Question

How were the routes taken by Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama similar, and how were they different?

a) Both sailed around the Cape of Good Hope; Dias went to India, and Gama to the East Indies.
b) Dias went to the Americas, and Gama to Africa.
c) Both explored the Arctic; Dias reached the North Pole, and Gama reached the South Pole.
d) Dias sailed to Asia, and Gama to South America.

Answer 1

Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama both sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, but Dias did not reach India whereas da Gama did, establishing a sea route to Asia. This contrasted with the Spanish exploration of the Americas, which was not part of Dias or da Gama's voyages.

Step-by-step explanation:

The routes taken by Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama were similar in that both sailed around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. However, they were different in their destinations and accomplishments. Dias was the first European to navigate around the Cape in 1488, opening up new potential routes to Asia, but he did not reach Asia itself. On the other hand, Vasco da Gama, following a similar route a decade later in 1497, successfully reached Calicut in India and thus established a direct maritime link between Europe and Asia for the spice trade, marking the beginning of a new era in European exploration. Neither explorer ventured to the Americas; instead, it was Christopher Columbus, financed by the Spanish monarchy, who reached the Caribbean in 1492, mistakenly believing it to be the Indies. Portuguese mariners extended their exploration following the routes established by Dias and Gama, with Portugal focusing on the lucrative trade opportunities in Africa and Asia rather than exploring the Americas.