Chapter Review.  (You will need Powerpoint) 

or

Chapter Review (web format)

Chapter 3-1 & 4-1

The Journal of Columbus
Online Project

Directions:  Access the journal of Columbus. Read the journal of his voyage and choose any of the following  questions to answer.

1. In the section entitled, "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," Columbus writes to the King and Queen of Spain that he intends to meet the people of India and find the proper method of converting them to "our holy faith."  In the Same letter, he confirms that he will be called "perpetual Viceroy and Governor" in all the islands and continents that he discovers and acquires.  Write an editorial for a paper pointing out the hypocrisy of Columbus' intentions.  Is he going to convert or conquer?

2. Columbus knows that his voyage will be a long one, but he is determined to protect his men from fear of the unknown for as long as he can.  In the first few days of the voyage, he notes that even though he has sailed many more leagues (a nautical measure of about 3 miles), he is "going to count less than the true number."  Write an opinion paper on his decision from the viewpoint of either Columbus or a sailor.

3. On Thursday and Friday, October 11 and 12, the first contact is made with indigenous people.  Read these sections and describe Columbus's attitude toward the people he meets.  Base your opinion on Columbus's impressions of all that he sees.  What do you think of his decision to take six people home to Spain?

4. You are one of the first people to spot Columbus's ships and tell your neighbors that it looks like some people are going to come ashore.  Everyone wants to know what they look like.  Are they carrying weapons?  Describe Columbus and his sailors to your neighbors.

5. Plot Columbus's daily journey, making allowances for the current's strength and direction, and hypothesize where his first landfall was.  Do you agree or disagree with other scholars on the location of his first landfall?

6. With only a compass to guide a ship in 1492, what is the purpose of keeping a ship's log?  Defend the absolute necessity of writing accurate descriptions regarding heading, speed, sea state, winds, leeway, and any other factors that might affect the voyage.  How might the log save the lives of those on board?

A further resource may be found at the Library of Congress.  This website contains info from a Columbus exhibit. Another place to look is the Columbus Navigation Home Page.  Happy Hunting!!

Chapter 4-1     

Task:  Plan a list of items to take on a late spring/early fall backpacking trip to the Sierra's.  You must depend solely on the contents of your backpack.  Work in groups to determine what you will bring on this one week wilderness trip.  You may not replace anything or forage for food.  Your will have a water supply to draw on though you will need to bring some kind of a purifying system to accomplish this. Your list should include clothing, food, shelter, medical supplies, and the like.  Approximate the weights--Everything you choose must fit in and you will carry in the backpack or large duffel (no wheels!!)  Here's a place to obtain weights for your camping equipment and some supplies.

Prepare a display, either PowerPoint or posterboard, showing what you will bring on your trip of discovery.

Chapter 4-2

Did the British really give smallpox infected blankets to the Native Americans?   Or is this a case of historical folklore that gains more credence every time its repeated?  Consider the documents on this site-- the Fordham Modern History Sourcebook