Impact of European settlement in the Americas
I can describe some of the consequences of colonialisation on Native Americans.
Impact of European settlement in the Americas
I can describe some of the consequences of colonialisation on Native Americans.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Europeans settled in the New World by taking land from the native peoples.
- Europeans believed they had a moral duty to convert Native Americans to Christianity and thus can take land.
- European conquests of land were often violent and pushed Native Americans out of their home lands.
- Europeans accidentally introduced new diseases into the land, killing around 80% of Native Americans.
- Indigenous beliefs and practices continued despite European attempts to remove them.
Keywords
Dispossess - to dispossess someone is to take their land away
Indigenous - indigenous people are the original inhabitants of a specific area
Conquest - conquest involves taking an area of land by force; 'La Conquista' is the name for the Spanish conquest of the Americas
Immunity - if you have immunity to a disease you will not catch it
Convert - to convert someone is to change their beliefs
Common misconception
Pupils assume that European settlement completely destroyed indigenous communities.
Native Americans were devastated overall by European colonisation but indigenous communities persisted and were never completely overwhelmed.
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: Impact of European settlement in the Americas, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: Impact of European settlement in the Americas, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the European conquest of the Americas: why was its impact so devastating? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
creating new communities in an area
group of countries ruled by one ruler or one single group
taking land by force