United States History to 1877

Exploration to Revolution: Pre-Columbian Times to the 1770s

USI.4

The student will demonstrate knowledge of European exploration in North America and West Africa by

a) describing the motivations, obstacles, and accomplishments of the Spanish, French, Portuguese, and English explorations;
b) describing cultural interactions between Europeans and American Indians (First Americans) that led to cooperation and conflict;
c) identifying the location and describing the characteristics of West African societies (Ghana, Mali, and Songhai) and their interactions with traders.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Introduce background knowledge to students that the interactions between American Indians (First Americans) and Europeans sometimes led to cooperation and other times resulted in conflict.
Have students research exploration by the Spanish. French, and English. Provide students with resource materials such as books, articles, printouts, Web sites, and encyclopedias.
http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/ageofex/index.php
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/index.shtml
Review the cultural interactions of the Spanish:
- Conquered and enslaved American Indians (First Americans)
- Brought Christianity to the New World
- Brought European diseases
Review the cultural interactions of the French:
- Established trading posts
- Spread Christian religion
Review the cultural interactions of the English:
- Established settlements and claimed ownership of land
- Learned farming techniques from American Indians (First Americans)
- Traded
Put students into four groups. One group representing each of the four explorers: Francisco Coronado (http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/coronado.htm)
Samuel de Champlain (http://www.civilization.ca/vmnf/explor/explcd_e.html)
Robert LaSalle (http://www.civilization.ca/vmnf/explor/lasal_e1.html)
John Cabot (http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/cabot1497.html)
As the students gather information about Spanish, French, and English explorations, ask the students to focus on the following questions for the next part of their research:
What happened when Europeans and Native Americans first met?
What happens when one culture expands into another?
How does each culture influence the other?
What determines which culture will be dominant?
What was the final result of contact between Native Americans and Europeans?
Use the following Web site resource http://encarta.msn.com/text_761570777___250/Native_Americans as a guide for students to get an overview of Native American Indians of North America.
Review some of the problems that arose between the European explorers and the American Indians (First Americans).
- Colonists' attitudes toward the American Indians (First Americans) became negative.
- People started enslaving the American Indians (First Americans).
- For American Indians (First Americans), trade became a source of serious strain.
- American Indians (First Americans) were killed by war or disease.
- American Indians (First Americans) decided they no longer wanted to live near the colonists and moved away.
Students should be able to understand why the two groups were unable to live together peaceably. They will analyze historical data to see changing attitudes and policies of the colonists toward the Native American population and will learn how unfair trade practices, war and enslavement took their toll.
Assess students' comprehension of the relationships between European and American Indians (First Americans) in the 17th century, by considering how well they recognize that:
- initial relationships post-contact were based on mutual economic advantage
- initially, European traders depended more on American Indian (First American) people than vice versa
- relationships were different in the maritime and land-based fur trades
- establishment of European forts and settlements affected the policies adopted by American Indians (First Americans)
- colonialism, imperialism, and disease later caused a shift in the balance of power and in the relationships.
Conduct role perspective activities (e.g., have the students take the perspective of the Spanish, French, and English explorers and the American Indians (First Americans).
Conduct a jigsaw: assign students to equal-sized groups, each of which studies a different colonial document to identify attitude and intent. Recombine the students in new groups, each containing students who have studied a different document. Have these groups identify similarities and differences among the documents and draw conclusions about changes in colonial policy.
Have students analyze the interaction of two American Indian (First American) nations in early America (during the 17th century and before), focusing on:
- the specifics of the interactions (e.g., transmission of ideas, technology)
- socio-cultural factors affecting interactions (e.g., languages spoken, approach to warfare, trade/barter systems, marriage alliances, social protocol)
- geopolitical factors affecting interactions (e.g., location of landforms or resources)
Have students identify technologies, place names, and concepts that demonstrate American Indian (First American) influences.
For review, have the students complete the Cultural Interactions Student worksheet. For the Cultural Interactions student worksheet, CLICK HERE. For the Cultural Interactions worksheet answer key, CLICK HERE.

WEB SITES

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/index.shtml
Biographies of various explorers

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/coronado.htm
Information on Francisco Coronado

http://www.civilization.ca/vmnf/explor/explcd_e.html
Information on Samuel de Champlain

http://www.civilization.ca/vmnf/explor/lasal_e1.html
Information on Robert LaSalle

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/cabot1497.html
Information on John Cabot

http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/ageofex/
Age of Exploration

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/explorer.html
Web page of resources about explorers from the educational technology department of Kennesaw State University

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson162.shtml
Lessons of the Explorers! from Education World

http://encarta.msn.com/text_761570777___250/Native_Americans_of_North_America.html
Native Americans of North America

http://www.co.blm.gov/ahc/anasazi.htm
Detailed history of the Pueblos (Anasazi)

http://www.libsci.sc.edu/miller/native.htm
Lessons to introduce students to the culture of a variety of Native American tribes through literature and related activities

http://americanhistory.si.edu/kids/buffalo/map.html
Map with highlights of the Plains Indians states

http://www.nativetech.org/scenes/
Lifestyle of the Indians of the Eastern Woodlands

http://inkido.indiana.edu/w310work/romac/swest.htm
Simple overview of the Southwest Native Americans with links to other sites

http://historyisfun.org/PDFbooks/Living_with_the_Indians.pdf
Information about Virginia's American Indians (First Americans)

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