Introduction / Context:
Bartholomew Diaz was one of Portugal early navigators during the age of discovery. His voyage around the southern tip of Africa opened the sea route that later allowed Vasco da Gama to reach India. The discovery of the Cape of Good Hope marked an important step toward establishing direct sea links between Europe and Asia. This question asks in which year Diaz first reached the Cape of Good Hope, an important date in world exploration history and in many general knowledge exams.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The explorer mentioned is Bartholomew Diaz.
- The question focuses on his rounding of the southern tip of Africa and reaching the Cape of Good Hope.
- The options list several late fifteenth and early sixteenth century years.
- The learner is expected to recall or recognise the standard date associated with his voyage.
Concept / Approach:
Bartholomew Diaz sailed under the Portuguese flag and made his famous voyage in the late 1480s. Many general knowledge and school level history books give the year of his reaching the Cape of Good Hope as 1487, sometimes indicating that the voyage extended into 1488. In objective questions, the accepted answer is usually 1487, representing the period when he rounded the southern tip of Africa. The correct approach is to select 1487 from the options, following common exam keys.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Remember that Diaz was active before Vasco da Gama, whose voyage to India is dated to the late 1490s.
2. Recall that Diaz rounded the Cape of Good Hope around the late 1480s, opening the way for later explorers.
3. Look at the options and identify 1487 as the year that matches this timeframe.
4. Recognise that 1480 is too early, given that preparations and earlier coastal explorations were still underway at that time.
5. Reject 1495, 1500, and 1519 because they are associated with later voyages and not with Diaz first rounding of the Cape of Good Hope.
Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative way to verify is to consider the order of major Portuguese voyages. Diaz was the first to round the Cape in the late 1480s. Vasco da Gama later reached India by rounding the Cape in the 1490s. If Diaz had reached the Cape only in 1495 or 1500, this would conflict with the known date of da Gama voyage. The use of 1487 in many school level books and question banks confirms that this is the standard year associated with Diaz discovery of the Cape of Good Hope in exam practice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1480 is too early for the recorded voyage in which Diaz rounded the Cape of Good Hope and is not given in standard timelines for this discovery.
1495 occurs after Diaz pioneering voyage and lies close to the period when Vasco da Gama was preparing for his own journey to India.
1500 is linked with Pedro Alvares Cabral voyage that led to the discovery of Brazil under the Portuguese flag, not with Diaz rounding of the Cape.
1519 is associated with the start of Magellan expedition to circumnavigate the globe, much later than Diaz activity on the African coast.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse the dates of different explorers, especially Diaz and Vasco da Gama, or they may guess a late fifteenth century year without recalling the correct one. Others may remember that the voyage extended into 1488 and hesitate between 1487 and 1488, even when the exam only offers 1487 as the closest option. To avoid mistakes, it is useful to memorise a simple pair: Diaz Cape of Good Hope 1487 and da Gama India a few years later in the 1490s. This timeline makes 1487 stand out as the correct answer in multiple choice questions.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is
1487.
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