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Primary Sources (with discussion questions)

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Primary Sources (with discussion questions)

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These primary sources are part of a collection under the Digital Public Library of America.  These sources were published online as part of their Primary Source Set Collection- created and reviewed by educators across the nation.   These Primary Source Sets provide sources, additional resources, teaching guides, and discussion questions specifically for educations.   The website also draws from its collaboration with the National Archives for their primary source investigation instructions for students.

The creator of this primary source set through the Digital Public Library of America is the educator Kerry Dunne, of Weston Public Schools, Massachusetts.   She holds the position of History and Social Studies Department Head at Lexington High School, as well as serving as an adjunct faculty member at Boston College and Framingham State University.   Her work for the Digital Public Library of America was published during her time on the Educational Advisory Committee.  She has been recognized by the NAACP for her curriculum and works as a member of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting Education Advisory Committee.

This source seems very reliable.  The Digital Public Library of America works in collaboration with the National Archives and Library of Congress which are both very reputable sites. The content on this site is nuanced and provides good representation of different people and communities because of the size and type differentiation of sources.  These sources include letters, pictures, illustrations, and maps, from various viewpoints at different times throughout the Age of Exploration.  These sources are posted through different public libraries across the nation and can be cited through a link.

This source set could be used for any number of activities, such as a Document-Based Question or a Gallery walk. The provided discussion questions and activity are not tied to any specific TEKS, because this resources was produced at the national level, but it would work well with AP-level history classes. The resource seems more directed at teaching sourcing and point of view of historical documents, rather than explicit content. For this reason, this source would be more appropriate for higher-level courses.

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Although conventional narratives often have begun this topic with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, it is critical to note the presence of an estimated 37 million inhabitants in North and South America at the time of European exploration. It is also important, given what we know about the varied peoples and civilizations of the Americas, and the aims and consequences of Europeans sailing to the Americas, to characterize this period not as "discovery" of the Americas but as "exploration," "colonization," and/or "conquest."

The historical details of European exploration of the Americas are many, and difficult to summarize. There is archaeological evidence of Viking exploration and temporary settlement in Eastern Canada and New England around the year 1000. Unconfirmed tales of Irish, African, and Polynesian exploration of the Americas prior to 1492 also exist. But, without a doubt, the onslaught of European colonization began in 1492 with the arrival of Christopher Columbus, and quickly accelerated as the Spanish claimed land in the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and South America, the French claimed land in the Caribbean and the central and northern portions of North America, and the British claimed land in what is today the eastern United States as well as Canada. Portugal and the Netherlands also, for a time, held significant "new world" colonies.

The consequences of this period of exploration and early colonization are many. The "Columbian Exchange" led to a rapid introduction of new flora and fauna in Europe and the Americas. European nations gained wealth, power, and vast lands in which to re-settle excess populations. But surely, the largest consequences were felt by the native peoples of the Americas, who experienced a genocide that diminished their populations by more than 90 percent within a century of European arrival, and on the peoples of West Africa, who were enslaved by the millions to build a captive labor force in the newly colonized Americas.

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Although conventional narratives often have begun this topic with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, it is critical to note the presence of an estimated 37 million inhabitants in North and South America at the time of European exploration.

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This source is an activity created by Google Earth in collaboration with PBS education.   There is not very much information on the website directly, although PBS has much more information on their purpose and production.  The goal of the site is to provide information on key European explorers while providing a visual depiction of their voyages.

The creator of this mapping activity is PBS education along with Google Earth.  PBS education claims to provide resources for teaching with the goal to "enhance educator practice and equitable student learning."  They produce many other videos and article which cover various educational material in all subjects from grades K through 12.

This source seems very reliable as it uses Google Earth mapping and the latest technology to enhance student learning.  PBS embeds primary sources throughout which add to the credibility aspect of this resource.  This source might be problematic as far as the representation of individuals.  The only individuals who are given mapping routes are the European individuals, which might give a skewed perspective for students.

This source supports the learning objectives very well as it describes the motivations and results of the exploration of different explorers.  Although it doesn't have different TEKS embedded in the content, the language and key terms it uses could definitely be found in the TEKS.  This resource is helpful for teachers because it doesn't require much time or preparation work, and could be accessible to students throughout the many pictures, videos, and text excerpts.

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Aw snap! Google Earth isn't supported on your browser. You may need to update your browser or use a different browser. Please see our system requirements for more information. Chrome is a great choice and you can download it here. Or if you're feeling adventurous, you can try Earth anyway by choosing an option below.

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This interactive map and timeline was posted as a exhibition under the History resources on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.  These resources are created and vetted by the Gilder Lehrman Institute board of historians who use the 85,000 unique documents to create unique and historically rich educational resources and activities for students and educators in American and across the world.  They have been recognized by the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, the Council of Independent Colleges, and the National Daughters of the American Revolution.

There is no explicit creator for this source other than the historians from the institute of Gilder Lehrman.  However, the department staff is headed by the president James G. Basker.  He is the Richard Gilder Professor of Literary History at Columbia University, where he has served as the founder and President of Oxbridge Academic Programs.  His special interests in 18th century history as well as Black Atlantic literature add to his rich background and explanation of the age of exploration.

The Gilder Lehrman Website is known for being credible and reliable, and while they do not cite the specific primary sources in the map, the information is specific and accurate.  The map displays an accurate visual, while the side panel details specifics about the different goods, people, animals, and diseases that traveled during the Age of Exploration.  The "people" category considers both different ethnic and gender subcategories which gives an authentic representation of people as far as data can go.

This source does add value as a resource for the topic of Teaching the Age of Exploration because it would be a good website for differentiation. The graphics are simple and easy to understand, but the effects of the Columbian exchange shown have deeper implications. Being able to teach students who need more visual aids, but at the same time being able to ask deeper questions of higher level learners will assist teachers with their instruction. This lesson would be better at the end of the unit to tie together the effects of exploration.

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interactive map: the columbian exchange | |

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The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

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Interactive Map: The Columbian Exchange | |