UNIT THREE: THE AGE OF EXPORATION
Essential question: Why did Europeans begin to explore and how did the results of their explorations change the world?
Focus Questions for this unit:
Core Curriculum
Overview
The Age of Exploration started when Europeans were desperate to get spices from Asia but traders had to travel parts of the dangerous Silk Road to Asia to get them.
European rulers sought a sea route to Asia. Through the efforts of Prince Henry, Portugal became the first European country to search for the sea route to Asia. Bartholomew Dias and his crew made it to Africa’s Cape of Good Hope then Vasco da Gama became the first to sail through the Indian Ocean to India.
We begin our immersion into the period by looking at Prince Henry's vision and comparing it to the vision of President Kennedy who saw space as a frontier to explore. Our soda game will make the point about the financial benefits of exploration
As we will discuss, Spain would soon take over the lead in exploration. When Portugal refused to finance Christopher Columbus’ idea to sail west to find the shortcut to the Indies, Columbus convinced Spain to finance it. Columbus and his crew reached the island of Hispaniola after three months in the Atlantic Ocean. Our analysis of primary sources allows us to see the worries and fears of Columbus.
Spain quickly colonized North America. Permanent European settlements in the New World were established. Meanwhile, Hernando Cortes crushed the Aztec empire in Mexico. Francisco Pizarro did the same to the Incan Empire in South America. Other explorers claimed other portions of North America for Spain. As the Spanish empire grew, explorers forced native populations into slavery and to convert to Christianity.
We must reflect upon the impact of these explorers on the lives of the people who were here before their arrival. The controversy over the celebration of Columbus Day illustrates the opposing views of Columbus.
France also began to explore North America. England would soon attempt to make its presence known. Disputes and constant pirating resulted in a series of major wars between the competing nations.
Time: approximately 2 weeks
Individual lessons for this unit:
Show Me The Money
Lets Make a Deal
The Reign of Spain
The Race is On!
Readings
Dream of Prince Henry
Bartholomew Dias
Vasco Da Gama
Christopher Columbus: The Age of Discovery
Columbus and the New World
Second Voyage of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus: Who Was That Man?
The Truth About Columbus
Line of Demarcation
Who Was First?
Leif Ericsson biography
The Viking that Beat Columbus
Assessing Evidence of Viking Landings in North America
Vasco Balboa biography
Juan Ponce De Leon biography
Ferdinand Magellan biography
Conquest of the Aztec Empire
Cortes in Tenochtitlan
Hernando DeSoto biography
Francisco Pizarro biography
Seven Cities of Cibola
Francisco Coronado biography
Giovanni da Verrazano's voyage to North America
Jacques Cartier
France Finds Land and Trade
Samuel Champlain
Marquette and Joliet
Exploration of Marquette and Joliet
Robert de LaSalle (biography)
Jacques Marquette biography
John Cabot biography
Henry Hudson biography
Primary Sources
Journal of Christopher Columbus
Chronicles of Giovanni Verrazano
Diary of Father Marquette
JFK speech at Rice University (We Will Go To The Moon)
Simulations
The Soda Ripoff (role play)
Power points
Show Me The Money
Lets Make a Deal
Chris Crossed
The Reign of Spain
The Race is on!
Videos
In the Footsteps of Marco Polo
Quest for the Fountain of Youth (you tube)
Extension Activities and Resources
Reading: How The Search For Flavors Influence the World
Reading: 10 Interesting Facts About the Aztecs
Reading: The Race to Mars
Reading: Why We Explore
Essential question: Why did Europeans begin to explore and how did the results of their explorations change the world?
Focus Questions for this unit:
Core Curriculum
- What motivated early exploration?
- What efforts were made in pursuit of these goals?
- Who were some of the people responsible for the push to explore?
- How did exploration effect the balance of power in European politics?
Curriculum of Connections - What advances in science and navigation came from the period of exploration ?
- How did the exploration of new world by the Europeans influence the existing cultures living there?
- What was the economic impact of exploration??
Curriculum of Practice - After reviewing several biographies of explorers, what skills or talents do you find common among them?
- Can the exploration of space be accessible to the common person?
Curriculum of Identity - “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” What does this quote mean to you?
- What obligation if any, do explorers have regarding interacting with new cultures?
- Would you have been willing to take the risks that explorers took to find new lands and knowledge?
Overview
The Age of Exploration started when Europeans were desperate to get spices from Asia but traders had to travel parts of the dangerous Silk Road to Asia to get them.
European rulers sought a sea route to Asia. Through the efforts of Prince Henry, Portugal became the first European country to search for the sea route to Asia. Bartholomew Dias and his crew made it to Africa’s Cape of Good Hope then Vasco da Gama became the first to sail through the Indian Ocean to India.
We begin our immersion into the period by looking at Prince Henry's vision and comparing it to the vision of President Kennedy who saw space as a frontier to explore. Our soda game will make the point about the financial benefits of exploration
As we will discuss, Spain would soon take over the lead in exploration. When Portugal refused to finance Christopher Columbus’ idea to sail west to find the shortcut to the Indies, Columbus convinced Spain to finance it. Columbus and his crew reached the island of Hispaniola after three months in the Atlantic Ocean. Our analysis of primary sources allows us to see the worries and fears of Columbus.
Spain quickly colonized North America. Permanent European settlements in the New World were established. Meanwhile, Hernando Cortes crushed the Aztec empire in Mexico. Francisco Pizarro did the same to the Incan Empire in South America. Other explorers claimed other portions of North America for Spain. As the Spanish empire grew, explorers forced native populations into slavery and to convert to Christianity.
We must reflect upon the impact of these explorers on the lives of the people who were here before their arrival. The controversy over the celebration of Columbus Day illustrates the opposing views of Columbus.
France also began to explore North America. England would soon attempt to make its presence known. Disputes and constant pirating resulted in a series of major wars between the competing nations.
Time: approximately 2 weeks
Individual lessons for this unit:
Show Me The Money
Lets Make a Deal
The Reign of Spain
The Race is On!
Readings
Dream of Prince Henry
Bartholomew Dias
Vasco Da Gama
Christopher Columbus: The Age of Discovery
Columbus and the New World
Second Voyage of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus: Who Was That Man?
The Truth About Columbus
Line of Demarcation
Who Was First?
Leif Ericsson biography
The Viking that Beat Columbus
Assessing Evidence of Viking Landings in North America
Vasco Balboa biography
Juan Ponce De Leon biography
Ferdinand Magellan biography
Conquest of the Aztec Empire
Cortes in Tenochtitlan
Hernando DeSoto biography
Francisco Pizarro biography
Seven Cities of Cibola
Francisco Coronado biography
Giovanni da Verrazano's voyage to North America
Jacques Cartier
France Finds Land and Trade
Samuel Champlain
Marquette and Joliet
Exploration of Marquette and Joliet
Robert de LaSalle (biography)
Jacques Marquette biography
John Cabot biography
Henry Hudson biography
Primary Sources
Journal of Christopher Columbus
Chronicles of Giovanni Verrazano
Diary of Father Marquette
JFK speech at Rice University (We Will Go To The Moon)
Simulations
The Soda Ripoff (role play)
Power points
Show Me The Money
Lets Make a Deal
Chris Crossed
The Reign of Spain
The Race is on!
Videos
In the Footsteps of Marco Polo
Quest for the Fountain of Youth (you tube)
Extension Activities and Resources
Reading: How The Search For Flavors Influence the World
Reading: 10 Interesting Facts About the Aztecs
Reading: The Race to Mars
Reading: Why We Explore