Question

american history: america before 1763
name
directions

• read the questions below before you read the text
• highlight or underline vocabulary, main ideas and sentences as you read
• answer the questions based on the information found in the text and your own thinking

europeans had no knowledge of the people of the americas, nor a way over the land where they lived. when europeans looked west, they saw only a vast ocean. europeans were far more interested in the lands that lay to the east. in the late 1200s, a young man named marco polo traveled through asia with his father, a merchant and trader from venice, italy. marco polo spent 17 years in china. when he returned to venice, people flocked to hear his stories of \the indies,\ as india and east asia were then known. he was called \the man with a million stories.\ eventually, a writer helped marco polo put his adventures into a book that described the wonders he had seen in china. it told of rich silks and rare spices, gold and jewels, and luxurious palaces. when marco polos book was published, very few people in europe could read. however, those who did read it were fascinated by its description of riches to the east. merchants and traders were eager to find the fastest way to get there. the land route polo had traveled was long and dangerous. his tales inspired explorers to find an alternative route by sea.

1. what were most europeans interested in exploring before 1763?
2. who was marco polo?
3. where did marco polo spend 17 years exploring?
4. how did marco polo influence exploration of the world?
5. why did merchants after marco polo want to find an alternate route to asia?

soon many explorers and many european nations began exploring the world. spain explored central and south america as well as the caribbean looking for gold. the dutch explored north america, africa and asia looking for trade and animal fur. the portuguese explored south america, africa and asia looking for gold and trade. the french explored north america looking for animal fur. the british explored north america, africa and asia looking for land and animal fur. the age of exploration had begun, and the worlds resources were the reason most europeans went on dangerous expeditions to unknown lands.

1. complete the chart below

	spain	dutch	french	portuguese	british

Explanation:

1. The text mentions that before 1763, most Europeans were interested in the riches that lay to the east, inspired by Marco Polo's tales of Asia's wealth.
2. Marco Polo was a young man from Venice, Italy, a merchant - trader who traveled through Asia with his father and spent 17 years in China.
3. He spent 17 years in China.
4. His tales inspired explorers to find an alternative route to Asia as the land - route he took was long and dangerous, thus spurring the Age of Exploration.
5. Merchants wanted an alternate route to Asia because the land route Polo had traveled was long and dangerous.
6. Spain: gold; Dutch: animal fur; French: animal fur; Portuguese: trade and animal fur; British: gold and trade.

Answer:

1. The riches of the east.
2. A young Venetian merchant - trader who traveled through Asia and spent 17 years in China.
3. China.
4. His tales inspired explorers to find an alternative sea - route to Asia due to the dangers of the land route.
5. The land route was long and dangerous.

6.

	Spain	Dutch	French	Portuguese	British