F R O M D I S C O V E R Y T O I N D E P E N D E N C E

M S . C O F F E Y FA L L 2 0 1 8 W E E K 5

T O D AY ’ S A G E N D A

• Discovery of the Americas

• The 13 colonies

• The war for independence

F I R S T, A S H O R T W R I T I N G A S S I G N M E N T A N D A D I S C U S S I O N

• Write one paragraph about a current event (or relatively current event) in the United States. Answer the following questions:

• What happened?

• How do you feel about this event?

• Then, get in groups and discuss the events you wrote about. Choose one event to present to the class. The original person who wrote about the event can be the teacher. Again, all people must talk and all must state their names when presenting.

E X A M P L E

• One current event that I know about is the hearing of Brett Kavanaugh for Supreme Court justice. These hearings have been televised live in the United States. Currently, an FBI investigation of Brett Kavanaugh is about to take place. Personally, I think that Kavanaugh should not receive a nomination for the Supreme Court, as his actions have not only been dishonorable, but he also appears to be dishonest and lacking in composure, neither of which are qualities of a good court justice.

C O L U M B U S A N D T H E D I S C O V E R Y

I N I T I A L D I S C O V E R Y

• Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who, in 1492, requested funds from the King and Queen of Spain to finance a trip to the East Indies

• The purpose of the trip was to established a trade route with India

• However, Columbus never made it to India, he made it to another, previously undiscovered land-mass, the Americas

C O L U M B U S A N D R E L AT I O N S W I T H N AT I V E P E O P L E S

“They…brought us parrots and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads’ and

hawks’ bells. They willingly traded everything they owned…They were well-built, with good bodies and

handsome features…They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no

iron. Their spears are made out of cane…They would make fine servants…With fifty men we could subjugate them all

and make them do whatever we want.” —Christopher Columbus

T H E S I T U AT I O N W O R S E N S

• After the first voyage to the Americas, Columbus returned to tell the King and Queen of Spain what he had seen, suggesting that he could bring the native people back as slaves, as well as gold

• For this second voyage, he received 17 ships

• He attempted to ship 500 people back to Spain, however 200 of these people died on the trip back

• This was just one of many atrocities committed by Columbus and his crew