Module 1: Chapter 1 The Americas, Europe, and Africa Before 1492

Image from Chapter 1 of U.S. History (opens in new window) from OpenStax, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License v4.0 with the image information: This 1507 map by cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthais Ringmann is credited as the first to incorporate the word "America." Little was known about the continent at the time, as the land masses on the far left of the map reveal. But the New World offered opportunity that the Old World would exploit.

This week you will be learning about early America and the origins of European Exploration and its consequences.  Some highlights include a discussion of the first inhabitants, mistakenly called Indians by the Europeans when they first arrived, the economic and religious reasons for European expansion, and the emergence of the Columbian exchange, which had major implications for Europe, the Americas, and Africa.  You will also learn about the start of the Atlantic slave trade.  To be an informed American citizen, one must understand the complex origins of the nation.  The first chapter does a good job of explaining them.

To achieve these objectives:

1. Read the Module 1 Introduction above.
   
2. Read and view the materials in Chapter 1 (click below)
3. View the Chapter 1 PowerPoint below.
4. Complete Module 1 quizzes/assignments/discussion boards based on chapter/document reading.

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