Describe a Settlement
"The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth" (1914), by Jennie A. BrownscombeImage Source: Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal
What did you learn about early settlements from reading the four case studies? Write a summary on page 4 in your Engineering Portfolio of the successes and failures colonists had while trying to meet their needs.
Be sure to answer the following questions in your summary:
- How did the geographic characteristics of the settlements guide the choices that the colonists made as they tried to meet their needs?
- What might the colonists have done differently to better meet their needs?
Teacher Note
On this page, students will reflect on what they learned while reading the four case studies. To help students answer the questions, you may wish to facilitate a whole-class brainstorm on the topics.
Essential Questions
- How do we know what we know about the past?
- What are the challenges and responsibilities of historians?
- How do geographic characteristics determine choices? (For, example, climate guides decisions about food, clothing, and shelter.)
Did You Know?
Children in early settlements did not go to school. The settlements could not afford to have someone teach, instead of working on providing food for the colonists. Instead, children helped to grow food and did chores around the house such as fetching water and mending clothes. Some children learned to read and learned basic math skills in the evening after the days’ work was done.
