social studdies native americans

Card 1: Native People Theories

Ancestors of today’s Native Americans crossed into the Americas from Asia thousands of years ago. Beringia Land Bridge Theory: Known as the theory that Native People migrated across by land. Coastal Route Theory: Another theory that Native People traveled down the coast by boats.

Card 2: African Exploration Theory

Traders from Africa landed in the Americas between 1000BC-300AD. Pre-Columbian statues with similarities to ancient African artwork. A 1906 journal mentions that Native people said they were visited by Black people.

Card 3: First Visitors from Europe - Vikings

Seagoing people who originally lived in Scandinavia. In northern and recently in southern Newfoundland, remains were found of a settlement of Vikings. In 985, Erikson’s father (Erik the Red) was expelled from Iceland for killing a neighbor. Erikson and his father founded the first European settlement in Greenland. Leif sailed with 35 other Vikings from a colony in Greenland to Newfoundland in 1001.

Card 4: Christopher Columbus

An explorer who sailed for Spain and landed in the Caribbean islands when looking for a route to Asia. He was born in Italy (he stated), but moved to Portugal (Europe’s leading seafaring nation). While in Portugal he developed his idea of sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean.

Card 5: Help from Spain

Columbus asked for help from Spain (King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella) after the king of Portugal refused to finance Columbus’s voyage. They eventually agreed (six years).

Card 6: Why did King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella finance Columbus?

Wanted the riches trade would bring. Columbus promised to spread Christianity (Isabella was a devout Catholic).

Card 7: Columbus’ 1st Voyage

Sets sail with his three ships, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María. At sea for ten weeks before he discovered land on October 12, 1492. Columbus landed on a small island, he named San Salvador and claimed it for Spain. He believed he had reached the islands of India, so he called the people living there “Indians”. Sailed southwest to a large island he believed was Japan (Cuba).

Card 8: Voyages 2-4

Columbus made three other voyages to the Caribbean islands. On these voyages, he took soldiers, settlers, and priests to colonize and convert the people who lived there to Christianity. Landed on other islands and enslaved local Native Americans to dig for gold. Columbus dies in 1506, believing he had reached Asia.

Card 9: Amerigo Vespucci

Explorer who made two trips to the new lands and figured out he was in a “new world”, not Asia. The word “Americas” means “land of Amerigo”.

Card 10: Ferdinand Magellan

Explorer who sailed for Spain in 1519 set out to find an Atlantic to Pacific passage to Asia. Spent a year sailing down South America to find a way through. Fleet finally reached the Philippine Islands, he and others were killed in a battle with Filipinos. Some crew became the first to make it back to Spain in 1522, proving the Earth could be circumnavigated.

Card 11: Columbian Exchange

A transfer of people, products, and ideas between hemispheres.

Card 12: Positive Changes of the Columbian Exchange

The Europeans introduced new food plants and domestic animals to the Western hemisphere. The Americas introduced new food plants and animals to the rest of the world, which now account for nearly one-third of the world’s food supply.

Card 13: Negative Changes of the Columbian Exchange

Europeans enslaved Native Americans as they mined for gold. Contagious diseases brought by Europeans killed Native Americans by the thousands.

Card 14: Short Answer Questions

1. How did the search for a water route to Asia affect both Europe and the Americas…think about the effects of the Columbian Exchange? They exchanged new foods. New plants/animals. Killed Native Americans. Spread diseases. 2. Give two reasons why the Europeans set their sights on reaching Asia? Spice trade. New lands/gold.