1. Lesson 11 Balboa and the Spanish claim to the Pacific, 1513
5 mins
Aim: to develop an understanding of Balboa’s discoveries and their significance.
KEYWORD – CONQUISTADOR = the name for the Spaniards who conquered the New World.
KEYWORD – CONQUISTADOR = A conqueror, especially one of the Spanish conquerors of Panama, Mexico and Peru in the C16th.
Identify two consequences of Isabella and Ferdinand’s sponsorship of Columbus’s exploration of the Atlantic.

2. Starting Off
5 mins
Balboa was a C16th Spanish Conquistador about to explore the New World. 3
Write down three possible reasons why Balboa wanted to explore the New World in the first place.
Explain each reason. 2
Write down two things Balboa should take with him for his new life.
Explain each choice. 1
Write one worry/fear that Balboa would have about this new life.
Explain fully.

3. BALBOA – ZERO TO HERO
5 mins
Read Pearson pg38 and discuss the answers to the questions below.
Questions from p 38:
What did the Spanish monarchs give to Conquistadors to assist their adventures?
What did the Conquistadors promise to give the monarchs in return?
Why did the monarchs find it hard to control the Conquistadors once they had left on their expeditions?
Extension reading: Laminate handout – Vasco Nunez de Balboa and the claim to the pacific 1513

4. BALBOA – ZERO TO HERO
Read Pearson pg39-42 and discuss the answers to the questions below.:
What was Balboa’s first success in 1509?
What and where was Darien?
How did Balboa bring prosperity to Darien?
Why did Balboa explore the Isthmus of Panama?
Why was the discovery of the Pacific ocean significant?
What riches did Balboa find?
What were the consequences of Balboa’s explorations?
Which consequence do you think would be of the greatest long term importance?
Extension reading: Laminate handout – Vasco Nunez de Balboa and the claim to the pacific 1513
10 mins

5. BALBOA – ZERO TO HERO
15 mins
Read Pearson pg39-42
Extension reading: Laminate handout – Vasco Nunez de Balboa and the claim to the pacific 1513
Complete the narrative diagram summarising Balboa’s journey from zero to hero - based on his expedition.
Extension: Were Balboa’s achievements more down to skill or chance? Colour code the flow diagram

6. BALBOA: ZERO TO HERO

7. Plenary -The significance of Balboa’s Path to the Pacific
10 mins
Laminate handout – Vasco Nunez de Balboa and the claim to the pacific 1513/ Pearson pg39-42
Identify both the short term and long term gains of Balboa’s discovery – complete the table.
Extensions:
Were the short term gains of Balboa’s discovery of the ‘South Sea’ (the Pacific) more significant than the long term gains? Compare/contrast response.
Balboa’s discovery of the ‘South Sea’ (the Pacific) was extremely important for the Spanish Empire. Provide 2 supporting reasons.
Q3 - New Knowledge of the New World and the World / another sea discovered / closer to accessing the East Indies / eventual discovery of the Aztec and then Inca civilisations and thus gold and silver and spread of Christianity / Spanish empire would in the long term grow to take over Portugese empire

8. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BALBOA’S PATH TO THE PACIFIC
SHORT TERM SIGNIFICANCE
LONG TERM SIGNIFICANCE 1 2 3

9. HOMEWORK - JUDGEMENT
Was Balboa’s claim of authority over the Pacific (1513) more significant than Columbus’s discovery of Hispaniola (1492) for the Spanish Empire? 4 points
Word Bank
The Pacific/South Sea, quinto, Isthmus, expedition, trade, wealth, conquistador, conquest, fame, power, long term, short term, this led to…/ this meant that…/ this increased