Students explore the expedition of Christopher Columbus. For this geography skills lesson, students consider the technological advances that made Columbus's expedition possible as they complete a latitude and longitude activity.

Young scholars explore Ptolemy's world map as an expression of the Renaissance view of the world.

Young scholars explore geo-political and economic contexts for the European Renaissance journeys of exploration, including those of Columbus, create cartographic symbols, and add those symbols to a print-out of Ptolemy's map.

Students analyze Columbus' rationale for sailing west, and find the latitude and longitude of modern and ancient place names.