BEFORE YOU WATCH: The Spanish Empire, Silver, & Runaway Inflation

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.

By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:

How did the Inca Empire’s administration work, and how did they build in the mountains?
How did the Aztec and the Inca differ in how they treated conquered peoples?
What resource did the Spanish find instead of gold, and how did they extract this resource?
What were the economic results of Spanish silver mining in the Americas?
What other country had a problem with inflation? How did they try to deal with it, and were they successful?
What were some effects of China’s new tax structure in the sixteenth century?
What were the overall global effects of Spanish silver mining?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.

At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to this question:

John Green argues that Spanish silver mining had a huge impact that was both global and long-lasting. He claims that “this process led to the life that you have today, one where I can teach you history through the magic of the Internet.” Is his argument convincing? What other sources or facts support, extend, or challenge his argument?

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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