Congratulations! You’ve almost completed the lesson. You have learned about the European contact and conquest of the Americas and the effects on the world of the Columbian Exchange. Review your notes and the information in the lesson. Did you print or save your notes and place them in a safe location?

For your assessment, you will write three journal entries from the point of view of a European who has reached the Americas. What are your motivations for exploring the Americas? What and whom do you encounter there? How do your actions impact the Americas and your homeland?

Your completed journal must:

include three one-paragraph journal entries
in the first entry include a description of your objectives and motivations for exploring and settling in the Americas
in the second entry include a description of your encounters in the Americas (be sure to describe interactions with Native Americans)
in the third entry include a description of the lasting effects of your exploration of the Americas (i.e. What impact did exploration have on Native Americans and on Europe?)
use sensory details (see, hear, touch, smell, taste) in your descriptions for each entry
If you wish, you can create your diary entries as an audio recording. You may use the Web 2.0 tools to help you create your diary entries.