Chapter 1

Use the navigation bar above to access this Chapter's materials.

Summary:

Chapter 1 gives an overview of the Americas before and after European contact, highlighting the diversity and sophistication of Indigenous societies, the forces driving European exploration, and the Spanish conquests in the New World. It shows how the Columbian Exchange linked the hemispheres, spreading crops, animals, goods, and deadly diseases that reshaped populations, economies, and cultures on a global scale.

Reading Pacing Guide (Dunn):

• Thu 8/14: Introduction – First Americans (up to “In the Northwest…”)

• Fri 8/15: First Americans (remainder) – start of European Expansion (up to “Blending economic and religious motivations…”)

• Sat 8/16: European Expansion (remainder)

• Sun 8/18: Spanish Exploration and Conquest (up to “From Mexico, Spain expanded northward…”)

• Mon 8/19: Spanish Exploration and Conquest (remainder) – Conclusion

• Tue 8/20: READING QUIZ - Dunn