Question

Which of the following historical developments most strongly contributed to the mapmakers' depiction of West Africa and the southern half of the world in the map?

a) The Silk Road trade routes
b) The Age of Exploration and maritime trade
c) The Industrial Revolution
d) The fall of the Roman Empire

Answer 1

The Age of Exploration and maritime trade most strongly contributed to the mapmakers' depiction of West Africa and the southern half of the world on the map.

Step-by-step explanation:

The historical development that most strongly contributed to the mapmakers' depiction of West Africa and the southern half of the world in the map is option b) The Age of Exploration and maritime trade.

During the Age of Exploration, European explorers, such as the Portuguese and Spanish, ventured into unknown territories and discovered new lands, including parts of West Africa and the southern hemisphere. These explorations led to increased knowledge and understanding of these regions, which influenced how mapmakers depicted them on maps.

For example, the maps of the time started to show more accurate representations of the coastlines and geographical features of West Africa and the southern half of the world due to the explorations and trade routes established during the Age of Exploration.

Answer 2

The Age of Exploration and maritime trade (b) is the historical development that most strongly influenced the depiction of West Africa on maps during the period, as this era marked significant European maritime exploration and the subsequent creation of comprehensive maps and global trade networks.

Step-by-step explanation:

The historical development that most strongly contributed to the mapmakers' depiction of West Africa and the southern half of the world in the map is b) The Age of Exploration and maritime trade. This era marked the beginning of substantial European maritime exploration, which led to the detailed mapping of coastlines and the discovery of new landmasses around the world. During the Age of Discovery, mapmakers had access to vast amounts of new geographic information gathered by explorers, leading to more accurate and comprehensive maps.

West Africa's detailed mapping was particularly influenced by the Europeans' interest in trade, such as the demand for gold, ivory, and later, slaves, which were pivotal in the development of global trade networks including the notorious Trans-Atlantic slave trade. The Kingdom of Dahomey is an example of how African entities became involved in the global trade patterns set by the European explorers during this period.