"Dude, Where's My Carrack" or Chris and Amerigo's excellent adventure.

An integrated interdisciplinary thematic unit for 5th grade.

Prior to the Holy Crusades, Europe was a self-contained, isolated area. Europe's endeavor to reclaim the most holy of Jerusalem, exposed the western world to the technology, science, math, and riches of the East. The quest for sea road the East resulted in great advances in technology, mass exploration, and one of the most significatnt discoveries of all time, the discovery of North and South America. Ultimately, the Western desire for trade with the East paved the path for the developement of the United States of America.