Exploration of North America (Grade level 3 - 8 (ages 8 - 14))

The frenzied search for gold and the territorial rivalries of European monarchs provided the necessary catalysts for much early exploration and colonization in the New World. This entertaining and educational coloring book recreates detailed pictures of many key moments--when European explorers and settlers left historical footprints on the North American continent. Thirty-nine realistically rendered line drawings -- many of them double-page spreads -- depict historic events that span centuries of exploration -- from the arrival of the Vikings in Vinland (ca. 1000 A.D.) to the establishment of colonies in Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts, and the exploration of the American Far West by Zebulon Pike and Jedediah Smith. Among the scenes captured by artist Peter Copeland are Columbus' ship Ni̴ña anchored off the Bahamian coast (1492), John Cabot exploring Canada's east coast (1497), Ponce de León in Florida (1513), Verrazano exploring the middle Atlantic coast (1524), Cortés' conquest of Mexico and overthrow of the Aztec empire (1519), Coronado exploring the Southwest (1540-1542), Francis Drake in California before completing his round-the-world voyage (1577-1580), the ill-fated Roanoke colony (1584-1587), Samuel de Champlain establishing the first permanent French colony in North America (1608) and 30 other excellent illustrations. A fact-filled introduction and informative captions complete this carefully researched resource that will be welcomed by colorists, students, parents, teachers, and adventure-lovers of all ages.