Christopher Columbus: The Myth Of The New World
“Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492,” goes the motto nearly every child in America recites to remember Christopher Columbus, the Italian sailor who allegedly discovered the New World. In elementary school history books, Columbus is described as a fantastic gentleman who sailed around the earth and discovered the New World; however, what children are not taught in school is that Columbus not only did not discover America, but was also brash and stubborn, in addition to treating the natives very poorly. In school, we learn about Columbus Day, which commemorates the day Columbus landed in the New World. Columbus’s birthday is estimated to be on the twelfth of October, the day on which we observe, as Dr. Engel states in his lecture. I have never held much praise for Columbus; I was taught that he was looking for India for spices, and discovering a new land was purely accidental, so my thoughts were on how he has been …show more content…
According to Dr. Engel’s lecture on the famed explorer and the editorial “Columbus Not Worth Honoring” by David Thundershield Queen, Columbus was not the commendable man we thought him to be. Columbus did not in fact discover America; Native Americans have thrived in the New World long before Columbus was even born. Columbus was also not looking for India. Yes, he was looking for spices, mainly pepper, but it was China he was bound for. He was very stubborn as well, refusing to accept he had not found China but a different land, and he died still believing he had reached China. What surprised me most, however, was his treatment of the natives. Dr. Engel states in his lecture that when Columbus first met the native people, he writes in his journal that “no white man will ever have to work
Should Christopher Columbus Be Accepted Or Honored?
647 Words | 3 PagesThe Natives were killed by the European diseases, and after enduring this they were then forced into European law through the Economedia system. Without his discovery, this may have been avoided or handled in a more careful way. Also, Christopher Columbus had many accounts of rape, as well as murder. He wasn’t the only man committing either of these atrocities, but his fame brings these faults
Christopher Columbus Hero Or Villain Essay
490 Words | 2 PagesColumbus may have found Gold to help Spain, but to me he wanted to find Gold to make is self feel better. Christopher Columbus was previously thought as a tenacious man who founded America and let`s celebrate Columbus for founding America. Now, I realize that Columbus was a cold-hearted man who had no care for anybody and was kicked out from the kingdom of Spain. Columbus had ruined the whole society of the Arawak. They had their babies and kids and many of Arawak people feared that Columbus would kill them, so the Arak killed the babies themselves.
Point Of View In Zinn's Honoring Christopher Columbus
168 Words | 1 PagesIn the book Zinn, The author gives a point of view of Christopher Columbus that is usually not given. Most of the time the story of Christopher Columbus is told from a historian point of view. They usually tell you of his mission, and of the three ships that he takes in order to find gold and other new riches. Zinn informs us that he is not the hero that, that we all think that he is. It shows us that he tortured, abused, and overwhelmingly embarrasses the Arwark Indians.
Christopher Columbus: Heroic Or Hero?
1334 Words | 6 PagesFor over 80 years we have glorified, heroized, and celebrated Christopher Columbus for accomplishments that he never accomplished. While at the same time we have forgotten the things that he actually did do, some of which were not very heroic nor ethical. So why, on every second Monday in October, do we miss school and work just to remember a man who wasn’t who we think he was? The answer is simple, we shouldn’t be. So let's all board the Boat of Answers, then hoist our Flag of Truth, and finally set sail to find out who the real Christopher Columbus was.
Christopher Columbus And Brief Account Of The Devastation Of The Indies
640 Words | 3 PagesIn the “Letter from Christopher Columbus to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (1493)” and “Bartoleme de Las Casas, Brief Account of the Devastation of the Indies (1542)” are both great primary sources to learn about facts and events that happen from a first-person point of view. Both parties encountered new civilization, people with their own beliefs and ideas, yet in the end reacted similar for different reasons. Christopher Columbus arrived to new land and immediately recognized what it had to offer. From the simplest things that we now take for granted to the food we eat today. Columbus described the land as a marvelous geography.
Christopher Columbus Historiography Analysis
749 Words | 3 PagesLoewen argues, “The authors of history textbooks have taken us on a trip of their own, away from the facts of history, into the realm of myth.” As historical events regress further into the past, writers may misinterpret facts that they may have studied. A story of discovery and friendship or a tale of conquest, murder, and greed, which of these are Christopher Columbus’ true stories? I believe the best method to teach American high school students about Christopher Columbus’ story is through historiography because historiography teaches students to compare and distinguish different outlooks from different writers’ point of views instead of just remembering misinterpreted facts. Historiography would guide and force students to study and learn history through a diverse set of historians who focused on the same subject and come to different conclusions.
Why Is Christopher Columbus False Reputation
934 Words | 4 PagesAnother example of why Christopher Columbus’ reputation is false is from the article “Christopher Columbus Timeline” by Linda Alchin. “Columbus again appeals to King Ferdinand of Spain for patronage, but he was again refused,” page 2. Christopher Columbus asked for his voyage to be paid for by the King of Spain several times because in the quote it says that he was, “again refused.” This shows that Columbus needed to beg multiple times just to be able to sail across the sea. He still needed food, a crew, and other supplies to actually last and make the trip worth
Argumentative Essay: Is Christopher Columbus Worth Honoring?
215 Words | 1 PagesWhen I was younger I was under the impression that Christopher Columbus was a great man and that he discovered America. We celebrate Columbus day because we honor him for “discovering America”. From this new information that I have learned today, Christopher Columbus is not the man iv have been taught about.
Columbus And The First Thanksgiving Summary
841 Words | 4 PagesInclusively, the professor explained that stories such as the flat earth, and the challenges Columbus faced while discovering America, only help to empower the concept of heroification. Surprisingly, Loewen explains that these and other erroneous stories are learned through history textbooks. Dr. Jendian explained that these misconceptions, keep students unaware of the real nature of history. According to Loewen (32), “The authors of history textbooks have taken us on a trip of their own, away from the facts of history, into the realm of myth.” As mentioned previously, Columbus is presented to us as a symbol of heroification, demonstrating how history textbooks contain errors about his real life.
How Should We Celebrate Columbus Day
598 Words | 3 PagesThroughout many historical interpretations of the explorer, Christopher Columbus, many included his voyage of seeking for a new route from Europe to the land of the riches, Asia. Although Columbus never set foot in Asia, he had traveled west and discovered the New World, and led many influential impacts. From Columbus’s exploration, it created several questionings along with controversies, debating whether people should celebrate Columbus Day. Nevertheless, Columbus Day should not be a national holiday, because the honor presented by the holiday does not suit many of Columbus’s despicable actions. Columbus had received the wrong title for his journey, his discovery lead to massive amounts of murders, and his greed for valuables and fame was also part of Columbus’s
Should We Celebrate Columbus Day?
635 Words | 3 PagesColumbus Day is right around the corner, and the age old question, whether or not we should we be celebrating Christopher Columbus remains unanswered. The average American believes that Christopher Columbus was a brave explorer, who, despite horrible odds, sailed across the Atlantic in 1492 to discover the New World and proved that the earth was round. Both of these preconceived ideas are wrong. In 1491, no one actually thought that the world was flat.
Christopher Columbus's Negative Impact On The World
503 Words | 3 PagesSome say Christopher Columbus was a hero because he was the explorer that discovered America. In reality, Christopher Columbus had an incredibly negative impact on the world because he enslaved the Native Americans, didn’t help the kind Natives when they got infected by diseases that the Spaniards had brought to America, and killed off most of the Native American population. The tactics he chose to use were violent and destructive by the standards back then and now. First, Columbus treated the Native Americans like uncivilized people by enslaving them and forcing them to work for him although they greeted him and his crew peacefully. ” They could make fine servants,”(document 2) he wrote in his journal,”I took them by force.
Why Is Christopher Columbus Bad
453 Words | 2 PagesChristopher Columbus Hero or Villain ? Christopher Columbus is a Villain. On some accounts he can be a Hero. But on many other accounts he's a vicious Villain. Yes he discovered America ;
How Did Christopher Columbus Affect America
309 Words | 2 PagesChristopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred ninety-two. When one hears the name Christopher Columbus, they tend to think about his discovery of America. What they don’t consider is how his discovery changed and affected America. First of all, Columbus’ discovery provided the start of a long term colonization, which created what we know today as America. People, who immigrated from another country, traveled all over the world to make it to America in hopes of getting land in “The New World”.
Negative Effects Of Christopher Columbus
854 Words | 4 PagesChristopher Columbus is a man who is commonly depicted as a hero and great explorer who discovered our modern day America, but many of the so called “facts” are not all completely true as people would like to believe. Columbus was undoubtedly a courageous explorer who brought many new ideas, cultures, and resources to be exchanged between the New World and Europe. While this is true, it is not uncommon for people to forget the harmful effects brought along with the voyages made by Columbus and the darker details of his times in America. Columbus started from humble middle class family. Columbus was born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa as the oldest of his four siblings.
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