Question

Why Portugal led the way in exploration in the 1400s?
A) Its inland location requiring it to find at overland route to the Indies.
B) Government stability and the invention of the caravel
C) The signing of the Treaty of Tordesillas with Spain
D) The marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella
E) The success of Columbus’s voyage to the New World

Answer 1

Hint: Portugal, formally the Portuguese Republic, is a country in western Europe located on the Iberian Peninsula. It is the westernmost sovereign state in mainland Europe, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west and south., and on the north and east by Spain, which is the only country in Europe with a land boundary with Portugal.

Complete answer:
The stable government of Portugal backed Prince Henry the Navigator, a pioneer in sailing technology, and the Portuguese perfected the caravel, a swift sailing vessel.Portugal is located on the Atlantic Ocean, not inland. The Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided the world between Spain and Portugal, was not signed until the twentieth century (1494).

The kings of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, had no influence on the Portuguese's early success. In 1492, Columbus set out for the New World on behalf of Spain, not Portugal.

Portugal, Europe's westernmost country, was a major actor throughout the European Age of Discovery and Exploration. During the majority of the fifteenth century, Portugal played a leading role in the hunt for a way to Asia by sailing south around Africa, led by Prince Henry the Navigator. The Portuguese gained a plethora of knowledge about navigation and the topography of the Atlantic Ocean as a result of their efforts.

Portugal led the way in exploration in the 1400s because of government stability and the invention of the caravel. Thus the correct option is B.

Note: Caravel, a light sailing ship used by the Spanish and Portuguese for extended trips in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries in Europe. The caravel, which was reportedly constructed by the Portuguese to explore the African coast, was known for its ability to sail to windward.