To the explorer or colonist of the 16th and 17th centuries, North America was a vast and uncharted land. The continent appealed to European eyes--blind to the claims of the Native Americans who, to varying degrees of density, inhabited the entire continent--as an open field to claim, to exploit, and to settle. Once permanent settlements were…

This skit is presented as an example of a creative writing assignment that combines humanities with social studies. The author recommends that high school teachers make such assignments for themselves and their students. The teacher is given the same assignment because brushing up on rusty composition skills and direct experience in creative…