Why have historians described 1492 as a turning point in world history?

In this lesson, we will learn about the story of Christopher Columbus and his voyage to the 'New World' in 1492, and we will begin to separate the myths from the reality.

This lesson, we will learn more about the Conquistadors - the Spanish knights and soldiers who conquered much of the 'New World' in the 16th century.

In this lesson, we will investigate the 'Columbian Exchange' - the mass movement of people, animals, crops and disease - between the 'Old World' of Europe and the 'New World' of the Americas, and consider how this exchange has shaped the subsequent 500 years.

In this final lesson of the unit, we will look at the impact of 1492 on world trade and empires, and think about how they changed as a result of the voyages to the New World. This will help us then answer our question - is this a 'turning point' in history?