Bartolomeu Dias Source Analysis Worksheet

In this activity, students will examine the life and voyages of Bartolomeu Dias, focusing on his 1488 expedition that proved a sea route around the southern tip of Africa was possible. They will explore the political and economic pressures that drove Portuguese exploration during the fifteenth century, and consider how the work of individual explorers built upon one another to eventually open a direct sea route to India.

It has 11 questions for students to answer, as well as a paragraph response section for them to demonstrate their understanding of the topic.