- Fernandez-Armesto, Felipe. “Columbus- Hero or Villian?” History Today, vol. 42, no. 5, May 1992, Web. Accessed 18 February 2018.
Abstract: This article is an analysis of the different ways Christopher Columbus has been viewed and why he has been viewed and can be viewed in each way.
Observations: “So which was Columbus: hero or villain? The answer is that he was neither but has become both. The real Columbus was a mixture of virtues and vices like the rest of us, not conspicuously good or just, but generally well-intentioned, who grappled creditably with intractable problems. Heroism and villainy are not, however, objective qualities. They only exist in the eye of the beholder.” This quote is important because it is fair that you could argue both ways if Christopher Columbus is a villain or a hero. It is dependent upon your morals and what you choose to believe to think whether he is a villain or a hero. He is a big part of American history whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and it is important to take from both his good and bad qualities. In my essay I will take the villain stance however it is important to understand why people think he is a hero in order to be successful when writing this essay and at times incorporate this information into my essay.
- Schuman, H. Schwartz, B. D’arcy, H. “Elite Revisionists and Popular Beliefs.” Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. 69, no. 1, Spring 2005, Web. Accessed 18 February 2018.
Abstract: This article discusses the disconnect between historians and society on the topic of Christopher Columbus and although plenty of elite historians have a lot of research, people choose to think differently.
Observations: “Thus, it seemed possible that the picture of America’s founding event, which developed over some two hundred years of commemorating Columbus’s 1492 voyage and landing, has been turned upside down for a large part of the public who has previously been taught to think of both the man and the date in triumphal terms.” Christopher Columbus has been made out to be a hero because of his expedition in 1492. Now, with new history and information, revisionists are portraying Christopher Columbus in the way he should be which is a major change to the public.
“Thus, one cannot simply assume that revisionist efforts and Indian protests have had much effect at all on public thinking about the meaning of 1492.” Although revisionists have done a lot of work, and a lot of their work makes very logical sense on how to feel toward Christopher Columbus, this does not mean the public opinion is changing. It is at times very hard for people to go against what is the popular belief and therefore unknown if they are open to changing something they grew up being told.
- Lilian, Handlin. “Discovering Columbus.” American Scholar, vol. 62, no. 1, Winter 1993. Web. Accessed 18 February 2018.
Abstract: This article is a historical analysis on how Christopher Columbus was portrayed and viewed over time.
Observations: “Hence popularizers with their own ideas about the mariner’s utility proved more influential than scholars in defining his features.” Those who made the history on Christopher Columbus were those who were benefitted by his doing. Therefore, they made him into a hero in history. These popular opinions seem to override scholars with factual information.
“The 1992 Columbus also symbolized colonialism, imperialism, phallocentrism, and elitism. He became the archetypal proponent of patriarchy and ecocide, a rapist who destroyed a gentler, nature-friendly, communal, peace-loving, and stateless culture- a cross between a baby-seal and Adolf Eichmann.” This quote is a very strong statement on Christopher Columbus. At the end, comparing him to Adolf Eichmann, who was a German Nazi that was one of the major organizers in the Holocaust. He is a face for colonialism, imperialism, phallocentrism and elitism which are important and not performed in the same manner as he did in other parts of history.
- Desai, Christina, M. “The Columbus Myth: Power and Ideology in Picturebooks About Christopher Columbus.” Children’s Literature in Education, vol. 45, no. 3, September 2014. Web. Accessed 18 February 2018.
Abstract: This article discusses the role of picturebooks in teaching children a false history, focusing on the history of Christopher Columbus.
Observations: “This article finds that the Columbus myth persists with little change, and that few titles present child readers with alternative perspectives.” This quote shows that in children literature Columbus continues to be introduced as a hero and when kids grow up reading about him as a hero it is difficult to make changes later in life when more information is comprehended. Most children’s books send this message which is evident when analyzing titles, word choice, pictures, etc.
“Children’s literature has its roots in didacticism and protectionism. Children’s biographies of great men, including Columbus, have traditionally served to provide models virtues such as courage and determination, and historic US values, such as scientific progress and westward expansion.” The factual information about Christopher Columbus is harsh and it is difficult to introduce someone so important in USA history as a villain. They do not want kids to shy away from courage and determination which is two values Columbus had because he is thought about to be a villain. Adults want children to believe that the history of the US is perfect when it is the imperfections that make it what it is today. It is difficult to tell the truth in a manner that is appropriate for kids.
- Medina, Myra. M. “Christopher Columbus, a Hero, a Villain, or a Product of His time?” Huffington Post, 01 November 2007, Accessed 22 February 2018.
Abstract: This is an opinion article that argues that Columbus was a product of his time. She argues that you cannot judge what Columbus did based on our standard today. In the 15th century it was more normal to use violence when there was conflict.
Observations: “He might not have discovered anything, but one cannot discard his daring accomplishment of crossing the Atlantic and finding these territories, which were ‘new’ for Europeans and provided the way for others to follow.” She offers a different perspective and is a counter argument to the rest of my resources. She explains that he simply should be honored by his courage for his journey across the Atlantic to make the discovery for the Europeans. Although many argue he should be a villain for the way he treated others like the indigenous people, there should be a respect factor for what he did in the first place.