The Americas Overview
The Americas (Unit 5)
Essential Questions:
How do I recognize the important political boundaries in the Americas? How does the geography of Central and South America influence the history of the continent?
How did religious views affect the direction of development in the Americas?
How did the distribution of resources affect the lives of people in the Americas?
How was the colonization and exploitation of the Americas connected to the prestige of European nations?
Major Themes:
Political Geography (Countries)
Physical Geography (Diverse geographical features of the continent)
Indigenous Religions, Missionaries/Salvation
Markets and Resources
Ancient Civilizations
Olmec, Maya, Inca, Aztec
Columbian Exchange
Inventions that made travel easier
Columbus, Magellan, de Gama, Henry the Navigator, Dias
Portugal, Spain, Netherlands
Italy, Britain, France
Conquistadors
Bolivar, Cortez, Montezuma
Summative Assessments:
Sheppard Software: Central and South America (C1)
Culture and History Assessment (C2 & C3)
DBQ on The Americas (C4)
