Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What was the “Old World” like in 1491, before Columbus’s voyages of exploration to the “New World”?

Teaching Suggestion: Mann’s book emphasizes the historical importance of post-Columbian contact between Europe and the rest of the world. Because students are likely to have been exposed to a fairly Eurocentric view of history, they may encounter Mann’s text without understanding the important interconnectedness of the flourishing civilizations of Asia and Africa prior to the age of European exploration. After students compose and share a brief response, they might work in small groups to share information or speculate together on more characteristics regarding the “Old World” in Asia and Africa. These and similar resources will help establish this important context for understanding Mann’s work.

• This 11-minute video explores the Late Middle Ages in Europe.
• This article explains the impact of trade in the Middle Ages between African and Asian civilizations.
• This article discusses the “golden age” of African civilizations during the Middle Ages.

2. What was the “New World” like in 1491?