Lesson 1: European Discovery of the Americas
Who discovered the Americas first has long been a topic of discussion for historians. There are many ideas behind how the Native Americans came to the Americas and how many people "discovered" the Americas. Watch this history channel video to get a brief summary of the explorers of America. http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/exploration-of-north-america
Prior to the 1400s, we don't really know why the Americas were found or how much was explored. Europeans did not know about the Americas (apart from the Vikings) until the voyages of Columbus. So, if Europeans didn't know it was there, how was it found? Products from India and China (known as the East Indies), such as tea, silk, and porcelain, were popular in Europe. The country who had the quickest trade routes were able to make the most money. Routes by land and around Africa had been established, but what if there was a shorter way? This was a time when the uneducated believed the earth was flat and many of the educated believed that the earth was smaller than it really is. Spain, hoping to make a profit, allowed Christopher Columbus to sail across the Atlantic Ocean in search of China in 1492. Instead, he would find what would be named the West Indies, or the islands of the Caribbean. This would lead to further exploration, leading to the discovery of North and South American and the realization that the earth was not as small as had been expected.
Christopher Columbus is, perhaps, the most well-known explorer of the Americas, but there were many more explorers to come to the Americas. Since there are so many explorers, we will focus on a few.
Explorers
John Cabot - Five years after Columbus' first trip to the Americas, Cabot was sent from England to explore. He found the western coast of present-day Canada. Many of the islands and capes of western Canada were named by Cabot.
Jacques Cartier - Cartier would pave the way for French exploration in Canada, leading three expeditions himself. His original plan was to find a "Northwest Passage", or water outlet leading to the other side of North America. This was the focus of many explorers. The Americas were first thought of as merely a barrier between Europe and money (trade with the East Indies). Cartier tried to start a settlement in Quebec, but it was abandoned due to the winter.
Pierre Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix - Charlevoix was sent from France to try to find a route through the American continents. Instead, he traveled the St. Lawrence River, Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River.
Amerigo Vespucci - Sent from Italy, Vespucci was the first person to realize the Americas were separate from Asia. In 1507, a German mapmaker named the new world after Vespucci, calling it "America".
If you are interested in more explorers, you can find more information at http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/namerica.shtml
Jacques Cartier - Cartier would pave the way for French exploration in Canada, leading three expeditions himself. His original plan was to find a "Northwest Passage", or water outlet leading to the other side of North America. This was the focus of many explorers. The Americas were first thought of as merely a barrier between Europe and money (trade with the East Indies). Cartier tried to start a settlement in Quebec, but it was abandoned due to the winter.
Pierre Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix - Charlevoix was sent from France to try to find a route through the American continents. Instead, he traveled the St. Lawrence River, Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River.
Amerigo Vespucci - Sent from Italy, Vespucci was the first person to realize the Americas were separate from Asia. In 1507, a German mapmaker named the new world after Vespucci, calling it "America".
If you are interested in more explorers, you can find more information at http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/namerica.shtml
Colonization
Colonization of the Americas started not long after explorers arrived. This video shows where different countries settled and explored: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65Y1jsD3QHE. You only have to watch the first 5:00 minutes.
British colonization and expansion made the biggest difference in the 13 original colonies. Below are some websites, videos, and explanations about some of their colonies.
Roanoke - This is one of the top disappearances in history. An entire colony disappeared! Some of the theories behind the disappearance are talked about in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhIJ1wMKtc
Jamestown - It was the first permanent English settlement, meaning the people lived and didn't disappear. What was the purpose of this settlement? Why did the people come? Well, Disney's Pocahontas got one thing right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFHym_W6vkE
Other than looking for gold, not much of the rest of the movie is true. Here is the true story of living in Jamestown: http://www.history.com/topics/jamestown. Watch the video and read the article below.
Massachusetts Bay Colony - Unlike Jamestown, which was settled to get money, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was settled for religious freedom from England. Read more about it here: http://www.history.com/topics/puritanism
Plymouth Colony - Similar to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Plymouth Colony was settled by those looking for religious freedoms. Watch the video and read the article below it: http://www.history.com/topics/plymouth
British colonization and expansion made the biggest difference in the 13 original colonies. Below are some websites, videos, and explanations about some of their colonies.
Roanoke - This is one of the top disappearances in history. An entire colony disappeared! Some of the theories behind the disappearance are talked about in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhIJ1wMKtc
Jamestown - It was the first permanent English settlement, meaning the people lived and didn't disappear. What was the purpose of this settlement? Why did the people come? Well, Disney's Pocahontas got one thing right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFHym_W6vkE
Other than looking for gold, not much of the rest of the movie is true. Here is the true story of living in Jamestown: http://www.history.com/topics/jamestown. Watch the video and read the article below.
Massachusetts Bay Colony - Unlike Jamestown, which was settled to get money, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was settled for religious freedom from England. Read more about it here: http://www.history.com/topics/puritanism
Plymouth Colony - Similar to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Plymouth Colony was settled by those looking for religious freedoms. Watch the video and read the article below it: http://www.history.com/topics/plymouth
Assignment #2 (30 points)
Answer the following questions completely.
1. Who should get the credit for "discovering" America? Give specific reasons why you think that.
2. Which European explorer is North and South America named after?
3. What was the name first permanent European colony in North America?
4. There were several potential reasons behind the Roanoke colony disappearance. Which makes the most sense to you? Why?
5. What were the two main reasons behind the first colonies in North America?
6. Do your own research on one of the following topics. Write a two paragraph summary about what you learned, citing information from at least 2 sources. Use MLA formatting when citing your sources (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/). Points will be taken away if you do not cite your sources correctly.
A. An explorer of North America from between 1490 and 1700 A.D. not specifically mentioned in this lesson.
B. A member of one of the three permanent colonies mentioned in this lesson.
1. Who should get the credit for "discovering" America? Give specific reasons why you think that.
2. Which European explorer is North and South America named after?
3. What was the name first permanent European colony in North America?
4. There were several potential reasons behind the Roanoke colony disappearance. Which makes the most sense to you? Why?
5. What were the two main reasons behind the first colonies in North America?
6. Do your own research on one of the following topics. Write a two paragraph summary about what you learned, citing information from at least 2 sources. Use MLA formatting when citing your sources (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/). Points will be taken away if you do not cite your sources correctly.
A. An explorer of North America from between 1490 and 1700 A.D. not specifically mentioned in this lesson.
B. A member of one of the three permanent colonies mentioned in this lesson.