Question

Why was Cape Verde such an important milestone for the Portuguese?

a. Its settlement gave them access to the lucrative spice and silk trade.

b. It was where they perfected the growing and harvesting of a cash crop, in this case sugar.

c. It was where they reached the southern boundary of the Sahara Desert.

d. It was where they defeated the last holdouts of Muslim forces that had threatened Portugal

Answer 1

In mid-1400s, Portuguese sailors discovered the Cape Verde.

Since, it was uninhabited, they quickly colonized it.

The climate of Cape Verde has made it a fertile land for cultivation and with usage of slaves from Africa, Portugal used it as a transit point for slave trade and for cultivation of cash crop such as sugar.

So,

Cape Verde was such an important milestone for the Portuguese because it was where they perfected the growing and harvesting of cash crops, in this case sugar.

Hence, the correct answer is the option (b).