Like Connections to the Philippine-American War, this assessment gauges students' knowledge of the past. Rather than measure whether students can simply recall decontextualized facts, this assessment requires students to make connections across time and construct an argument about how events are connected. Students with a strong sense of the past will be able to explain that the rise of mercantilism led to an increase in sea voyages funded by kingdoms who wished to expand trade to new regions. Strong students will also explain how Cook's voyages led to the establishment of British colonies in Australia.
