Early Colonization of America Part 1

What did Christopher Columbus want to find?

• Spain

• shortcut to Asia for trade so Spain could become wealthy

• North America

• Russia

Identify an EFFECT: According to the reading, what effect did the ideas that America was a wilderness, and American Indians came from Asia have?

• They made Europeans believe that they would not catch diseases

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  They made Europeans believe that they could claim land in America

  
  

•  They made Europeans believe that America was an “Ancient World”

  
  

•  They made Europeans believe that Columbus discovered a “New World”

Review the two statements. What event is the cause?

A. Columbus planned the Enterprise of the Indies
B. Columbus read The Travels of Marco Polo

• Columbus planned the Enterprise of the Indies

• Columbus read The Travels of Marco Polo

What did Christopher Columbus actually find?

• United States of America

• Canada

• Spain

• An island chain now called the Bahamas

Question:
Why might there be two different conclusions about the Columbian Exchange?

• Because historians only have information about how Europeans were affected, not the Indigenous peoples.

• Because people have different perspectives about whether the positive or negative effects were more significant.

• Because the Columbian Exchange only affected the environment, not the people.

• Because the Columbian Exchange was a single event that had no lasting impact.

Why did experts in Europe turn down Columbus’ plan to sail west to get to the Far East?

• 1. Experts said that the world was flat

• Experts said there were dangerous sea creatures

• Columbus said he wanted 10% of all riches he found

• Columbus said the world was smaller than it actually is

Which statement BEST explains a change that occurred in 1507?

• 1. more people concluded that it was more dangerous to sail west of Europe

• more people concluded that maps were no longer valuable

• 1. more people concluded that a new continent had been discovered

• more people concluded that the world was round

From the point of view of the Taíno people, how did Columbus’s “discovery” of the New World affect them?

• A. It brought great opportunities for trade and equal friendship with Europeans.

• B. It led to suffering, loss of freedom, and destruction of their people and culture.

• C. It helped the Taíno people expand their land and population.

• D. It had little effect on their daily lives or traditions.

 According to the reading, Europeans first thought all “Indians” were alike. Later, some thought some Native Americans were “noble savages” while others thought Native Americans were “treacherous savages.” Which of the following BEST explains why this change happened?

• A. Europeans met more Native Americans

• B. Europeans stopped reading about Native Americans

• C. Native Americans started treating Europeans better

• D. Native Americans started writing more about their ways of life

Long ago, before Europeans arrived, people in America built canals, pyramids, and observatories. They grew corn, made art from gold and silver, and even created a calendar and the idea of zero.

Question:
Based on what you read, was America as developed as Europe and Africa at that time?

• A. No, because people in America had some skills, but they didn’t have large cities, advanced farming systems, or ways to track the stars.

• B. No, because even though they built canals and pyramids, their technology was not as advanced as Europe’s or Africa’s at that time.

• C. Yes, because people in America created advanced farming, built large structures, studied the stars, invented games, and developed important ideas in math and calendars.

• D. Yes, but only in some ways, like farming and art, while they didn’t know about other inventions or science from Europe or Africa.