EDSITEment - Lesson Plan. Introduction Debate over the legacy of Christopher Columbus has opened new perspectives on the Renaissance world that gave impetus to his first voyage, and has raised awareness of the cultures he and those who followed him encountered in the world across the sea. Through the Internet, students can observe the events of 1492 from this dual vantage-point, exploring the two worlds that made contact when Columbus stepped ashore. Learning Objectives To gain an understanding of the forces within European society that found expression in the voyage of Christopher Columbus; to examine the cultures of those whom Columbus and his successors encountered in the New World; to analyze the degree to which cultural expectations shaped the encounter experience for Columbus; to reconstruct the encounter experience for those who saw Columbus sail into their world. 1 Begin by asking students what happened in Spain in 1492. 4 Shift attention next to the world Columbus encountered when he crossed the Atlantic.
The Leading Columbus Navigation Site on the Net. Discoverer's Day [Columbus Day] Lesson Plans and Activities. Columbus Day vocabulary games, Columbus Day vocabulary puzzles. FC81: Early voyages of Exploration (c.1400-1550) Introduction In 1400 A.D. Europeans probably knew less of the globe than they had during the Pax Romana. Outside of Europe and Mediterranean, little was known, with rumor and imagination filling the gaps. Pictures of bizarre looking people with umbrella feet, faces in their stomachs, and dogs' heads illustrated books about lands to the East.
Europeans also had many misconceptions about the planet outside their home waters. Factors favoring Europe However, about this time, European explorers started to lead the way in global exploration, timidly hugging the coasts at first, but gradually getting bolder and striking out across the open seas. The rise of towns and trade along with the Crusades in the centuries preceding the age of exploration caused important changes in Europeans' mental outlook that would give them the incentive and confidence to launch voyages of exploration in three ways.
Medieval religious fervor also played its part. Maps also left a lot to be desired.