Columbus Day

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/columbus-day

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the explorer's birthplace?Genoa, Italy
2. What is the date of first european landing in the americas?October 12, 1492
3. What did Christopher Columbus want to find when he sailed west?Columbus hoped to find a sea route to the rich markets of Asia. He believed traveling across the ocean would bring new trade opportunities.
4. How many ships did Columbus travel on his first voyage?He sailed on three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María. Together they crossed the Atlantic for about three months.

Age of Exploration: A period in history (roughly 15th to 17th centuries) when European ships traveled around the world to discover new routes and lands.
Columbian Exchange: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, diseases, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following Columbus's voyages.
Indigenous Peoples: The original inhabitants of a land or region, who have historical ties to the territory before colonization.
Demographic Collapse: A drastic and widespread decrease in the population of a group, often due to disease or violence.