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Christopher Columbus

The iconic portrait of Christopher Columbus.

Format: image/painting

Columbus taking possession of the New World

Painting of Christopher Columbus taking possession of the new world. In the painting, Columbus kneels on a rocky coast, with a flag in his left hand and a sword in his right. He is surrounded by European men, some of them bearing flags. In the background,...

Format: image/painting

Landing of Columbus

John Vanderlyn's painting, Landing of Columbus, commissioned in 1836/1837, depicts Christopher Columbus' landing in the West Indies in 1492. Columbus holds the royal banner of Spain, laying claim to the land. He holds a sword...

Format: image/painting

Two worlds: Educator's guide

Lesson plans and activities to be used with "Two Worlds: Prehistory, Contact, and the Lost Colony" -- the first part of a North Carolina history textbook for secondary students.

Format: book (multiple pages)

Shadows of a people: Introduction

In Intrigue of the Past, page 4.1

Lessons in this part stand alone, yet link to and expand on some tidbit in Chapter 3. They focus emphasize that the “Indians” Columbus met were not frozen in time as many people even today believe. Their history is one of time passage, of journeys, of adaptations, of settling, of interactions, of conflict—everything that is the fabric of life.

The Columbian Exchange

In Prehistory, contact, and the Lost Colony, page 5.1

When Christopher Columbus and his crew arrived in the New World, two biologically distinct worlds were brought into contact. The animal, plant, and bacterial life of these two worlds began to mix in a process called the Columbian Exchange. The results of this exchange recast the biology of both regions and altered the history of the world.

Format: article

By J.R. McNeill.

Educator's guide: Spain and America

In Two worlds: Educator's guide, page 3.1

The article "Spain and America: From Reconquest to Conquest" introduces a lot of information and a number of issues that may be new to students. These suggestions will help you use the article in a way that best fits the needs of your class.

Format: /lesson plan (grade 8 Social Studies)

By Pauline S. Johnson.

Reading guide: Spain and America

In Two worlds: Educator's guide, page 3.2

These terms and questions will guide students as they read "Spain and America: From Reconquest to Conquest." Filling in the chronological list of dates will enable students to understand the order in which events unfolded in Spain and in America, and answering the questions will encourage students to think critically about the readings in the chapter.

Format: /lesson plan (grade 8 Social Studies)

By Pauline S. Johnson.

Spain and America: From Reconquest to Conquest

In Prehistory, contact, and the Lost Colony, page 3.1

In 1491, no European knew that North and South America existed. By 1550, Spain -- a small kingdom that had not even existed a century earlier -- controlled the better part of two continents and had become the most powerful nation in Europe. In half a century of brave exploration and brutal conquest, both Europe and America were changed forever.

Format: article

By David Walbert.

Intrigue of the Past

Lesson plans and essays for teachers and students explore North Carolina's past before European contact. Designed for grades four through eight, the web edition of this book covers fundamental concepts, processes, and issues of archaeology, and describes the peoples and cultures of the Paleoindian, Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian periods.

Format: book (multiple pages)

The De Soto expedition

In Prehistory, contact, and the Lost Colony, page 3.3

Hernando De Soto’s expedition through the southeastern United States in 1539–43 was one of the earliest of the early contacts between Europeans and native peoples. While historical documents tell the story of do Soto's journey, advances in both history and archaeology have enabled researchers to reconstruct the de Soto route.

Format: article

Where am I? Mapping a New World

In Prehistory, contact, and the Lost Colony, page 3.2

Early European travelers to the Americas reported bits and pieces of information back to Europe. Over the centuries, mapmakers assembled these reports into maps. As time went by, explorers and mapmakers compiled an increasingly accurate understanding of the Americas and of the world. To do so, they had to invent new tools for mapmaking, embrace radical new ideas about the shape of the world, and discard cherished beliefs.

Format: article

By David Walbert.

Resources on the web

Other worlds: The voyage of Columbus

Using the internet, students observe the events of 1492 from this dual vantage-point, exploring the two worlds that made contact when Columbus stepped ashore. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9 and 11–12 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities

Cyberspace explorer: Getting to know Christopher Columbus

In this lesson, students participate in a cyber scavenger hunt to find information about explorer Christopher Columbus. After the teacher engages students in a discussion about their knowledge of the explorer, the class suggests other questions they would... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Computer/Technology Skills, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

What was Columbus thinking?

In this lesson, students read excerpts from Columbus's letters and journals, as well as recent considerations of his achievements. Students reflect on the motivations behind Columbus's explorations, his reactions to what he found and the consequences, intended... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)

Provided by: EDSITEment

Viking longhouse

In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, students hear where early Viking explorers may have gone after their visit to America. (Learn more)

Format: activity/lesson plan (grade 5 Science and Social Studies)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Top American Treasures of the Library of Congress

Documents associated with George Washington, George Mason, James Madison, Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Christopher Columbus among others are available on this site. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: Library of Congress