African Kingdoms of the 1400s

The continent of Africa remains home to much of the planet's wealth and in the 1400s significant African kingdoms and empires were built upon that immense wealth. Increasing our knowledge of these nations as they were before the devastating effects of the European initiated Trans Atlantic enslavement system is vital if we are going to understand our nation's early history.

After watching the video posted in google classroom, take a moment to list four details about these African kingdoms from the film that you were unaware of before viewing the film. One detail must come from the piece about Zimbabwe. 

Columbus' Diaries & Letters Offer Foreshadowing

  The landing of Christopher Columbus in the densely populated Taino Kingdom in 1492 initiates a series of catastrophic global events. It also ends a 10,000 year period of isolation of one half of the planet's population from the other.

  We've read excerpts from Columbus's writings. Based upon these brief pieces answer this question in the comment section below:

What can we predict about the future of the relationship between the Taino people and the Europeans from these writings by Columbus? 
(give a complete response and use quotes with your analysis)

Europeans See A Bigger World

 The peoples of Europe are largely provincial in the centuries following the collapse of their conquerors, the Roman Empire. The European people have held onto much of the cultural identity that was forced upon them by the Roman regime including their alphabet, the Middle Eastern religion of Christianity and even the imperial way of organizing a society which empowered a few to rule, and often oppress, the many.

Why and how these rather unsophisticated conquered people will come to build overseas empires that rival the largest ever in human history needs to be well understood if we are to know our own story.

Take a moment to consider what is needed by any people 
who wish to create an overseas empire.

In the Blogger space below write a comment that argues for one thing that a people will need to begin this process, defending your choice. 

Then, as is our pattern, reply to two of your classmates offering feedback. Write your comment before reading the comments of others. This will increase the likelihood of a wide variety of responses. Be as "obvious" or as "subtle" as you like, all responses that are defended will be given full credit.