Get in the habit of taking notes as you read text for this class. Keep track of key terms (important vocabulary, people, places, ideas, etc.). Also, keep track of events that shaped history and tell the stories in the readings.
For example, "Spain [at the time of Columbus' voyage] had tied itself to the Catholic Church, expelled all the Jews, driven out the Moors". (Zinn 2) This important quote details the reconquest of Spain and sets the context for Columbus' voyage. It depicts Spain as a country growing in power, looking for wealth and influence to sustain its position.
You should be able to summarize the chapter using the key terms. When reading, you should also question the text and make connections to your experiences and past learning.
KEY TERMS/IDEAS - ZINN, CHAPTER 1: Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress
Arawak
Christopher Columbus
European Exploration
Columbus exaggerated claims of gold
Enslavement
Bartolome las Casas
Hispaniola
Encomienda
Cortes, Pizarro/the Aztecs, the Inca
Jamestown
Powhatan
Pilgrims, Mass. Bay Colony, & John Winthrop
Puritans
Pequot
Iroquois
