To being our unit on the Three Worlds (Africa, Americas, and Europe) meeting, we do a simulation:
I put the kiddos into three groups = Europe, The Americas both North and South, and Africa. I give each group a map of their continent and an envelop filled with natural resources as well as man made items from their continent and culture.
I put the kiddos into three groups = Europe, The Americas both North and South, and Africa. I give each group a map of their continent and an envelop filled with natural resources as well as man made items from their continent and culture.
I then have them categorize these items in any way they want. Next, I explain that these items both manufactured and natural resources are what they had to trade with other countries and have them sort them in order of trade value. Then, the groups walk around the other tables and talked about what they would want from the other continent's list of items. It was fun to listen to their conversations of what they thought they could trade the other continent for! "We could give them 2 horses for maybe 2 carts of pineapples, but they would have to give us the carts to make it fair"
Then, we start the Simulation:
I explain that many of the items they have traveled "accidently" between the continents and required no trading at all. These items included many livestock that the Europeans brought over Coronado brought over pigs and they multiplied in the wild exponentially!, plants, and diseases - most notably Small Pox. For a visual, we connect the "continents" with red string when items were traded. To demonstrate the severity of disease upon the native population I have a "European Explorer" from the Europe table trade a picture of copper pots with a native chief for a few natural items. As the cards are passed I explain that the European had small pox and that three of the "natives" died of it They have to go sit at the "Table of Death".
I explain that many of the items they have traveled "accidently" between the continents and required no trading at all. These items included many livestock that the Europeans brought over Coronado brought over pigs and they multiplied in the wild exponentially!, plants, and diseases - most notably Small Pox. For a visual, we connect the "continents" with red string when items were traded. To demonstrate the severity of disease upon the native population I have a "European Explorer" from the Europe table trade a picture of copper pots with a native chief for a few natural items. As the cards are passed I explain that the European had small pox and that three of the "natives" died of it They have to go sit at the "Table of Death".
Next, the Europeans discovered how well tobacco, cotton, sugar cane, and coffee grew in the New World and sent men to farm it more students head from the Europe table to the Americas table. They "hire" and enslave Native Americans, but every time they "shake hands" the "Natives" die from disease or run away to other tribes now there are 5 kids lying on the carpet. The Europeans now don't have anyone to help them in their fields ... so they send a trader to Africa ... who it must be noted, already have slavery occurring on their continent. I have the African "king" send some people to a remote "village" and gather slaves for the Europeans and sent them to the "New World" table.
Because of all the new products particularly corn and potatoes which are coming from the New World, people in Europe are living longer and healthier lives. Students who have "died" now go to the "Europe Table" as babies that are now living into adulthood. I then had students look at the items they had acquired through the triangular trade and categorize them. They recognized that the Americas were trading natural resources or raw materials with Europe who was in turn trading back manufactured items. Africa was trading the Americas and Europe Slaves mostly for rum and weapons. We also discuss how THIS is the time of pirates that we think of- why? Because here were loads of ships carrying in essence "free merchandize." It opens up great discussion as to where they were located Pirates of the Caribbean the west Indies and how some countries particularly England, hired privateers to raid Spanish ships that were heading back loaded with gold. |
Later, when we go to fill in our graphic organizer, the kids can articulate exactly what was happening to the cultures in the different continents after this activity.