Q 01/05

Which queen agreed in 1492 to back Columbus's first voyage across the Atlantic?

A) Joanna of Castile

B) Catherine of Aragon

C) Isabella of Castile

D) Anne of Brittany

Answer · why

C) Isabella of Castile

Isabella of Castile. Columbus was already riding away from her court when he was called back: a royal treasurer, Luis de Santángel, had talked her rou...

Q 02/05

Which great city fell to the Ottomans in 1453, a blow to Christian Europe?

A) Thessalonica

B) Constantinople

C) Alexandria

D) Jerusalem

Answer · why

B) Constantinople

Constantinople. Its ancient walls gave way after a siege of nearly two months, battered by a bombardment that included a giant cannon cast by a foreig...

Q 03/05

The magnetic compass used by European navigators was originally invented during which Chinese dynasty?

A) Ming

B) Han

C) Tang

D) Song

Answer · why

B) Han

It was in use for navigation in China by the 11th century and reached Europe by the late 12th or early 13th century.

Q 04/05

On the three-masted full-rigged ships of the era, the rear mast carried which triangular sail?

A) Lateen

B) Spinnaker

C) Jib

D) Staysail

Answer · why

A) Lateen

Lateen. Combining it with square sails on the other two masts produced the full-rigged ship, the ocean-going design that carried Europe's explorers ar...

Q 05/05

Which Ming admiral led seven treasure-fleet expeditions across the Indian Ocean between 1405 and 1433?

A) Yongle

B) Zheng He

C) Ma Huan

D) Hongxi

Answer · why

B) Zheng He

Zheng He. He began as a prisoner: captured as a boy when Ming armies took Yunnan, he was castrated and put into army service, then rose at court to co...