13 Colonies Unit Opener

Name: ______Class: ______Date: ______13 COLONIES – UNIT OPENER “THE COLONIZATION OF MARS” Connecting the colonization of Mars to the colonization of the 13 colonies.

Will Humans Ever Visit Mars?, by WARREN E. LEARY First Published: November 11, 2003: “People have been walking on the surface of Mars for more than a century, in tales of science fiction and fantasy. Now, however, the possibility is real enough that many people think the question is not whether humans will go to Mars, but when they will go, how they will get there and who will go first.” “Will Humans Ever Visit Mars?” - New York Times. 25 Aug 2008 .

REFLECTION & DISCUSSION: 1. If the U.S. were seeking volunteers to help in the colonization of Mars, would you go? Why or why not? ______2. Who would be interested in this type of opportunity? Why? a. Think about -- What motivates people today? (Adventure, wealth, a chance to start over, ambition, etc.) b. Under what conditions would you be willing to take this trip? ______3. What might the country who is funding the expedition expect or want from those people going to settle on Mars? ______4. What are the skills and abilities of the people traveling to Mars? Do they have the skills necessary to do what it takes to survive and provide for one another on another planet? (cooking, farming, medical, engineers, mechanics, etc.) ______5. How will the rules for living on Mars be established? a. Think about: Does the company or country who funds your trip establish the rules of government? Do your Constitutional rights still apply? Do you as colonists create your own rules and regulations? ______b. If you were living on Mars, would you still be an American citizen? ______c. Would you still be a California citizen? ______d. Would you still have the same rights and also the same responsibilities if you lived on Mars? (For example, would you still have to follow US laws? Would you still follow California laws? Would you have to pay US taxes? …California taxes?) ______Name: ______Class: ______

MARS COMPACT Creating the Perfect Society

A) What do you believe are the major problems in our society today? (List at least three) 1.)

B) What would you change about our society today if you could start it all over again? (Think about: morals & values, work ethic, religion, war, education, violence, poverty, family, etc.) 1.)

C) Now imagine that you are leading the first community of settlers to land on Mars. This is your opportunity to begin society again without the major problems that currently exist. In the space below, write a one or two sentence mission statement in which you state the purpose of your Mars community. (See the reverse side for examples – but do not USE the examples…)

Begin your mission statement with the following sentence,

"We, the first settlers of Mars, shall....

D) Because your colony will be so far away from Earth, you will have to make your own laws and keep peace and order. List the top five rules the citizens of your colony would have to follow so that the mission of your colony can be achieved, and peace and order kept.

5. Name: ______Class: ______

Samples – Use for inspiration, not duplication!!!

We, the first settlers of Mars, shall not allow any crime and only peace will stay among our great settlement.

We, the first settlers of Mars, shall do our best to create a community free of religious and racist conflicts.

We, the first settlers of Mars, shall make sure that everyone and being in our settlement will be rightfully respected regardless of whatever.

ONCE YOUR TABLE GROUP IS DONE…Share your ideas, and come up with ONE Mission Statement (of not more than THREE SENTENCES) and FIVE LAWS that everyone can agree upon. EVERYONE needs to write down this mission statement and these laws on their own packet. Each group will then present their mission and rules to the class.

Personal Mars Mission Statement & Laws of the Land

______

______Name: ______Class: ______

Maybe save this section for debrief/ post activity discussions on Friday?....HISTORICAL REFERENCES

- What motivated nations such as Spain, Great Britain, and France to colonize other parts of the world? (Mercantilism – achieve self-sufficiency, favorable trade balance, colonies provide resources for manufactured goods) - Students analyze the conditions of the early settlers. What were their circumstances? Why were they willing to take this risk? (Religious persecution, debtors, religious freedom) - Students understand the role of joint-stock companies (Virginia Joint-Stock Company/Massachusetts Bay Company) and the granting of charters. - Understand why the early attempts at colonization (Jamestown) struggled. Early colonists were a mix of gentlemen and craftsmen. None of them knew about farming and none of them were willing to work hard at it. - Students can understand why the Pilgrims would have established an agreed upon governing system prior to their arrival (Mayflower Compact