In 1492 , Christopher Columbus landed in the islands that are now called the West Indies, in the Caribbean. There, he encountered the Taino people. The Tainos lived in villages and grew corn, yams, and cotton, which they wove into cloth. They were friendly and generous toward the Spanish.

Friendly relations soon evaporated, however. Spanish conquistadors, or conquerors, followed in the wake of Columbus. They settled on the islands of Hispaniola (now the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Cuba, and Puerto Rico. They seized the gold ornaments worn by the Tainos, then made them pan for more gold. At the same time, the newcomers forced the Tainos to convert to Christianity.

Meanwhile, a deadly but invisible invader was at work-disease. Europeans unknowingly carried diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza to which Native Americans had no immunity, or resistance. These diseases spread rapidly and wiped out village after village. As a result, the Native American population of the Caribbean islands declined by as much as $90$ percent in the $1500$s. This cycle of disease and death was repeated in many other places across the Western Hemisphere.

Review the three paragraphs. For each paragraph, write a single sentence identifying the main idea of the paragraph.

Which of these sentences are propositions? What are the truth values of those that are propositions?

a) Boston is the capital of Massachusetts.

b) Miami is the capital of Florida.

c) $2+3=5$.

d) $5+7=10$.

e) $x+2=11$.

f) Answer this question.

g) $x+y=y+x$ for every pair of real numbers $x$ and $y$.

Which of these sentences are proportions? What are the truth values of those that are proportions?

a) Boston is the capital of Massachusetts.

b) Miami is the capital of Florida.

c) 2 + 3 = 5. d) 5 + 7 = 10.

e) x + 2 = 11.

f) Answer this question.

Compare New France and the 13 English colonies in terms of

a) population,

b) government,

c) economy.

Do you think the European policy of mercantilism was beneficial or harmful for the people of Africa and the Americas? Explain.

Describe the Compromise of 1850 which was passed by the U.S. Congress.

Global exchanges of goods, ideas, and even diseases continue today. How has modern technology quickened the speed with which global exchanges occur? Provide examples to support your answer.

Compare the Spanish conquest of the Americas with the Reconquista or the Crusades.

(a) How were they similar?

(b) How were they different?

Study the map 'Land Claims in the Americas About 1700' and the physical map of North America.

(a) Which waterways were vitally important to French colonies in North America?

(b) How might France's rivals take advantage of this geographic dependence ?

(a) What kinds of information would a modern historian need to determine the number of Africans involved in the slave trade?

(b) Why might a historian have trouble finding this information?

(a) In what ways were the Spanish and Portuguese empires in the Americas similar?

(b) In what ways were they different?

Use the vocabulary word listed to create a crossword puzzle. Exchange your puzzle with a classmate. Complete the puzzle and then check each other's answers.

missionary

(a) How did Britain come to dominate North America?

(b) What impact did European competition for colonies have on Native Americans?

How did southern Africa become a battleground for rival groups?