1. lived in china for twenty years dias 2. searched for the fountain of youth cartier 3. first to explore the st. lawrence river de soto 4. began the first permanent french settlement champlain 5. explored the mississippi with marquette ponce de leon 6. followed the mississippi to the gulf marco polo 7. first to round the cape of good hope la salle 8. discovered the mississippi river joliet

1. lived in China for twenty years--Marco Polo

2. searched for the Fountain of Youth--Ponce de Leon

3. first to explore the St. Lawrence River--Cartier    

4. began the first permanent French settlement--Champlain  

5. explored the Mississippi with Marquette--Joliet  

6. followed the Mississippi to the Gulf--La Salle  

7. first to round the Cape of Good Hope--Dias

8. discovered the Mississippi River--De Soto

These questions highlight the period of exploration occurring in the 15th-16th century.  Marco Polo was the inspiration for the period because he introduced Asian productions to Europeans. Exploration had the goal of finding a direct route to Asia. Exploration eventually led Europeans to the Americas where explorers would take the risk to discover the geography and resources of the new land.

it affected it because the kingdoms (with trade) slowly got richer and richer.