4th grade · Social Studies · Unit 9 of 9
The Americas Through Time
Put the history of the hemisphere in order
What your child practices
Ordering events in the history of the Western Hemisphere, from the founding of Tenochtitlan and Columbus's voyages to independence movements, the Panama Canal and trade agreements.
Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 4.SP1.1 · putting events in the Americas in order
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- A timeline puts events in order, earliest first.
- Order: the Aztec found Tenochtitlan (1325), Columbus (1492), Cortés (1519), then independence movements and the Panama Canal (1914).
- The smaller year came first.
Example: Which came first: the Panama Canal opens, or Cortés arrives in Mexico? Cortés arrived in 1519. The canal opened in 1914. Answer: Cortés arrives in Mexico
The Americas Through Time in Arizona
In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 9 of 9 in 4th grade Social Studies, after History Detective.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
- 4th grade guide for Arizona parents
- Printable 4th grade Social Studies sheet
- Arizona report cards explained
Source: Arizona Department of Education
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
In what year did this happen? Balboa sees the Pacific Ocean
- 1492
- 1776
- 1521
- 1513
1513
Hint: Balboa sees the Pacific Ocean: 1513.
Question 2
Which of these happened last?
- Tenochtitlan falls to the Spanish
- The Panama Canal opens
- Mexico adopts its present constitution
- NAFTA goes into effect
NAFTA goes into effect
Hint: Put them in order: Tenochtitlan falls to the Spanish (1521), The Panama Canal opens (1914), Mexico adopts its present constitution (1917), NAFTA goes into effect (1994).
Question 3
In what year did this happen? Columbus reaches the Caribbean
- 1532
- 1608
- 1776
- 1492
1492
Hint: Columbus reaches the Caribbean: 1492.
Question 4
Put these events in order, earliest first.
- John Cabot reaches North America
- The Panama Canal opens
- Canada becomes a country
- Nunavut becomes a territory of Canada
John Cabot reaches North America → Canada becomes a country → The Panama Canal opens → Nunavut becomes a territory of Canada
Hint: In order: John Cabot reaches North America (1497), Canada becomes a country (1867), The Panama Canal opens (1914), Nunavut becomes a territory of Canada (1999).
Question 5
Put these events in order, earliest first.
- The Declaration of Independence is signed
- The Treaty of Tordesillas divides lands between Spain and Portugal
- The English found Jamestown
- Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal
The Treaty of Tordesillas divides lands between Spain and Portugal → Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal → The English found Jamestown → The Declaration of Independence is signed
Hint: In order: The Treaty of Tordesillas divides lands between Spain and Portugal (1494), Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal (1500), The English found Jamestown (1607), The Declaration of Independence is signed (1776).
Question 6
Which of these happened first?
- The Declaration of Independence is signed
- Pizarro captures the Inca ruler Atahualpa
- The US bans bringing in enslaved people from abroad
- NAFTA goes into effect
Pizarro captures the Inca ruler Atahualpa
Hint: Put them in order: Pizarro captures the Inca ruler Atahualpa (1532), The Declaration of Independence is signed (1776), The US bans bringing in enslaved people from abroad (1808), NAFTA goes into effect (1994).