Unit 4: European Exploration

This unit examines the motives for European Exploration of the world, colonization of the "new" world, and the impact on native peoples.

Unit Homework & Assessments:

  • ​Due 10/03: Read p. 84-86 Ellis "Motivation for Exploring the Seas" and "Portugal Sails East." AND select pages from "Eve of Discovery Reading" Take notes.  What factors encouraged  European exploration? How did the Portuguese take the lead? Who was Prince Henry?
  • ​Due 10/20: Read Age of Man - The Eve of Adventure (Handout) - Pages 11-16.  (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) Outline the reading in your notes. (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant.
  • Due 10/23: Read p.110-114 "Conquest of the Americas" AND p.115-119 "Spanish and Portuguese Colonies." Define key terms and answer the check point questions. Be able to tell the story.  Essential Questions:  #3 and #4.
  • ​Due 10/27:  Read An Excerpt from Charles Mann, "1491: Rewriting the History of the Americas Before Columbus", 2006. (Handout in class) (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) How does the author assign blame? What evidence does he give us? (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant.
  • Due 11/1: Unit 3 Overview Guide Terms and Essential Questions ​​
 Class Calendar

Monday, October 15: 
  • Focus: Introduce the Age of Discovery.
  • Unit 3 European Explorers Overview Sheet (Use to study for your quizzes and tests)
  •  Understanding the motives for European Exploration. Read and discuss "The Chronicle of Discovery..." p. 188-189 (Sherman Text) How does the reader explain the motives for Prince Henry's obsession with exploration at the time? 
  • Hand back and discuss answers to Test 2 (Units 2 and 3)
  • Homework: Read and take notes on King Affonso. "King Affonso I: Letter to King John III of Portugal".  (Ellis & Esler: WH) p. 94  HAPPY. What motives are revealed in this primary source account? 

Tuesday, October 16:
  • Focus: Motives and Means for Exploration
  • Notes: Early beginnings of the Age of Discovery. Portuguese and Spanish discoveries.
  • Discuss and compare Prince Henry's motives to those viewed by King Affonso. "King Affonso I: Letter to King John III of Portugal".  (Ellis & Esler: WH) p. 94  What motives are revealed in this primary source account? 
  • Assignment: Read and annotate Age of Man - The Eve of Adventure (Handout) - Pages 11-16.  (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) Outline the reading in your notes. (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant. Due 10/19

Wednesday, October 17:
  • Focus: Motives and Means for Exploration
  • Activity: Jigsaw Reading: "The Search for Spices." Ellis, "World History Textbook" 
  • Reading Time: The Eve of Adventure (Hand Out)
  • Assignment: Read and annotate Age of Man - The Eve of Adventure (Handout) - Pages 11-16.  (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) Outline the reading in your notes. (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant. Due 10/19

Thursday, October 18:
  • Focus: Motives and Means for Exploration
  • Perform the One-Act Play (In Class): "Isabella and Ferdinand" What did these monarchs do to consolidate power? How did the unification of Spain under Isabella and Ferdinand usher in an era of Spanish exploration and colonization? 
  • Read and Discuss:  Columbus, “Letter to Lord Sanchez” p. 189-190. What is the primary motives of Columbus? 
  • Assignment: Read and annotate Age of Man - The Eve of Adventure (Handout) - Pages 11-16.  (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) Outline the reading in your notes. (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant. Due 10/19

Friday, October 19:
  • Main Focus: Motives of Early Explorers
  • Seminar: The Eve of Adventure (Hand Out)
  • Assignment: Reading and notes of  Bernal Diaz del Castillo, "Memoirs: The Aztecs" p. 190-191 (Sherman Text)  HAPPY. Due Monday, 10/22

Monday, October 22:
  • Main Focus: The Spanish Explorers and their conquest of the Americas.
  • Notes: Spanish and Portuguese Colonies. See also p.110-114 "Conquest of the Americas" AND p.115-119 "Spanish and Portuguese Colonies."  Essential Questions:  #3 and #4.
  • Discuss: "The Chronicle of Discovery..." p. 188-189 (Sherman Text). Compare and contrast this view point with  “The Conquest of Mexico as Seen by the Aztecs”, p. 193. ( Sherman Ch 14) 
  • Assignment: Read An Excerpt from Charles Mann, "1491: Rewriting the History of the Americas Before Columbus", 2006. (Handout in class) (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) How does the author assign blame? What evidence does he give us? (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant.  Homework: DUE 10/24

Tuesday, October 23:
  • Main Focus: Hernan Cortes and the Global Impact of European Exploration.
  • Watch, take notes, and discuss: (10 minute) Heroes and Villians - Hernan Cortes (BBC)  How does this relate to what you have read about the Aztecs?
  • Reading Time: Read An Excerpt from Charles Mann, "1491: Rewriting the History of the Americas Before Columbus", 2006. (Handout in class) (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) How does the author assign blame? What evidence does he give us? (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant.  Homework: DUE 10/24 

Wednesday, October 24:
  • Main Focus: The global impacts of exploration.
  • Seminar: Read An Excerpt from Charles Mann, "1491: Rewriting the History of the Americas Before Columbus", 2006. (Handout in class) (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) How does the author assign blame? What evidence does he give us? (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant. 

Thursday, October 25:
  • Main Focus: The global impacts of exploration.
  • Notes and Discussion of Bartolome de Las Casa, The Atlantic Slave Trade, Olaudah Equiano, and Effects of Global Contact.  See  p. 125-128 "The Atlantic Slave Trade."  and p. 129-133 "Effects of Global Contact."
  • Review Time: Unit 4 European Exploration Overview Guide. using the following sections from the Ellis/Elsner World History Text: p84-89, 90-94, 110-114, 115-119, 125-128, 129-133. Due 11/1

Friday, October 26:
  • Main Focus: The global impacts of European exploration.
  • Essay Test:Write an essay about exploration, 40 points.
Unit Resources

KEY NOTES:  Password Required
HAND OUTS:
READINGS:
  • Ellis and Esler. World History: The Modern Era. Chapter 2-3 (Pages 82-136.)
  • Kagan, Donald. The Western Heritage: Since 1300. – Chapter 10 (p. 340-351), Chapter 17 (p.550-568) Supplementary Reading only.
  • Gomes Eannes de Azurara, “The Chronicle of Discovery and Conquest of Guinea.” p. 188-9 (Sherman Ch 14)
  • King Affonso I: Letter to King John III of Portugal.  (Ellis & Esler: WH) p. 94
  • Philipp W. von Hornick, “Austria Over All If She Only Will: Mercantilism.” p. 216-217 ( Sherman)
  • Visual Source: “The Conquest of Mexico as Seen by the Aztecs”, p. 193. ( Sherman Ch 14)
 
LINKS: External Resources
Spanish Inquisition - Ferdinand and Isabella Music Video (external site)


KEY TERMS:
3 G’s
Prince Henry the Navigator
Cartographer
Affonso I
Bartholomeu Dias
Vasco da Gama
Afonso de Albuquerque
Malindi & Mombasa
Goa
Malaccas
Capetown
Boers
Dutch East Indies Company
Matteo Ricci
Isabella of Castile
Ferdinand of Aragon
Christopher Columbus
Treaty of Tordesillas
Line of Demarcation
Ferdinand Magellan
Philippines
Hernando Cortez
Malinche
Tenochtitlan
Francisco Pizzaro
Conquistadors
encomienda
Bartholome de Las Casas
Triangular Trade
Olaudah Equiano
Columbian Exchange
Price Revolution
Mercantilism


ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. Why did Europe seek new routes of exploration to Asia? Why not earlier? What permitted them to explore with success at this point in time?
2. How did the Renaissance lead to and support an Age of Exploration?
3. How were the goals and objectives of the Portuguese and Spanish explorers similar or different?
4. How did the Spanish try to profit from their new empire? Explain.
5. How did slavery impact Africa? the Americas?
6. How did the voyages of European explorers lead to new economic systems?


PROJECT / SKILLS / DEBATE / DISCUSSION:
  • Seminars: Read Age of Man - The Eve of Adventure (Handout) - Pages 11-16. (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. Write margin notes. What were the main reasons for exploration? (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant. Due 9/13
  • Seminars: Read An Excerpt from Charles Mann, "1491: Rewriting the History of the Americas Before Columbus", 2006. (Handout in class) (1) Underline and highlight key, powerful statements in the reading. (2) Outline the reading in your notes---create a chronology of events/steps in the conquest of Mexico. (3) Write 3-5 questions, connections (to other readings, to your life, etc), and other thoughts that make this reading significant.  DUE 9/18
  • Debate: Defend or refute the statement: the Age of Discovery had a greater impact on the conquerors than it did the conquered.
  • Map of Exploration Instructions / Maps of Exploration Online Visuals You will create a free-hand map of the world indicating key routes the explorers took as well as the territories controlled by the major powers. (Enrichment)