Madeira: It's More Than Just a Piece of Cake Quiz / Test | Geography

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Set in the wide ocean sea Madeira has truly been described as "the _______ of the Atlantic Ocean". What is the missing word?

Answer: pearl

Madeira is a really quit a compact if not say small island measuring a mere 35 miles [57 km] in length and 13 miles [22 km] in width. Madeira lies in the north Atlantic Ocean. It is an autonomous region of Portugal. It is situated about 650 km (360 miles) west of the mainland of Africa. It is also sometimes called the "Atlantic Garden" or the "floating garden of the Atlantic".

2. Madeira and its surrounding much smaller islands are about 650 km (360 miles) west of the mainland of Africa. Despite this Madeira is an autonomous region of which European country?

Answer: Portugal

The two main islands are the Madeira Island and Porto Santo Island. They are the only inhabited islands in this archipelago. Although the archipelago is located in the African tectonic plate, some 650 km (360 mi) off the North African coast, Madeira belongs and has belonged ethnically, culturally, economically and politically to Europe for some 200 years.

It is about 955 km (583 mi) from the European mainland.

3. Early written records relating to which country or empire support the hypothesis that mariners from this culture were the first to visit and chart the Madeira island group?

Answer: Roman

There are several written references which either directly describe the existence of the Madeira archipelago or imply its location. For instance Pliny describes a cluster of islands he called the 'Purple islands' when talking about the discovery of the 'Fortunate' or 'Canary' islands. Plutarch in his 'Lives' refers to the activities of Sertorius and the description he obtained from sailors who described the twin nature of the Madeira islands and their location of about 10,000 furlongs from the west African coast.

These sailors referred to Madeira as the 'Isles of the Blessed'. If you have visited Madeira you will know this to be an apt description.

4. Madeira owes its rediscovery in the early 15th century to the sponsorship, drive and vision of which member of the Portuguese royal family?

Answer: Prince Henry The Navigator

The opening up of the world by western based explorers was influenced by the Portuguese Prince Henry known to history as 'The Navigator". Prince Henry was the third child of King John I of Portugal and of Philippa of Lancaster, the daughter of John of Gaunt.

Henry became aware of the profit possibilities in Africa particularly in identifying the source of the goods brought via the Saharan trade routes. He funded exploratory voyages down the coast of Africa and much further afield.

5. Many visitors to Madeira are enthralled by the prospect of walking, sometimes quite long distances alongside ancient man made channels designed to distribute controlled amounts of water to the terraced agricultural areas of the island. What are these artifacts called?

Answer: Levada

The levadas are water carrying channels created by the Portuguese as a cheap and efficient means of transporting water from the rainy high lands of the west and northwest of the island to the drier southeast, which was more fertile for agriculture and more conducive to habitation.

The first large scale levadas appeared in the sixteenth century when the Portuguese started building levadas to carry water to these agricultural regions. Considerable ingenuity and engineering skills were needed as some areas were very mountainous, and building the levadas was often difficult. Many were cut into the sides of mountains, and it was also necessary to dig about 25 miles (40 km) of tunnels. There are over 1,350 miles (2,170 km) of levadas and for the modern visitor they provide a remarkable and very beautiful network of walking paths.

6. Which, later to be famous, explorer made three visits to Madeira in the fifteenth century? Whilst there he found time to marry the daughter of the Governor and develop a theory which was to drive him on his future adventures.

Answer: Christopher Columbus

Whilst on the island of Madeira Columbus observed flotsam thrown up on the westward facing beaches and reasoned that this vegetation debris must have come from a land to the west possibly the fabled Indies the source of the spice wealth so coveted at that time by the western powers.

7. When the Portuguese first decided to settle and exploit the island of Madeira what cash crop did they successfully produce?

Answer: sugar

After early disappointments with growing grain and wheat products the Portuguese were directed by Henry the navigator to turn to a much valued spice - sugar. Sugar cane production became a mainstay of island's economy and increased the demand for labour which led to an increase population and more stability.

8. On my first visit to the lovely island of Madeira I was persuaded by some friendly locals to sample a local alcoholic drink, which has been brewed to the same recipe since the fifteenth century, of some potency. Which of these was it?

Answer: Poncha

Poncha is a native drink to the Madeiran people. I was visiting a local produce market in Funchal at the time and was pressed to try this quite potent drink. I was assured by my friendly hosts that after two drinks I would believe I could speak in Portuguese! Little did I know that after my tipple I was interviewed by local TV and found myself even more tongue-tied than usual. If you ever visit Madeira (and are old enough to sample the local fare) I can recommend a small libation. The combination of the 3 ingredients should follow this order:
1- Pour the Honey
2- Pour the lemon
3- Mix it very well.
4- Pour the glass of Cana (white rum).
5 - Mix it again
5- Drink
6- You are now ready to survive another cold winter.

9. When Winston Churchill stayed in Madeira in the 1950s he sampled a barrel of Madeira wine which had originally been left behind by another war leader around one hundred and thirty years earlier. This earlier war leader like Churchill was no longer in power. Who was he?

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte

Bonaparte was on his way to exile, the second time, and had ordered the barrels of Madeira wine to help comfort him in his exile. However, it was left behind.

10. A romantic tale of eloping noble lovers fleeing a vengeful husband ship-wrecked on the then unknown Madeira, their tragic deaths within days of one another and the heroic efforts of the remaining crew to build a raft and sail back to Europe, all led to the re-discovery of Madeira.

Answer: True

There are several versions of love story about an exiled English nobleman from Bristol, Sir Robert Machin and his lover Anne d'Arset being shipwrecked on the island at a place called Machico after fleeing from her husband by taking ship in Bristol and being driven thousands of miles off course to fetch up on Madeira. Both lovers die within days of one another after the shipwreck.

The crew manged to craft together a wooden raft and set sail for Europe. Archaeologists have found a small stone epitaph which does lend some substance to this story.

Source: Author bracklaman

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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Madeira: It's More Than Just a Piece of Cake Quiz

The lovely tropical island of Madeira boasts an equable temperature throughout the year. It is a favourite holiday destination for many. This quiz explores the island, culture and history.

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