First Global Age.

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  • 4. 

    What treaty divided the New World between Spain and Portugal in 1494?

    • Treaty of Tordesillas

    • Treaty of Versailles

    • Treaty of Westphalia

    • Treaty of Paris

    Correct Answer
    A. Treaty of Tordesillas
    Explanation
    The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal along a meridian in the Atlantic Ocean. This treaty was brokered by the Pope to resolve disputes between the two nations over territorial claims following Columbus’s discovery of the Americas. Under the agreement, Spain received most of the Americas, while Portugal was granted control over territories in Africa, Asia, and Brazil. This division shaped the colonial landscape of the New World, influencing European imperialism and global geopolitics throughout the First Global Age.

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  • 5. 

    What major commodity was traded in the Atlantic Slave Trade during this era?

    • Silk

    • Spices

    • Enslaved Africans

    • Potatoes

    Correct Answer
    A. Enslaved Africans
    Explanation
    The major commodity traded in the Atlantic Slave Trade was enslaved Africans. During the First Global Age, European powers established colonies in the Americas, which required labor to produce cash crops like sugar, tobacco, and cotton. The transatlantic slave trade became the primary means of supplying this labor. Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic to work on plantations, fueling the economies of European colonial empires. This trade had devastating effects on African societies, leading to the displacement of millions, and became one of the darkest legacies of the First Global Age.

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  • 6. 

    Which explorer is credited with circumnavigating the globe first?

    • John Cabot

    • Christopher Columbus

    • Ferdinand Magellan

    • Hernán Cortés

    Correct Answer
    A. Ferdinand Magellan
    Explanation
    Ferdinand Magellan is credited with leading the first successful circumnavigation of the globe. Although he died in the Philippines before completing the journey, his expedition, which began in 1519, proved that the world was round and could be fully navigated by sea. The remaining members of his crew, under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, completed the voyage in 1522. This historic achievement had far-reaching implications for global navigation, trade, and the understanding of geography. It also underscored European nations' growing ambitions for exploration and domination of the seas.

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  • 7. 

    Which country established the first permanent European colony in Africa?

    • Portugal

    • France

    • Spain

    • England

    Correct Answer
    A. Portugal
    Explanation
    Portugal established the first permanent European colony in Africa at Ceuta in 1415. This marked the beginning of European colonialism on the African continent. Portuguese explorers continued to expand their influence along the African coast, setting up trading posts and forts, which were primarily used to control trade routes and access valuable resources like gold and slaves. These early colonies laid the groundwork for European dominance in Africa, as other European nations later followed Portugal's lead, seeking wealth and control over African trade networks during the First Global Age.

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  • 8. 

    What was the main consequence of the Columbian Exchange?

    • Spread of democracy

    • Global food exchange

    • Increase in military power

    • Decrease in European trade

    Correct Answer
    A. Global food exchange
    Explanation
    The Columbian Exchange was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, people, and ideas between the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia following Columbus's voyages. This exchange drastically transformed societies across these regions. Europeans gained access to new crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, and maize, which significantly improved diets and population growth. In return, they introduced crops like wheat and livestock such as cattle and horses to the Americas. While it led to economic growth and cultural exchanges, the Columbian Exchange also brought diseases like smallpox to the New World, devastating indigenous populations.

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  • 9. 

    What economic system emerged during the First Global Age focused on wealth accumulation?

    • Capitalism

    • Mercantilism

    • Feudalism

    • Socialism

    Correct Answer
    A. Mercantilism
    Explanation
    Mercantilism emerged during the First Global Age as the dominant economic system. It emphasized wealth accumulation through the control of trade and the establishment of colonies. European powers believed that a nation's wealth was measured by its stock of gold and silver, which could be increased by exporting more goods than importing. Colonies provided raw materials and served as markets for European manufactured goods, reinforcing the economic dominance of European empires. Mercantilism drove exploration, colonization, and trade during the First Global Age, as nations competed to expand their wealth and influence globally.

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  • 10. 

    Which Italian explorer’s voyages led to the naming of the Americas?

    • Marco Polo

    • Amerigo Vespucci

    • Giovanni da Verrazzano

    • Christopher Columbus

    Correct Answer
    A. Amerigo Vespucci
    Explanation
    Amerigo Vespucci’s voyages to the New World led to the naming of the Americas. Unlike Columbus, who believed he had reached Asia, Vespucci recognized that the lands discovered were part of a new continent. His letters describing these "new" lands were widely circulated in Europe, and in 1507, a German cartographer named Martin Waldseemüller proposed naming the new continent "America" after Vespucci. This recognition highlighted the significance of these discoveries and Vespucci's role in understanding the true geography of the Western Hemisphere during the First Global Age.

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  • Current Version
  • Sep 17, 2024
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Sep 10, 2008
    Quiz Created by
    Bluesfan79
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