Chapter 3: Lesson 3Europeans Arrive in the

Americas

Christopher ColumbusPage 96

Many Europeans liked the spices and other items from Asia. Vasco da Gama had found a water way to get to Asia by sailing around Africa.

Why did he want to sail?

• Read the first paragraph under “Christopher Columbus” on page 96 in your textbook.

• Why did Columbus want to sail? What was he looking for?

Christopher Columbus

• Christopher Columbus thought he could find an even faster way to get to Asia.

• Columbus was born in 1451 in Italy

• He wanted to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean

Study this map. Why do you think Columbus thought sailing west would reach Asia?

Getting Money for the trip

• In 1486, Columbus asked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to fund his voyage.

• Why would Columbus need money?

• What do you think Columbus said to them to try to convince them to give him the money?

• Read the 2nd paragraph on page 96- Does he get the money?

Primary Source: Christopher Columbus’s letter to the King and Queen of Spain

1492

• In 1492, the king and queen agreed to fund Columbus’s trip.

• He left on August 3, 1492. He took enough supplies for a year.

• What supplies do you think they took?

• The typical foods brought on these long journeys consisted of water, vinegar, wine, olive oil, molasses, honey, cheese, rice, almonds, salted flour, sea biscuits, dry legumes, salted and barreled sardines, anchovies, dry salt cod and pickled or salted meats (beef and pork). Fresh livestock included pigs and chickens were part of the ships provisions. Fish was readily available.

• Foods were commonly salted and pickled as a method of preserving the food. The crew was served two meals a day. Foods were mostly boiled and served in a large wooden bowl. The sailors ate with their fingers because they had no forks or spoons. There was a lack of proper sanitation. Hand washing before meals was not required.

What did they eat?

The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria

• Christopher Columbus took 90 men and 3 ships. They did not know how long the trip would take.

• Why would they take 3 ships? Why not just one?

Land!• The set sail on August 3, 1492 and spotted land

on October 12, 1492.• How long were they sailing?• Look at the map on page 97. Did all 3 ships make

the journey?

Page 97

• Paragraph 4- read and tell me what Columbus called the people and why.

Indians?• Columbus thought he had made it to islands near

India! (India is a country in Asia)• This is why he called the people “Indians”

Taino• The people where Columbus landed called

themselves Taino. They were friendly and traded with Columbus and his crew.

Returning Home

• Columbus left 40 men- Why would he do this?• He also took some Taino with him back to Italy

October 12, 1492

Brainpop Video

• http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/famoushistoricalfigures/christophercolumbus/

Timeline activity

• Use pages 96-97 to create a timeline of Columbus’s life. Include these events in order. Find the year and write the year and month if possible and event in the correct location on the timeline:

• Nina and Pinta return to Spain, leaving 40 men behind• Columbus asked the King and Queen of Spain for money for the trip and

they agreed• Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain• A sailor on the Pinta spotted land• Christopher Columbus was born in Italy• Write a summary of what happened on each date. Put the events in order

and illustrate.

Christopher Columbus Play

• You will work with a group to choose parts and practice reading the play about Christopher Columbus.

• Be ready to present your scene to the class