Question

The development of cash money increased trade through selective buying which increased trade. What are the three major changes to sailing ships and navigation discussed in class?

A) Improved ship construction, magnetic compass, and astrolabe
B) Steam engines, radar systems, and telegraph communication
C) Wind-powered sails, horse-drawn ships, and underwater breathing apparatus
D) Chart navigation, clock synchronization, and submarine technology

Answer 1

The major changes to sailing ships and navigation discussed in class are option A: Improved ship construction, magnetic compass, and astrolabe.

Step-by-step explanation:

Throughout history, the development of sailing technology has significantly impacted trade and exploration. When discussing the major changes to sailing ships and navigation that occurred from the fifteenth century onward, three advancements stand out:

1. Improved ship construction, which includes the use of lateen sails enabling ships to tackle winds more effectively and the development of larger hulls to carry more provisions, thereby allowing for longer voyages.
2. The introduction of the magnetic compass to European navigation, which came from China where it had already been in use for centuries, providing sailors with a reliable means of determining direction even when out of sight of land.
3. The utilization of the astrolabe, an ancient Greek invention that was refined in the Middle East and enabled sailors to calculate their latitude based on the stars.

The correct answer to the question regarding the three major changes to sailing ships and navigation discussed in class is option A: Improved ship construction, magnetic compass, and astrolabe. The rise of steam power and associated technologies like radar systems, telegraphs, and steamships with engines happened later and were also transformative, but they do not fit within the specified historical period of the changes discussed in class.