Exploration of North America is a single volume divided into two separate sections (corresponding to Unit 5 and Unit 6 for schools using the CKHG series in Sequence grade-level order):

• Canada: The first section introduces the geography and people of Canada. Students learn about Canada’s government, major population centers, and the country’s vast wilderness and natural resources. They are introduced to Canada’s indigenous peoples and to its French and British heritage.
• Exploration of North America: The second section of this book turns to a historical focus on Spanish explorers who crisscrossed the Americas in search of gold and riches, and other European explorers who searched for the Northwest Passage. After reviewing the explorations of Columbus, students learn about Ponce de León’s search for the Fountain of Youth, De Soto’s long march to the Mississippi, Coronado’s quest for cities of gold, the founding of St. Augustine, and the development of settlements around Spanish missions. The focus then shifts to the explorers who undertook perilous voyages to find the Northwest Passage, including John Cabot, Samuel de Champlain, and Henry Hudson. Students also consider the interactions of the explorers with Native Americans, including Popé and the Pueblo Revolt.