Columbus
Midterm

Christopher Columbus and the Great Age of Discovery
HIST 351  ~  Fall 2010

E S S A Y
Overview

There are 100 points total on the exam. 25 of those points pertain to the essay you will write.  Be sure to use lectures, textbooks, and videos where appropriate.  Here are your guidelines:

1) Bring a blue book to write the essay.

2) You need to study all five questions. On the day of the exam, I will present you with two of the five questions. You are to pick one and write the essay on it.

3) Only write on one question.

4) The essay question is 25% of the exam. So you should plan to spend 45-60 minutes on the essay.

5) Also, my goal in giving you the study questions is for you to prepare answers to all five questions in advance. When you come into class, you should be writing what you have already prepared and researched outside of class.

6) Keep in mind, preparing the study questions will also prepare you to answer the objective questions. It all works together.

The Essay Questions

1. What were the legends of pre-Columbian explorers in the Americas?

2. What were the geographical concepts that existed in Europe on the eve of Columbus's voyage?  Describe them in detail and tell how they influenced the plans of Columbus and others for reaching Asia.

3. What were the various consequences of Columbus's discovery of America — political, cultural, ethnographic, and biological?

4. Describe the career of Columbus from his youth to his death. What did he seek, what did he think he found, and what was the process by which the New World ended up being named after Amerigo Vespucci?

5. Discuss the role of myth and legend in the Age of Discovery. What were the geographical myths and legends that had influence on merchants, monarchs, and explorers?  How did they impact the course of history and exploration, in particular, Ponce de Leon, Cortes, Pizarro, Coronado, and the seekers of El Dorado?