CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE Discovering the Americas CHAPTER TWO The First Settlers 10 CHAPTER THREE Colonists and Native Americans 18 CHAPTER FOUR Religious Freedom 26 CHAPTER FIVE The Colonies 34 Important Dates 42 Stop and Think 44 Glossary 46 Online Resources 47 Learn More 47 Index 48 About the Author 48
CHAPTER ONE DISCOVERING THE AMERICAS There is a popular account of the Americas discovery As the story goes Europeans in 1492 thought the world was flat But Italian explorer Christopher Columbus had a theory He believed that Earth was actually round He thought he could reach China and India by traveling west instead of east This would prove the world was round In 1486 Columbus approached King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain He asked them to fund his journey They said Images of Christopher Columbus sometimes show him as a hero
