Henry The Navigator, Prince of Portugal
What instruments did Henry's sailors learn to use? We read about three. Can you remember at least two?
An astrolabe measured how far the sun or North Star lay above the horizon. A compass had a magnetic needle that always pointed north, and a rope with knots helped them to measure the speed of a ship.
When Henry realized that it would be difficult for the Portuguese to trade in North Africa, what did he plan for the Portuguese to do instead?
He planned for them to sail down the African coast and trade directly with the West African tribes.
What was the goal of Prince Henry of Portugal?
He wanted to make the Portuguese into great sailors and explorers or to have the Portuguese sail further than anyone else in the world, or to have the Portuguese sail down the coast of Africa and over to India.
What did Gil Eannes do?
He was the first explorer to venture into the Sea of Darkness.
What nickname did Prince Henry earn because of his love for sea exploration?
Henry the Navigator.
What is navigation?
Navigation is following a map to a certain destination.
Did Henry's ships find their way to India?
No, they never made it all around to Africa.
Why was it easy for the Portuguese to build boats and sail them?
Portugal had a long coastline.
What small country kept its independence from Spain?
Portugal remained independent.
Why was pepper so important?
Spices like pepper covered up bad tastes.
Why did Muslim trades avoid their trading city in North Africa after Henry and his brothers captured it?
The traders knew that the Portuguese were Christians who had driven the Muslim out of their country.
What did Henry's sailors think the waters down south were like?
They thought that the Sea of Darkness was in the south, they thought the waters were shallow, they thought that the seawater boiled, they were afraid that currents would pull them off nowhere.
The Portuguese could get gold, silver, ivory, and salt from Africa. What did the Portuguese want to get from India?
They wanted spices such as pepper, cloves, and nutmeg.
What foods were the Portuguese known for?
They were known for olives, grapes, and tripe.