Lesson 2: European Maritime Empires and Conquest
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
Students will explain how European states established and maintained maritime empires through conquest, colonization, and economic exploitation.
Why did European states pursue overseas empires?
How did conquest reshape political and social systems?
conquistador, encomienda system, joint-stock company, mercantilism
APWH Unit 4 Topics 4.2, 4.3
Skill 3.A
Reasoning Process: Causation
Identifying claims and supporting evidence in historical texts.
Students examine motives for empire-building and the methods used to control overseas territories.
Purpose: Analyze imperial expansion and control
DOK: 3
Imperial legacies and global inequality.
Students may attribute conquest solely to military superiority.
Scaffolded source analysis; structured discussion prompts
Primary-source short-answer question.
Primary accounts, colonial maps