Sep 12. Section 2 - European Explore New Route

In the last mod of class we talked about the Europeans explore the new route to Asia in order to make money from trading. Below are some of the notes

• Europeans were lived in small villages and weren't doing much trading
• Vikings are Scandinavian navigators who once traveled to Greenland, Iceland, Newfoundland and Cape Cod. Later they returned since the weather is too cold and they didn't get along with native people.
• Marco Polo - Italian who travelled to China for trading
• Sailors and navigators are tried to find a shortcut to Asia
• Most of people in Euro thought Earth was flat

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This is the shortest Blog that i had even written.

Today Mr Schick checked our blog and let us do the work for other class.

At the beginning of the class Mr. Schick gave us a "present" a workbook and i guess everybody is kind of surprise and "happy". Later we review the material that covered last weekend and spend 20 minute in fill the blank in the workbook. Below are the note for today

Nomad - a person who constantly travel for food

Glacier - a HUGE sheet of moving ice

Glacier starts melt at about 10,000 years ago

After a week with our substitute teacher, we finally met Mr. Schick today and had a great time during the first class. In the beginning, we are asked to send our blog address to Mr. Schick and later he told us the purpose of having us write a blog every day--for refreshing memory and preparing test. Also we talk about the reason of handwriting note in class--for helping us to memorize better as well. At the end of the class we discuss Nomads and Mr. Schick demonstrate us the process of how civilization is form-moving for food, to settle down and the specific division of labor. It is hilarious to see Mr. Schick show us how Nomad hunts by pretending as one of the Nomad people. In general today was a awesome start of the yearlong class and i am looking forward to have a enjoyable and productive time in the US history class.

1. What did students learn in Prince Henry's school - Sea navigation

2. What did Columbus hope to find on his voyage - A shortcut to Asia

3. Why do you think early explorers studies astronomy and geography? - To predict the weather condition on the ocean and to find out the direction of the fleet.

4. You are a sailor on one of Columbus's ships. Write a journal entry about the day you first saw land - After a long journey on the Pinta, we finally saw our destination--Asia this morning. Every member of the fleet cheers as the ship approaching to the edge of the Asia. Finally all of our effort is paid off. The goal of our captain Columbus is right in front of us and the burden on my heart suddenly drops since we traveled in right direction and discovered a new route to Asia.

Page 11-13


1. How did the Vikings arrive in America? - By sailing

2. Why were some European traders interesting in Marco Polo's adventures? - They are interested in     Marco Polo's story since there are many new thing such as foods and treasures.

3. If you lived during Marco Polo's time, would you believe his stories about China? Why or why not? - I will believe his story since it affect a large number of Europeans and encourage them to explore Asia.

4. You are Viking navigator. Write an entry in your journal describing why you are risking sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. - Royster, the chief navigator of the IX Viking fleets, is standing on the forefront of the ship and recalling about why he decide to undertake the risky burden of exploring a unknown land. As the memories of events occurred in his hometown pass though his mind, such as  farming land in Europe is diminishing,  trading opportunity is decreasing, he finally make up his mind to leave his wife and three children and become the leading navigator for the prosperity of Viking.

Today we spend 20 minute reading the first 9 pages of textbook. Here is the answer for the reading question

1. Why did nomads travel all the time? -For food.

2. What is one difference between the Aztecs and the Incas? - The Aztecs had developed their own writing language but Maya didn't.

3. Why do you think Native American families gathered into larger groups when they settled in certain areas - People gathering for gaining support, safety and forming a division of labor.

4. Write a paragraph about a day in the life of a Mayan worker. - At the morning time, Mayan worker Johnson start his work in the farm in front of his house. After working for a few hours, he stood up and looking at the river that ditched last year for watering the farm. In the afternoon, he went to the market to buy some food for his family. At the night, he checked the calendar for incoming events and and went to sleep.