When approaching a text such as this one, it is helpful to spend a few minutes prereading the material of a chapter. During this stage, you are simply getting prepared for what you will be reading. This involves several steps. First, determine the chronology and major theme(s) by looking at the chapter title and dates. The title often gives you a clue as to what the authors see as the main point, theme, or development of that chapter. Second, read the chapter headings and any focus questions, such as the Identify the Big Idea questions in this book, at the beginning of the chapter. The headings and questions provide a sense of the major topics addressed in the chapter, and the questions may also point toward the Historical Thinking Skills that are especially emphasized in the chapter. Third, page through the chapter, scanning the titles of the subsections and looking at the maps, timelines, illustrations, and primary sources. This will provide you with information about the major events, individuals, comparisons, and connections discussed in the chapter.
EXERCISE:
Let’s practice by prereading Chapter 1, “Colliding Worlds, 1450–1600.” Scan the chapter and answer the following questions without writing anything down.
Step One: Look at the chapter title. What is the chronology of this chapter? What is the central theme?
Step Two: Look at the headings and Big Idea question in the chapter introduction on page 6. What are the four major topics in this chapter? What Historical Thinking Skills does the Big Idea question focus on?
Step Three: Page through each section, looking at the subheadings, maps, and illustrations and keeping the following questions in mind:
In the first section, “The Native American Experience,” what were the important empires, chiefdoms, and confederacies prior to 1492? What connections existed between these diverse groups? In the second section, “Western Europe: The Edge of the Old World,” what characterized European society? How did the growth of the Christian Church affect events in Europe? In the third section, “West and Central Africa: Origins of the Atlantic Slave Trade,” how did trade connect Africa to the wider world? What does Map 1.4 tell you about the types of goods that were exchanged? In the fourth section, “Exploration and Conquest,” what countries were especially important in exploration? From the order in which these countries appear in the subheadings, can you get clues about the chronology of the voyages? Which individuals are mentioned in subheadings? (You might not always recognize an individual named in a subheading, but you can always count on his or her historical importance.) What commodities are mentioned in subheadings or shown in illustrations?
Remember, there’s no need to write this down. The point right now is just to get a clear idea of the “big picture” developments covered in the chapter. You haven’t read the chapter yet — and you haven’t taken a single note. But by spending 5 to10 minutes prereading the chapter, you already have a good idea of what the chapter’s all about. You have recognized what parts of the story you may have heard about before, and what parts are completely new. By taking this time, you’ll be able to read with a clear focus, saving yourself a lot of time later on. Now that you have a good idea of the “big picture,” you’re ready to begin actually reading the text.