First, create a map that tracks the different groups that settled North America up until 1776. Create your own key of colors, imagery (rocks, leaves, etc.), and other markers (dotted lines, arrows, etc.) to demonstrate when areas were settled, who settled them, and the main reason the people settled there. A printable blank map template is provided below.


Using the same blank map, create a second map that shows the resources that came from or were cultivated in each settlement.
Third, summarize both maps in a chart that includes key dates. Be certain to include Indigenous peoples who cared for and owned the land, information about these Indigenous groups’ cultures, distances the settlers traveled, how each settlement came to profit from the different geographic regions, and the means they used to do so (guns, ship building, etc.). Include an analysis of why the economic differences, or how settlers made money, existed and were different in each region.