Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | 

Introduction

Dateline:  It is the mid-1600's.  Immigrants from England and other western European countries are arriving daily to the thirteen colonies.  In order to survive, the colonies NEED to attract more families to their individual communities.  New World Real Estate has hired you to design some promotional materials that will attract families to your colony.  WHY SHOULD NEW COLONISTS SETTLE IN YOUR COLONY?  Be creative!

Using Microsoft Publisher or Microsoft Word, you will create either a tri-fold travel brochure, a  handout / flyer, or some other creative document extolling the virtues of your colony.  These materials will be placed in each real estate office in your colony.   You will also prepare and give a 3 - 5 minute "sales pitch" to entice families to settle in your colony.

To accomplish your task, you will select a partner with whom to work and a colony that you wish to promote.

Next you will need to research the question "Why are people coming to the new world?"  An easy way to focus on this question is to answer the sub-questions below.

• Who came to the colony?
• When did they arrive?
• Where did they settle?
• Why did they leave their homeland?
• What was their status? (families, single men, slaves, free blacks, indentured servants, etc.)

Once you have established the reasons for migrating to the new world, you will be able to focus more easily on the task of attracting newcomers to your colony .   The questions listed below are meant to be merely guidelines for your research.  You may think of other relevant points as you research your colony.

• What are the natural resources of your colony?
• Are there problems with the Native Americans?
• How are the climate and geography of your colony better than that of the settlers' homeland?
• What is the quality and availability of farmland?
• Is your colony settled by a mixture of different cultures or is one culture the dominant group?  What is the advantage to a new settler?
• What style of government (proprietary, royal, self-governing) is used to rule the colony and why is it beneficial?
• What education is available for young people?
• Is slavery practiced in your colony?
• What are the ways a new settler can earn a livelihood?  Can he earn a better living than he did in his homeland?
• What makes your colony better than all the other colonies?

You  will use the following resources for your research.  Note that both books and Internet sites will be used.  Be sure to use a variety resources.

PRINT RESOURCES

BOOKS

973.2 is the number for books on Colonial America.  You can use this number at this library and at the Gloucester County Library.  Be sure to check our electronic catalog (Spectrum Patrons' CAT) for more resources in the Reference section of the LMC.

PERIODICALS

American Heritage is an excellent history magazine!  It is located in the reference section of the library with the call number Ref 973 Ame.  You must use the index in order to locate articles.  It is a separate volume that is red in color.

INTERNET SITES - These are the only sites that you need for this project.

Colonial America
Story of the Pilgrims
13 Colonies
Southern Colonies
Middle Colonies
Early Colonial Era
Chart of the Original 13 Colonies
13 Colonies: Meaning
History of Jamestown
Colonial Charters
Colonial America 1600-1775
Religion and the Founding of the American Republic
Colonial America
Colonial Settlement, 1600's-1763

Your assignment will be graded as follows:

50%  --  Content:  accurate, complete, creatively written, cleverly presented
(3 test grades)

25%  --  Cooperative learning:  partners show respect for one another, get along especially well, work       
                                                 together on all aspects of the project

25%  --  Oral "sales pitch" presentation:  makes good eye contact, knows the information, speaks in a 
                                                 clear voice, information is conveyed in an interesting manner

Conclusion

At the conclusion of this webquest you will have learned the motivation for the establishment of the colonies.  You will have learned to use some of the resources available in the LMC.  You will have learned to recognize the library staff as an additional resource.  You will have had an opportunity to work on the first of many cooperative learning projects.