- “Medieval Sourcebook: Christopher Columbus: Extracts from Journal.” Internet History Sourcebooks Project, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.asp
Note: “I was very attentive to them, and strove to learn if they had any gold.” Columbus entertained the natives for the little time he did because he was interested in their gold. He hid his true intentions from them as he stole so much from them. Columbus often evaluated them as savages and slaves rather than humans. “It appears to me, that the people are ingenious, and would be good servants and I am of opinion that they would very readily become Christians, as they appear to have no religion.” Columbus also tried to convert them to his religion even though they gave his fleet everything they needed.
Thoughts: I can use this to depict Columbus as someone who used the natives as a means to get what he wanted (gold). I can also show that he was thinking of enslaving them and how at several points he commented on their stupidity. The journal states that the natives had no weapons either and were therefore defenseless.
- Crawford, Kimberly Ann. “What Students and Adults Are Allowed to Know About Christopher Columbus.” State University of New York. Web. 1 December 2009. http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1502&context=ehd_theses
Note: “I did not find, as some of had 4 expected, any cannibals among them, but on the contrary, men of great deference and kindness.” The article talks about both side of the argument but the positives are portrayed as deceptive and misleading to the youth of America. The rest goes into detail about how what is written about in schools is vastly different from what actually happened.
Thoughts: I can use the contrast to learn more about both sides so I can make a valid argument in favor of the fact that Columbus was a villain. The piece also analyzes another works by someone so I can get another viewpoint of why Columbus was in the wrong.
- Wright, Mark Antonio. “Christopher Columbus and the New World.” National Review, 12 Oct. 2015, nationalreview.com/article/425389/christopher-columbus-and-new-world-mark-antonio-wright
Note: This article takes a strong stance against Columbus stating that he was “far from being the pioneer of progress and enlightenment, was in fact the pioneer of oppression, racism, slavery, rape, theft, vandalism, extermination, and ecological desolation.” Columbus would uproot and punish natives to teach the other tribes what would happen if they didn’t comply.
Thoughts: It seems Columbus would do anything to get what he wanted from the Indians. This article in particular take a relatively harsh standpoint from the others against Columbus. I could use some of the arguments here but they are a little strong for where my position stands.
- Churchill, Ward. “Columbus and the Beginning of Genocide in the “New World”” Indians Are Us. N.p.: Common Courage, 1994. N. page. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Web. 30 Sept. 2017. http://www.mit.edu/~thistle/v9/9.11/1columbus.html
Note: “I will try to [contaminate] them…with some blankets
that may fall into their hands, and take care not to get the disease
myself.” The quote speaks for itself of his character but the rest of the article goes into more detail about the brutal tactics taken by Columbus and his crew to get what they wanted from the native Indians. The rest of the article proceeds to compare the landing of Columbus the the rise of Hitler and how their genocides compare.
Thoughts: I can use this unique comparison to show how Columbus was to the natives in a way most can relate to better. The article also does an excellent job at highlighting all the bad thing Columbus did in his trips to the Americas.
- Howarth, William. “Putting Columbus In His Place.” Southwest Review2/3 (1992): 153. Literary Reference Center.
Note: “Columbus may indeed have had noble intentions when he sailed west, but his agreement with Spain suggests his intentions were far from selfless.” The deal made with the Spanish made it so Columbus would need to pillage to gain any profit from his voyage. Columbus may have given the natives items but he took much more from them in return.
Thoughts: The article discusses the major language barrier between the Europeans and the natives. I can use it to show that Columbus used the language barrier to abuse the Indians.