Description of lesson/activities:
1. Introduce the unit during this lesson by displaying two maps. The first map should be entitled "The World in l492," and should show the world as most explorers perceived it in the l5th century (e.g., only the European and Asian Continents should be showing.) There are several versions of this map in textbooks, or you may want to produce your own version. (See resource section of this unit for a sample.) The second map should be entitled "The World in l99? (Current year should be inserted, and an up-to-date world map should be used.)
2. Discussion of the current world map should take place first. Ask students to identify any part of the map they are familiar with--continents, countries, oceans, etc. (This will provide an idea of student background knowledge about world geography.) After enough discussion of the current world map has taken place, look at and discuss the l492 map and contrast it to the current world map. Students will be asked to identify anything they feel is different about this map. (They will probably recognize that "North America is missing"; "the United States is missing.") Ask, "Why are these places missing?" (Answers may vary, but students should be led to understand that mapmakers of the l5th century did not know about the North American Continent.)
3. Students who participated in Unit I, as well as other CROSSROADS lessons, should be able to see the difference between the European view of the world in 1492, and the fact that not only did the Americas exist at that time but were filled with people who had important cultures.