Age of Exploration and Colonization

For kids studying world history, this issue offers a window onto the human story of ordinary individuals setting sail toward destinations unknown. First, kids get an overview of the knowledge and technology that made ocean travel possible. Then they read about early explorers from Portugal, including Prince Henry the Navigator, Bartolomeu Dias, and Vasco Da Gama who sailed the African coast to India, to establish trading posts and fortresses along the way.

Kids who want more details about the competition for dominance among European countries, can read about the battles between the English Sea Dogs and the Spanish Armada. Kids fascinated by the interplay between Europeans and American Indians can dive into the engrossing narrative about a cultural exchange that took place during the period of colonization. For kids curious about the effect of colonization on enslaved Africans and American Indians, they will find images and text about the encomienda system illuminating. Visually oriented kids can enjoy maps illustrating the paths of exploration and the reach of European countries in North America in 1700.