Age of European Exploration Data Exploration Project & Debate!
Debate Arguments:
1. Explain how farming can lead to advanced civilization through food surpluses and specialization.
2. Assess the significance of the East/West axis of Eurasia and the North/South access in the
Americas in the exchange of crops, and the expansion of wealth and power in Europe. (Think
about where food came from and where it is now grown and why that may be)
3. Explain the advantages of a larger population size in creating an advanced civilization.
4. Explain the importance of the organization of society (government, education, military) in its
advancement over less organized societies.
5. To what extent did European conquest benefit the entirety of the human race.
Tasks:
1. You will organize yourselves/be organized into groups of three or four. Each student will be
provided with an Exploration Tables Packet. This is yours to annotate, highlight, etc. Your
requirements for the tables are:
○ Provide a brief summary of each of the tables. Think about:
■ What is this table telling me? How will this table help me answer the Essential
Questions?
■ What inferences can you make from each table in relation to the topic?
○ Highlight any potentially useful evidence and annotate important portions of the tables
■ Think about how the tables help explain or expand upon important information
from the readings.
■ It will be helpful to code each table with the Essential Question number that the
table can help answer
○ 2. Your group will make a Google Doc called “Age of Exploration Data Exploration Project &
Debate Research”. It should be shared with me in each of the group members; folders. All of you
work will be done on this document.
3. Your group will read through this assignment sheet together and assign tasks for each group
member. The assigned tasks will be listed on the document. All tasks MUST be divided as evenly
as possible.
4. The Debate Arguments/Essential Questions may be answered by the group in bullet points,
sentences, or paragraphs as long it ensures understanding by the group members. Evidence should
be clearly labeled and cited for each question.
5. The group will then debate the answers to the question during class on February … The winning
group will receive one dozen original donuts from Krispy Kreme as a prize. A winning group will
have:
○ The most sophisticated answers presented in PEE format during the debate. This means
your selection evidence from the readings and tables is VERY IMPORTANT (50%).
○ Participation by ALL group members in the debate. I will be keeping a running tally of
everybody who participates. The group with the highest number of contributions for the
lowest contributor wins this bullet point (25%)
○ Completion of Research document. This includes the equal distribution of tasks and best
use of evidence from readings and tables. (25%)
Debate Rules and Regulations:
● At the beginning of the debate, each group will be randomly assigned a question to present first.
They will have three minutes to present a spectacular answer supported by evidence from the
sources provided. No additional research is allowed.
● At the end of the three minutes, the floor will be opened to all groups to comment on the answer.
Groups may support or argue against the argument with more/different evidence.
● Points will be awarded by a very special and impartial judge. Points are awarded for the quality
and thoughtfulness of the answer. Points also may be taken away for talking out of turn,
intentionally going off topic, or at the discretion of the judge.
Resources:
Readings: http://www.bretrodgers.com/history9/
1. Excerpts from Guns, Germs, and Steel ­ Jared Diamond: Pages 6­7, 21­22
2. Excerpts from “The Columbian Exchange: A History of Disease, Food, and Ideas” ­ Nathan Nunn
and Nancy Qian (1­7 + Questions)
3. Spielvogel: 52­57, 58­63
Tables:
● Diamond ­ 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 14.1
● Nunn & Qian 1, 2, 3, 4