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Gold, Spices and Glory is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on the incentives behind European exploration, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Eco.2.3-5. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 19 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Gold, Spices and Glory

D2.Eco.2.3-5

NameDate

Choose the best answer.

1.Why were spices worth so much in Europe?
  • A.They flavored food and came from very far away
  • B.Spices grew everywhere in Europe
  • C.Spices were the only food in Europe
2.Glory was an incentive too. What did glory mean for an explorer?
  • A.A free ship
  • B.A kind of spice
  • C.Fame and honor at home for great discoveries
3.Which was a positive incentive for Spanish explorers?
  • A.The chance of shipwreck
  • B.The chance to find gold and silver
  • C.The danger of disease
4.Why did explorers search for a "Northwest Passage"?
  • A.They hoped for a water route through North America to Asia
  • B.They wanted a road to Mexico
  • C.They wanted to reach the South Pole
5.Columbus sailed west in 1492. Who paid for his voyage?
  • A.Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain
  • B.The king of France
  • C.The Haudenosaunee Grand Council
6.Coronado hoped for fame and wealth if he found the "Seven Cities of Gold." What happened?
  • A.He found no cities of gold
  • B.He found a sea route to Asia
  • C.He found seven golden cities
7.Why did the French come to North America in the 1600s?
  • A.To trade with Native nations for beaver furs
  • B.To drill for oil
  • C.To grow rice
8.Which was a negative incentive, a risk that could stop an explorer from sailing?
  • A.The hope of riches
  • B.The danger of storms, hunger and shipwreck
  • C.The promise of fame

LessonPrint · D2.Eco.2.3-5 · Set 19 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Gold, Spices and Glory

Set 19. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.They flavored food and came from very far away
  2. 2.Fame and honor at home for great discoveries
  3. 3.The chance to find gold and silver
  4. 4.They hoped for a water route through North America to Asia
  5. 5.Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain
  6. 6.He found no cities of gold
  7. 7.To trade with Native nations for beaver furs
  8. 8.The danger of storms, hunger and shipwreck

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Eco.2.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.