DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 🗽🌎

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

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THE 4 VOYAGES

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA... ON TV!

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA... ON BOOKS

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

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THE 4 VOYAGES

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA... ON TV!

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA... ON BOOKS

Incas were one of the most important empire in South America between the 13th and 16th centuries. They lived in the region of Cuzco guided by their emperor, Manco Capac and it’s an example of correct political administration. The taxes were paid by the population, and, thanks to their work, the empire had a workforce that could be used for agricultural production, for war emergencies and for the construction of buildings. They were devoted to the figure of a Sun King and they built temples dedicated to him, and, they offered animal or human sacrifices.

FOCUS ON INCAS

WHY?

Columbus thought that he could quickly reach Asia by sailing the West: by the 3 of August 1492, Columbus sailed the Atlantic Ocean for about two months, when, on the 12 of October, they saw an island which they named San Salvador.

The American and Asian continents were not separated by the sea but there were a strip of land, Beringia. Today it doesn't exists, but America and Asia are separated by the Bering Strait. We thought that the ancestors of the Indians, who left Mongolia about 20 thousand years ago, reached America, through Beringia, giving rise to the Native American populations. When Christopher Columbus arrived on the American continent in 1492, he thought he reached Asia, so he called the population "Indians".

A STEP BACK... WHAT KIND OF POPULATION EXISTED BEFORE EUROPEAN'S ARRIVE?

Mayans have been born between 7000 B.C. and 2000 B.C, when nomadic populations started building settlements in Central America, Belize, Guatemala and southern Mexico. The first settlers came from South America and began building cities and ritual areas, and made advances in agriculture: they created irrigation techniques, sports, books, and a calendar with three "dating systems": for gods, for civil life, and astronomy. During the classical period they built pyramid temples and palaces. The most important city-states were Palenque, Chichén Itzá, Tikal, Copán, and Calakmul. Mayans believed in K'uh and k'uhul: divinity could be found in all things, even in inanimate objects and, the most important divinities was Hun Hunahpu, god of corn: divinities had created humans from mud, then from wood and finally from corn. They had rituals and human sacrifices. Finally they had a period of crisis caused by wars, trade crisis and mortality rate.

FOCUS ON MAYANS

Have your parents, your granparents, or your relatives, ever told you stories about the discovery of America? The discovery of America was in 1492 by Christopher Columbus but America already existed so it was something new for the Europeans, not for us, our civilizations already lived in the supposedly new discovered continent.Have your parents, your granparents, or your relatives, ever told you stories about the populations that lived there before? The populations that lived in America were: Mayans, Aztecs, Incas, Olmecs and others, but those who lived in our region (Honduras, Central America) were Mayans.Can you find in your region Maya's sings? There are many Mayan songs and chants like "Canto al sol" (Song to the Sun), in our region the Mayans culture still livesDo you think European's arrive has been a positive or negative thing? Why (not)? Positive things were the change of language, religion and technologies for the development of people and the negative was the violence, death, slavery, because they thought that indigenous was an inferior race, genocide, lost of culture and identity and the expropriating of our resources.

AN INTERWIE OF AN AMERICAN PEOPLE

AN INTERWIE... IN THE FIELD

Incas were one of the most important empire in South America between the 13th and 16th centuries. They lived in the region of Cuzco guided by their emperor, Manco Capac and it’s an example of correct political administration. The taxes were paid by the population, and, thanks to their work, the empire had a workforce that could be used for agricultural production, for war emergencies and for the construction of buildings. They were devoted to the figure of a Sun King and they built temples dedicated to him, and, they offered animal or human sacrifices.

FOCUS ON INCAS

There were millions of people and hundreds of tribes, with different traditions and customs. When Europeans understood that a new continent had been discovered, they conquered it: English, Spanish and French took possession of the territories after years of fights and wars. Native Americans went to live on Indian reservations. It was a real massacre, a genocide: in two centuries over 80% (100 million) of the native population was killed. They were divided into tribes that had a leader, who told the rules in a democratic way. Everyone had a job: the women cooked, sewed the clothes and the tepee (the tent where the family lived), the men hunted and fought. The elders had to educate the younger ones and pass on their values ​​and traditions.

THE CULTURE OF NATIVES

THE LIFE

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 and died in 1506. He was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who had four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Columbus was knowledgeable in geography, astronomy, and history. Thanks to his expeditions European discovered America.

THE LIFE

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 and died in 1506. He was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who had four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Columbus was knowledgeable in geography, astronomy, and history. Thanks to his expeditions European discovered America.

Aztecs were born in the 14th century. The name "Aztecs" comes from Aztlan, the area where they lived in. Aztecs were farmers and their main products were: corn, beans, melons, peppers, vanilla, tomatoes, cotton, cocoa, tobacco... Aztec population knew the methods of working metals, especially gold and silver. Their religion was polytheistic: the gods influenced the daily life of the Aztecs: they offered human and animal sacrifices to their gods. Aztec society was divided into three classes: slaves, common people, and nobles.

FOCUS ON AZTECS

Aztecs were born in the 14th century. The name "Aztecs" comes from Aztlan, the area where they lived in. Aztecs were farmers and their main products were: corn, beans, melons, peppers, vanilla, tomatoes, cotton, cocoa, tobacco... Aztec population knew the methods of working metals, especially gold and silver. Their religion was polytheistic: the gods influenced the daily life of the Aztecs: they offered human and animal sacrifices to their gods. Aztec society was divided into three classes: slaves, common people, and nobles.

FOCUS ON AZTECS

Mayans have been born between 7000 B.C. and 2000 B.C, when nomadic populations started building settlements in Central America, Belize, Guatemala and southern Mexico. The first settlers came from South America and began building cities and ritual areas, and made advances in agriculture: they created irrigation techniques, sports, books, and a calendar with three "dating systems": for gods, for civil life, and astronomy. During the classical period they built pyramid temples and palaces. The most important city-states were Palenque, Chichén Itzá, Tikal, Copán, and Calakmul. Mayans believed in K'uh and k'uhul: divinity could be found in all things, even in inanimate objects and, the most important divinities was Hun Hunahpu, god of corn: divinities had created humans from mud, then from wood and finally from corn. They had rituals and human sacrifices. Finally they had a period of crisis caused by wars, trade crisis and mortality rate.

FOCUS ON MAYANS

Honduras is a country in Central America. I live in Balfate, a small municipality in the department of Colón. It is the most beautiful place i know in Honduras, it has many mountains. One of its greatest attractions are the beautiful white sand beaches and its coral reefs. The sunrise on the beach is beautiful, especially when you go in the afternoon, the sun is shining, and the sky has a pink and light blue color. Balfate’s gastronomy is : coconut, banana (green and yellow), mango, avocado and fish. From all these fruits and vegetables they make typical meals! I would like to return back to Honduras, it’s not that I don’t like Italy but I really feel so much better there because I have my family and friends!

My Home... My Story

There were millions of people and hundreds of tribes, with different traditions and customs. When Europeans understood that a new continent had been discovered, they conquered it: English, Spanish and French took possession of the territories after years of fights and wars. Native Americans went to live on Indian reservations. It was a real massacre, a genocide: in two centuries over 80% (100 million) of the native population was killed. They were divided into tribes that had a leader, who told the rules in a democratic way. Everyone had a job: the women cooked, sewed the clothes and the tepee (the tent where the family lived), the men hunted and fought. The elders had to educate the younger ones and pass on their values ​​and traditions.

THE CULTURE OF NATIVES

Have your parents, your granparents, or your relatives, ever told you stories about the discovery of America? The discovery of America was in 1492 by Christopher Columbus but America already existed so it was something new for the Europeans, not for us, our civilizations already lived in the supposedly new discovered continent.Have your parents, your granparents, or your relatives, ever told you stories about the populations that lived there before? The populations that lived in America were: Mayans, Aztecs, Incas, Olmecs and others, but those who lived in our region (Honduras, Central America) were Mayans.Can you find in your region Maya's sings? There are many Mayan songs and chants like "Canto al sol" (Song to the Sun), in our region the Mayans culture still livesDo you think European's arrive has been a positive or negative thing? Why (not)? Positive things were the change of language, religion and technologies for the development of people and the negative was the violence, death, slavery, because they thought that indigenous was an inferior race, genocide, lost of culture and identity and the expropriating of our resources.

AN INTERWIE OF AN AMERICAN PEOPLE

AN INTERWIE... IN THE FIELD

THE FIRST VOYAGE

Columbus left Palos the 3 of August 1492 with 90 men and a 30 meter long ship, the Santa María, and two small caravels, the Pinta and the Niña (15 meters long). But three days after they stopped in the Canary Islands, and on the 6 of September, they left again. After a month, his men, unhappy, said him that if they won't reach the destination in a week, they will go back. On the 12 of October they saw the land: Guanahaní, an island in the Bahamas. They knew natives: Columbus easily took possession of the island, San Salvador and they arrived in Cuba although Columbus thought he was in Asia.

THE FIRST VOYAGE

Columbus left Palos the 3 of August 1492 with 90 men and a 30 meter long ship, the Santa María, and two small caravels, the Pinta and the Niña (15 meters long). But three days after they stopped in the Canary Islands, and on the 6 of September, they left again. After a month, his men, unhappy, said him that if they won't reach the destination in a week, they will go back. On the 12 of October they saw the land: Guanahaní, an island in the Bahamas. They knew natives: Columbus easily took possession of the island, San Salvador and they arrived in Cuba although Columbus thought he was in Asia.

Columbus left again for the Americas in September 1493, with 17 ships and 1,500 men. He reached Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua and on the 27 of November he arrived in Hispaniola. Near the Dominican Republic, he founded the Colony of Isabella. He left the colony in 1494 to continue on to Jamaica, and Cuba. Colonist started be hostils and many europeans went back to Spain: conflicts began in March 1495 and many of them were sent to Spain as slaves. Columbus set out on his third voyage on the 30 of May 1498 with eight ships. His first stop was the island of Trinidad, until Venezuela. Following the coast of South America, he reached the estuary of the Orinoco River, then he returned to Hispaniola. Revolting continued and he eliminated the rebellion and convert some of the natives to Catholicism.

THE SECOND AND THE THIRD VOYAGE

Honduras is a country in Central America. I live in Balfate, a small municipality in the department of Colón. It is the most beautiful place i know in Honduras, it has many mountains. One of its greatest attractions are the beautiful white sand beaches and its coral reefs. The sunrise on the beach is beautiful, especially when you go in the afternoon, the sun is shining, and the sky has a pink and light blue color. Balfate’s gastronomy is : coconut, banana (green and yellow), mango, avocado and fish. From all these fruits and vegetables they make typical meals! I would like to return back to Honduras, it’s not that I don’t like Italy but I really feel so much better there because I have my family and friends!

My Home... My Story

Columbus left again for the Americas in September 1493, with 17 ships and 1,500 men. He reached Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua and on the 27 of November he arrived in Hispaniola. Near the Dominican Republic, he founded the Colony of Isabella. He left the colony in 1494 to continue on to Jamaica, and Cuba. Colonist started be hostils and many europeans went back to Spain: conflicts began in March 1495 and many of them were sent to Spain as slaves. Columbus set out on his third voyage on the 30 of May 1498 with eight ships. His first stop was the island of Trinidad, until Venezuela. Following the coast of South America, he reached the estuary of the Orinoco River, then he returned to Hispaniola. Revolting continued and he eliminated the rebellion and convert some of the natives to Catholicism.

THE SECOND AND THE THIRD VOYAGE

The American and Asian continents were not separated by the sea but there were a strip of land, Beringia. Today it doesn't exists, but America and Asia are separated by the Bering Strait. We thought that the ancestors of the Indians, who left Mongolia about 20 thousand years ago, reached America, through Beringia, giving rise to the Native American populations. When Christopher Columbus arrived on the American continent in 1492, he thought he reached Asia, so he called the population "Indians".

A STEP BACK... WHAT KIND OF POPULATION EXISTED BEFORE EUROPEAN'S ARRIVE?

WHY?

Columbus thought that he could quickly reach Asia by sailing the West: by the 3 of August 1492, Columbus sailed the Atlantic Ocean for about two months, when, on the 12 of October, they saw an island which they named San Salvador.