Introduction

Essential Questions: What impact did Christopher Columbus and other European explorers have on the Americas?

We established in the first lesson that the Native Americans were already here when Columbus "discovered America." Though the Native Americans were here first, Columbus was still the first European in the Americas, right? Not so fast.

The picture below is a replica of what one of the first European ships that sailed to America looked like. It doesn’t look like the Ninà, Pinta, or Santa Maria. So, who did it belong to? Who was here before Columbus?

Watch World Exploration During the Renaissance (2:11) to learn about Portuguese and Italian explorers. Login instructions

Viking Ship

Unearthed in 1904 in Norway, this was a Viking burial ship. It is smaller in size, but similar in appearance to the ship that Leif Ericson would have sailed. Sometime between 700-1,000 A.D., the Vikings of Scandinavia braved the North Atlantic Sea and landed in the area of Canada now known as Newfoundland.

Don't forget the American History Timeline 1500-1876. Take a minute to roll your mouse over the timeline to learn when major events concerning early American history took place.

The Interactive Timeline has buttons for Indians, African Americans, Women, & Labor.

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Compare European motives for establishing colonies including mercantilism, religions persecutions, poverty, oppression, and new opportunities
  • Examine European Exploration in the Americas
  • Analyze Christopher Columbus and the effects of his discoveries

This lesson incorporates the following Literacy Standards: R1, R2, R4, R5, R6, R8, R9, R10, W1, W2, W4, W6, W8, W9, and W10.

 

 

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