“Honoring Christopher Columbus”
Carrol, Warren H. “Honoring Christopher Columbus” Catholic Education Research Center.
Christendom Press, 1992. Web 03 October 2016
Link
Excerpt: “Columbus was a flawed hero — as all men are flawed, including heroes — and his flaws are of a kind particularly offensive to today’s culture. But he was nevertheless a hero, achieving in a manner unequalled in the history of exploration and the sea, changing history forever.” “I cheered them on as best I could, telling them of all the honors and rewards they were about to receive. I also told the men that it was useless to complain, for I had started out to find the Indies and would continue until I had accomplished that mission, with the help of Our Lord.”
Notes: In the first quote, it shows Columbus is a man who had his own flaws, but still acquired a tremendous achievement. He had his human mistakes, but still put in an enormous amount of bravery to travel across the sea to the Americas. Everyone is flawed in some ways, but Columbus’s flaws do not outnumber his achievements. The second quote shows how determined and passionate Columbus was about his mission. He was not seeking to put his men through torture. The whole source analyzes Columbus’s mission through Catholic eyes.
Use: I can use this information to display Columbus as a man who was flawed. His mistakes were mistakes that anyone could have performed. Yet, his achievement and bravery to take on this task is tremendous. This passage could also be used to show his dedication and drive to complete his mission. His sole goal was to complete the task he had been given without fail. It was not to destroy an entire race or steal their country from them.
“Columbus and the Beginning of Genocide in the ‘New World'”
Churchill, Ward. “Columbus and the Beginning of Genocide in the “New World”” Common Courage Press, 1994. Web.
Link
Excerpt: “Whatever the process unleashed by his “discovery” of the ‘New World,’ it is said, the discoverer himself cannot be blamed.” “He went, as his own diaries, reports, and letters make clear, fully expecting to encounter wealth belonging to others. It was his stated purpose to seize this wealth, by whatever means necessary and available, in order to enrich both his sponsors and himself.”
Notes: The first quote emphasizes that Columbus cannot be blamed for everything resulting in the demise of the American Indians. He may have indirectly killed thousands of Indians, but that was not his original intent. The second quote emphasizes that according to all of his notes and writings his original intent was to gain wealth for himself and others. He did not intend to bring disease and warfare to the Indians. He was not on a quest to destroy the nation of the Indians. This whole source states that Columbus should not be compared to world leaders who have performed mass genocides. There are numerous other events and leaders that have worsened the Indians’ situation.
Use: I can use these two quotes to show that Columbus was an explorer, not a conqueror. His original intent was not to destroy the entire Native American race. He wanted to gain and spread wealth to his partners and leaders. He cannot be called a murderer since his original purpose was not to murder. He was a man looking for wealth, that is all.
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