Columbus or Zheng He

Christopher Columbus or Zheng He, who "discovered" America?  Write 300-350 words discussing your viewpoint, while utilizing evidence and logic to support your rationale.  Please comment on two of your classmate's posts as well.

Who was King Philip?

King Philip's War- click on this link to watch video

Listen to the audio or view video, by historian Jill Lepore, on King Philip's War (you may need to register with Gilder Lehrman Institute of ...it is free, just put in your email as a student)
Blog your response to: 

• Who was King Philip?  
• Who was responsible for the King Philip's War, what were their motives, and why?  
• How did the war influence American identity and the relationships between Natives and Colonists?

Colonial Life Diary

Write multiple diary entries (2-3 min.) during colonial American times.  First, create a fictitious identity and then choose a living area (New England, Chesapeake, West Indies, Atlantic Coast).  Be creative and weave your understanding of the labor systems into your entries.  The entries should be based upon your fictious person visiting another colony and describing differences between the two.  Use your imaginations as well as historical knowledge when creating your entry.  SPICE (social, political, intellectual, cultural, economic) it up as you look to enlighten us about the differences between areas.  Do not forget to incorporate labor systems, that should be primary focus first, then SPICE it up!  Have fun.

Black Legend

Were the English colonizers crueler or more tolerant than the Spanish conquistadores?  What role did the Black Legend play?  Why did the Spanish tend to intermarry and settle with the Indian population, whereas the English tended to kill the Indians and drive them from their lands?  How did this pattern of interaction affect both Indian and White society?


Respond to the questions and make at least 2 comments on your classmates' posts.