Age of Exploration
Depending on the perspective, the Age of Exploration was a time of momentous discovery, in which humankind’s understanding of the world expanded at a rapid pace—or, it marked the beginning of an era of foreign domination. See both sides in this collection of historical resources.
Featured Materials
Origins of Oceanic Connections
Article
Origins of Oceanic Connections
Western European mariners set off to find new routes to Asian trade markets. Instead, they found the Americas—and so began a long process of global interconnections.
The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution
Article
The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution
Consider the effects of industrialization in England by looking at three case studies on trade goods—sugar, wheat, and copper—and their impact on industrialization around the world.
Silver Trade and Transoceanic Voyages Thematic Map
Visual Aid
Silver Trade and Transoceanic Voyages Thematic Map
A full-color thematic map of the Silver Trade and Transoceanic Voyages in 1550 CE, meant to help you support, extend, and challenge the frame narratives.
Lessons
Lesson 3.3
Age of Exploration
Though Europeans had traveled by sea to the Americas centuries earlier, during this period their reach expanded into maritime empires. In this lesson, we will explore the beginnings of the European empires that cemented transoceanic connections.
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Lesson 3.4
Conquest
The arrival of Europeans in the Americas brought grim tidings for Indigenous populations. The European invasion killed tens of millions of people through war and disease. Indigenous people resisted colonization in every region of the Americas.
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Materials
Amonute
Graphic Biographies
Amonute
Amonute was a Powhatan woman who intervened between her people and early English colonists in Virginia.
European Colonies in the Americas
Article
European Colonies in the Americas
The Spanish and Portuguese built the first colonies in the Americas. But other European countries would challenge Spain and Portugal’s early monopoly.
Sourcing: Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire
Activity
Sourcing: Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire
Continue to develop your sourcing skills by analyzing two primary source documents, each written from a different perspective, about the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.
Lion of the Sea
Article
Lion of the Sea
Being a great sailor requires a lot of knowledge. The greatest among them relied heavily on the collective learning that made crossing the vast Indian Ocean possible.
Oceanic Empires, 1450 to 1750
Article
Oceanic Empires, 1450 to 1750
European ships crossed oceans, creating a global network of colonies and commerce. Titanic changes followed in their wake.
The Navigator: Mau Piailug
Graphic Biographies
The Navigator: Mau Piailug
Mau Piailug helped revive the navigation techniques ancient Polynesians used to cross thousands of miles of open ocean to settle Hawaii.