Social Studies Curriculum

Grade 8 - United States History
Curriculum Guide

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Three Worlds Meet (1400s to 1620)

Time Frame for Unit:

6 weeks

Content Standards:

National Standards for History:

Era 1 - Three Worlds Meet (1400s to 1620)

Standard 1

1. The student understands the patterns of change in indigenous societies in the Americas up to the Columbian voyages.
2. The student understands changes in Western European societies in the age of exploration.
3. The student understands developments in Western African societies in the period of early contact with Europeans.
4. The student understands the differences and similarities among Africans, Europeans, and Native Americans who converged in the western hemisphere after 1492.

Standard 2

1. The student understands the stages of European oceanic and overland exploration, amid international rivalries, from the 9th to 17th centuries.
2. The student understands the Spanish and Portuguese conquest of the Americas.

Alaska Content Standards: History

1. Understand that history is a record of human experiences that links the past to the present and the future.
2. Understand historical themes through factual knowledge of time, places, ideas, institutions, cultures, people, and events.
3. Develop the skills and processes of historical inquiry.
4. Integrate historical knowledge with historical skill to effectively participate as a citizen and as a lifelong learner.

Brief summary of unit:

In the Three Worlds Meet unit students examine the multiple factors that spurred on the migration of peoples to the Americas. This resulted in the cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples. Students will understand the interactions between Europeans, Africans, and the indigenous peoples of America. They will understand the origins of diversity in the United States of America.

Enduring Understandings:

The students will understand that:

1. Migration is a universal phenomenon among all people. The impulse to explore new territories or lands has resulted in the diversity of many regions including the U.S.
2. The Columbian voyages set in motion long-range cultural, social, and economic changes for African, European, and Native American societies.

Essential Questions:

1. Why do people migrate?
2. To what extent do the interactions of immigrants and indigenous peoples impact each other in the new world?
3. How and why does geography effect settlement?
4. To what extent do conquest, colonization, and settlement establish and develop different economic, political, religious, and social institutions over time?
5. To what extent does our current diversity in the U.S. derive from early patterns of exploration and migration?

Knowledge:

Define and apply the following terms and concepts:
Three Worlds, Indigenous societies, European explorers, Conquistadors, Northwest Passage, Columbian Exchange, Protestant Reformation, The Great Awakening, The Enlightenment, mercantilism, Mayflower Compact, Plymouth Rock, slavery, Middle Passage, servitude, exploitation, triangular trade

Explain the significance of the following:

• formation of Spanish, English, French, Dutch regional colonies
• colonial life in each settlement
• economic, political, social growth of the slave trade
• geography in relation to the colonies and indigenous peoples

Skills:

The student will be able to …

• Evaluate and analyze the beliefs and ideas of leading economic, political, and religious movements, which led to the migration of European societies to the Americas.
• Analyze the economic systems of labor, trade, and concepts of property, which can lead to the exploitation of natural resources.
• Trace routes taken by early explorers, from the 15th through the 17th century, around Africa, to the Americas, and across the Pacific.
• Compare English, French, and Dutch motives for exploration with those of the Spanish.
• Evaluate the significance of explorers’ voyages and their interactions with indigenous peoples.
• Map and evaluate the course and consequences of the Columbian Exchange.

Assessment Evidence *

Performance Tasks:

• Select one explorer, research and map his routes, and document the findings in the captain’s log of the travels.
• Retell a Native American folktale that gives insight into the relationship between Native Americans and their environment.

Other Evidence:

• Test on facts related to the Three Worlds Meet.
• Quiz on vocabulary terms.
• Analyze the leadership qualities of the explorers and conquistadors.
• Self-reflections on the role-play activity.
• Written responses to the Essential Questions.

Learning Plan*

Learning Activities:

1. Begin with a video to hook students into considering the impact of the Three Worlds Meet.
2. Introduce the Essential Questions and discuss the culminating unit tasks.
3. Introduce key vocabulary during the various activities and performance tasks.
4. Students read and discuss relevant sections from the sources (McDougal Ch. 1 & 2) to support the learning activities and tasks.
5. Choose one of the performance tasks to assess student understanding.
6. Conclude the unit with student self-assessment of their culminating activity.

* These are suggested activities. Other assessments, performance tasks, and learning activities may be implemented.

 

Next: Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763) »