Who Was First?
Discovering the Americas
by
Russell Freedman
Summary
Was Columbus really the first explorer to "discover" the Americas? This notion has been challenged for years, but Russell Freedman goes beyond the "discovery" debate to explore who the original inhabitants of the Americas were and when they first arrived, which he theorizes was much earlier than we have previously thought.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the concise way in which Freedman lays out the historical facts and mixes them with some less conventional ideas as to the origin of the earliest settlers in America. I knew a little bit about many older civilizations, such as the Aztecs, Olmecs, Mayas, and Incas, but I learned more about their origins, locations, and demise than I had previously known. I learned things about Columbus's struggles with his "discovery" and the people he first encountered called the Tainos. I have a great student named Savannah and I think she'll be surprised that her name is one of just a few surviving Taino words that made it into the English language. I love learning unique facts from history, so this was a great book for me.
Reviews
"Clear and packed with interesting details...this engaging work presents history as a story still being written. --Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"Students will discover fascinating information as well as a fine example of the research process in this thought-provoking work. --School Library Journal, Starred
Awards/ Honors
Junior Library Guild Premier Selection
Suggested Activities
I would have students work in groups to make and decorate a timeline depicting the explorations and settlements of the "New World", as well as recording the dates and interesting facts about ancient cultures.
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