1. There were many geographic, economic, technological, personal, and political factors prior to 1492 that caused Europeans to explore.

2. Explorers demonstrated particular characteristics.

3. The goals, purposes, and methods of the exploring European countries varied.

4. Contact between the Europeans and Indians had positive and negative impact for both.

Students learn from this unit that Europeans had different reasons for exploration and approached it in a variety of ways. Also, the unit makes it clear that explorers were people who had vision, aspirations, unique attributes, and perhaps flaws of character. Students should be motivated to see through the eyes of an explorer or an Indian to judge whether contact was a benefit or drawback for each of them.

As in the previous unit of instruction, Unit II provides content and concepts which are developmentally appropriate and provide opportunities for the use of higher level thinking and problem solving skills.

Opportunitues also exist for in-depth study and research, as well as for encouraging students to expand their understanding of the interrelatedness between geography, culture, and history which was begun in Unit I.

Question/Problem 1 : What were the geographic, economic, technological, personal, and political factors between the Crusades and 1492 that caused the Europeans to explore?

Question/Problem 2 : Describe the reasons for the outcomes of the European explorers between 1492 and 1673.

Question/Problem 3 : Assess the effects of contact on the Indians and Europeans between 1492 and 1673.

Suggested Enrichment Activities