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Grades 2-6
History in 12 Weeks
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1492-1840
Columbus to the Industrial Revolution
A Journey Through Learning
www.ajourneythroughlearning.com
Copyright 2014 A Journey Through Learning
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Authors-Paula Winget and Nancy Fileccia
Copyright © 2014 A Journey Through Learning
Pages may be copied for other members of household only. For group use,
please see our website to purchase a classroom/co-op license.
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Please check our website at:
www.ajourneythroughlearning.com
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Clipart is from www.clipart.com with permission
Copyright 2014 A Journey Through Learning
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Thank you for purchasing from A Journey Through Learning. We hope that you
enjoy our new History in 12 Weeks activity book. The activity book is perfect to use
as a quick, to the point study of history, but LOADED with fun activities!
First, take the time to just browse through the pages to familiarize yourself with the
layout. In this activity book, you will find many topics!
Each lesson will include:
Study Guide
Each of the topics has an information page to read to your child.
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Activity Page
After the information page has been read, it is time to do the activity that is found
right after the information page. Some of these activities are more for fun while
others are more challenging. All of them will enrich your child’s understanding and
knowledge of each topic.
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Research and/or Report Sheet
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Coloring Sheet
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Craft Page and/or Cooking Fun
How Long Does it Take to Complete This Activity Book?
This activity book contains 12 weeks of study. This program is simple enough
that it can easily be used with other programs to help cover the high points. Yet,
it is detailed enough that it can also serve as a quick overview or as a half year
history program. However, you can expand the study portion and make it last as
long as you like! That’s the beauty of homeschooling! Do it YOUR way!
Copyright 2014 A Journey Through Learning
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Christopher Columbus
Week 2:
Pilgrims
Week 3:
American Revolution
Week 4:
Declaration of Independence
Week 5:
George Washington
Week 6:
Louisiana Purchase
Week 7:
Week 8:
Missouri Compromise
Week 9:
Underground Railroad
Week 10:
Civil War
Week 11:
Abraham Lincoln
Week 12:
Industrial Revolution
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Week 1:
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What’s covered each week?
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War of 1812
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Read Study Guide- Week 1
Christopher Columbus
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Spain had been trying for centuries to take their land back from the Moors. Finally, in
1492, they were successful. This period in Spanish history is known as La Reconquista.
Spanish monarchs Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon got married. Together they
championed the Spanish cause pushing the Moors out of Spain forever. The Spanish were
so busy with their war that they did not share their neighbor’s, Portugal, enthusiasm for
exploration and discovery.
Then the war ended. All of the sudden, the Spanish monarchs were free to think of
other things beside war. So, when an Italian sailor, Christopher Columbus, (1451-1506)
came by asking for money to embark on a voyage to find a new route to the Indies, the
Spanish monarchs were in.
They gave Columbus enough money to outfit three ships. Columbus gathered
enough supplies and men to outfit his three ships - the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.
Columbus was convinced that if he sailed west from Spain, he would eventually get to India.
Full of hope and confidence, Columbus left from Palos, a port in Spain, in 1492, stopping at
the Canary Islands to get more provisions, before heading out. The trip was an eventful one,
full of dangers and adventure. Sometimes there was no wind so they could not go forward.
At times, the three ships got caught in strong storms. Days passed without any sign of land.
The sailors were getting desperate. On October 12, 1492, they finally sighted land.
They landed on a small island they named San Salvador, one of the many islands in
the Caribbean Sea. The Spanish explorers spent the next two months exploring the territory.
When they came to Cuba, Columbus was convinced he had reached Japan. They were not
very well received by the natives. So, they left. Next, they came to another big island, which
they named Hispaniola (today this island is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti). It
was in Hispaniola that they suffered an accident - the Santa Maria wrecked. They could not
fit all the sailors of the Santa Maria aboard the other two ships, so Columbus decided to
leave a contingency of sailors in Hispaniola. They would guard the land they had claimed for
Spain.
Eager to make his discoveries known, Columbus then set sail back to Spain. He left
the Caribbean convinced that he had reached the Indies. The voyage back to Spain was
long and arduous. Exhausted, the sailors reached Spain in March 1493. Columbus gained
instant fame.
Seven months later, Columbus was ready to go back. This time he was in command
of a large 17 ship fleet. He was anxious to go back and find the riches he knew were in the
Indies. On this second voyage, Columbus discovered other islands like Dominica and Puerto
Rico. When he reached Hispaniola, he discovered that the men he had left behind had been
killed. After this trip, Columbus would make three other trips.
When Columbus had the idea of sailing west to reach India, he underestimated the
distance from Spain to Asia. He thought the world was a lot smaller than it really is.
Columbus did not know that when you sail west, a great mass of land, a continent, stood
between Europe and Asia. Until his death, Columbus remained sure that he had reached
India.
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Activity Page- Week 1
Draw a picture of what you think Columbus would
dress like on one of his voyages.
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Fun Facts About Columbus
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Write the name of each ship on the flags.
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What did their homes look like?
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compass
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Report- Week 1
Biography Book Report on Christopher Columbus
Title:
Author:
Date of Birth:
Date of Death:
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This book was about:
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From reading this book, I learned
This person was famous or remembered for
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Craft- Week 1
Explorers like Christopher Columbus used many different devices to help them find their way
while out on the ocean. Let’s see if you can use some of the same inventions.
A Compass
A compass is an important navigational tool. A compass uses a magnetic needle with one
end that always points to the north. Because the needle always points north, you can figure
out in what direction you are traveling: north, south, east, west, or any direction in between
Make a compass:
1. Lay just the eye of the needle over any magnet; one from your refrigerator will do.
Leave it there overnight. In the morning, the needle will have become a magnet!
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2. Stick the needle through a small piece of cork
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3. Next, fill a bowl with water. Fill it about halfway and drop the cork with the needle in the
middle.
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4. The needle should slowly turn until it is pointing in a certain direction. Now give the
needle a little spin, then see where it settles.
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Paper Towel Telescope
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Decorate a paper towel roll as a telescope. Pretend you are Columbus looking across the
ocean.
The Stars
In the northern hemisphere, navigators use an astrolabe and the North Star as
a way to determine their latitude. The North Star is the first star in the handle of
the Little Dipper. The angle that the North Star is above the horizon is equal to
the latitude of the observer. Go outside tonight and see if you can find the
North Star and the dippers!
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Coloring Sheet- Week 1
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Read Study Guide- Week 2
Who were the Puritans?
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The Puritans were a group of people who wanted to remain part of the Church of
England but wanted to change its practices and the way it was run. They were called
“Puritans” because they wanted to “purify” the church. They lived by a very strict Puritan
code. The Puritan way of living had numerous rules that were expected to be followed at all
times. During church services, men and women sat on opposite sides of the room through
very long services. Women were not allowed to speak in church, and it was against the law to
miss a church service.
The Puritan lifestyle was hard and rigid. The church dictated the course of life. A
Puritan was expected to work hard and show no emotion. Puritans dressed very plainly in
black and white clothing. The Puritans believed that when bad things happened (such as the
illness of your child), that it was due to some hidden sin in your life. They believed that it was
God's way of bringing one to repentance. Puritans believed that Satan hunted out the weak
and the insane to act out his work. They felt that Satan would attack anyone, including
women and children. Those who followed Satan were called witches. Witchcraft was the
greatest crime that a person could commit. The punishment for witchcraft was death.
Puritan children were expected to behave under an extremely strict code. The showing
of anger, fear, or even excitement was considered a sin. Playtime was not allowed, and toys
were very seldom owned. Most days consisted of chores, cooking, and attending church.
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Who were the Separatists? (Pilgrims)
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The Separatists were a group of people who wanted to separate entirely from the
Church of England. Separatists, believing in very simple worship, rejected the rituals and
symbols of the Anglican Church. They believed that the New Testament was the example to
follow. They also believed that not only should the state not dictate religion but that one
should be able to worship freely as he chooses.
The Separatists also did not like the lax standards of social behavior like drunkenness
and the failure to observe the Sabbath. The Separatists believed they had been chosen by
God for salvation and feared being sent to hell if they worshiped with those outside of their
church. They commonly referred to outsiders as “The Strangers.”
In 1607, William Brewster, along with his church of Separatists, tried to make their first
attempt to leave England for Amsterdam, Holland. Their plan was found out, and he and
many of his people were jailed and beaten. In 1608, the congregation made another attempt
to leave England, only to be found out once again. The Separatists men had already boarded
the ship while the women waited on shore. As the authorities arrived, the ship's captain left
the dock. The men and the women were separated. The authorities soon released the
women, and they joined their men in Holland.
In Holland, the Separatists were finally allowed to worship freely. The Separatist were
now known as “Pilgrims,” because they had left their homeland on a “pilgrimage” to discover
something new. But, they quickly began to yearn for more freedom. News began to circulate
of total freedom of religion in a new place called “America.” So, the Pilgrims left Holland in
1620 bound for America.
Copyright 2014 A Journey Through Learning
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Report- Week 2
Write a Cinquain poem about the Puritans.
Write a Cinquain
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Line 1
One word title
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Line 3
3 action words
about Line 1
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Line 2
2 describing words
about Line 1
Line 4
4 words describing
a feeling about
Line 1
Line 5
1 word ( a
synonym) about
Line 1
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Read Study Guide- Week 2
The Pilgrims Come to AmericaThe Mayflower Journey
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The Pilgrims, who left England 11 years earlier to obtain freedom of
worship in Holland, began to dream of leaving their home in Holland and traveling
across the Atlantic to America. They began their journey aboard the Speedwell,
which took them to Southampton, England. There they joined another group of
Separatists.
On September 6, 1620, they set out on the Mayflower for America. The
brave men and women had given up everything in their past to commit
themselves to a new life; a life they hoped to base solely on the Bible and a
relationship with God.
Once again, they were on a search for a new place to live. Even though
they could not bring many personal items with them, they did bring their culture,
spiritual beliefs, and deeply rooted family values to the New World. They were
determined to establish an improved foundation of English society in this
unknown land.
Life on the voyage was not at all comfortable. There were 102 passengers
and 30 crewmembers. The Mayflower was a merchant ship, not a passenger
ship, so there were no cabins in which to live or sleep. The pilgrims slept in the
scallops or on the gun deck. Sleeping was done in triple tier bunks, which had
been built between the decks. Each family had about a 5' x 5' square of space.
Here they slept, cooked, and lived. Most of the belongings that they did carry with
them were stored in the hold of the ship in trunks. There was no privacy and little
room for the 32 children on board to play. The foods that they ate included salted
meat, and fish, peas, beans, beer, and hard cheese.
Even though the Mayflower left late in the summer, it
did not arrive in America until winter. While at sea,
the pilgrims encountered a strong storm that almost
forced them to return to England. The ship became
severely shaken, even more leaky, and received a
cracked beam. The Pilgrims used a giant iron screw,
which they had brought from Holland, to raise the
beam back into its place. But, even with the fear of
sinking, the pilgrims committed themselves to the
will of God and resolved to proceed.
Copyright 2014 A Journey Through Learning
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Activity Page- Week 2
To understand the size of the Mayflower and how crowded it was, mark off the
size of the ship on your driveway.
With chalk, draw a ship shape ( 68 feet long and 22 feet wide) pointed in the
front and narrow at the back. This will be the approximate size of the lower deck
where most of the Pilgrims would have been located. Remember, the shallop
was also stored in this area between decks. That quickly removes some 30 feet
in length and 6 to 8 feet in width. Bring boxes to load the ship and see just how
small the space would seem with about 90 people crowded together in the
remaining room with all their personal belongings.
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Write out YOUR daily routine
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Daily Routine on the Mayflower
Wake up, put away the bedding
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Prayers
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Breakfast
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In good weather, activities like
reading, games, exercise on deck
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Cooking by the women in good
weather
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Dinner (noon meal)
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Activities similar to the morning
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Supper
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Prayers
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Sleep
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Read Study Guide- Week 2
The First LawsMayflower Compact
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During the planning stages of their voyage to America, the pilgrims met
with their pastor, John Robinson, to receive his advice in establishing a new
government. They knew that it would be based on democracy. They also knew
that they needed rules and laws that everyone would have to follow. The
leaders on the Mayflower proposed that a document be written that would bind
them all to a common consent. To solve this problem, the Pilgrims came up with
the Mayflower Compact.
The Compact was an agreement that was signed by all the men on board
the ship, including the indentured servants. The Mayflower Compact was the
first document written in the new world. It set the standard for the free
democracy that we still enjoy today. In the document, they stated that the new
America would be a government “of the people, by the people, and for the
people.” It further stated that they would be allowed to elect their own leaders
and to write their own laws. The Mayflower Compact was signed by 41 men on
November 21, 1620 aboard the Mayflower. After the signing, the men elected
John Carver as the first governor. The Mayflower Compact stayed in effect until
about 1686.
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William Brewster was a
scrooby from Holland. He was
a preacher and a colonist
leader. Brewster and his wife,
Mary, traveled to the new
world aboard the Mayflower.
Brewster was the first elder
elected to the new colony. He
also served as a major
religious leader and an aide to
Governor William Bradford.
He was the only member of
the new colony that had a
university education.
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Read Study Guide- Week 2
The Mayflower Compact
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of
our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.
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Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith and honor of
our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do
by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and of one another,
covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and
preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute
and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to
time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony: unto
which we promise all due submission and obedience.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11 of
November, the year of the reign of our sovereign Lord James; of England, France and Ireland
the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Ano Dom. 1620.
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(Note: November 21st of our Calendar is the same as
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November 11th of the Old Style Calendar.)
John Carver
William White
Edward Fuller
Gilbert Winslow
William Bradford
Richard Warren
John Turner
Edmond Margeson
Edward Winslow
John Howland
Francis Eaton
Peter Brown
William Brewster
Stephen Hopkins
James Chilton
Richard Britteridge
Isaac Allerton
Edward Tilly
John Crackston
George Soule
Myles Standish
John Tilly
John Billington
Richard Clarke
John Alden
Francis Cooke
Moses Fletcher
Richard Gardiner
Samuel Fuller
Thomas Rogers
John Goodman
John Allerton
Christopher Martin
Thomas Tinker
Degory Priest
Thomas English
William Mullins
John Rigdale
Thomas Williams
Edward Doty
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Activity- Week 2
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The Meaning of The Mayflower Compact
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Craft- Week 2
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Because homes in the 17 century were very cold and drafty, every colonial
home had quilts. One type of quilt was the “Friendship Quilt.” Colonial women
would share their quilt squares and scrapes of material Each woman would
write her own name in a block and embroider it with a colorful thread. The
women then sewed all of the squares together to make the quilt.
You need:
Wallpaper Samples or other paper
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Markers
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Poster Board
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Glue
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Quilt Squares
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Instructions:
Cut wallpaper in to twelve 3" x 3" squares.
Have each child autograph their 12 squares
then swap them with other children. Glue the
twelve square to poster board. Let your friends
sign the squares.
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Coloring Sheet- Week 2
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