- Tinker, G. E. & Freeland, M. “Thief, Slave Trader, Murderer: Christopher Columbus and Caribbean Population Decline.” Wicazo Sa Review, vol. 23 no. 1, 2008, pp. 25-50. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/wic.2008.0002
Note: “That Columbus, or Cristóbal Colón (to give him his proper Spanish name), was a slave trader is a matter of historical fact. He cut his nautical teeth sailing under a Portuguese flag engaged in the African slave trade a dozen years before 1492.” Columbus had a history of pirating and cruelty in the past and worked as a slaver. “And we will argue in this essay that Colón was indeed a murderer, culpable for those crimes against humanity as the head of an authoritarian regime just as readily as Adolph Hitler is held accountable for the murder of some six million Romas (the so-called Gypsies), Jews, and gays in Nazi Germany. We know that Colón’s law of tribute effectively resulted in the murder…” This source holds a clear prejudice towards Columbus, however gives interesting insight into the governorship of Columbus.
Abstract: This book consisted mainly of the evils Christopher Columbus committed before, during, and after his voyage to the New World. While biased completely towards the view of him as an evil destroyer, it gives a very interesting view into the actions Christopher Columbus did commit. It also exposes the wars between the natives and his sailors, and the numerous war atrocities he had his men do.
- D’Souza, Dinesh. “The “Crimes” of Christopher Columbus.” First Things57 (1995): 26-33.
Note: “It is true that Columbus harbored strong prejudices about the peaceful islanders whom he misnamed “Indians”-he was prejudiced in their favor. For Columbus, they were “the handsomest men and the most beautiful women” he had ever encountered.” While Christopher Columbus might have done some questionable things, he did honestly praise the natives and worked with them constantly. He held many native allies during his rule, creating a power network of tribes to assist each other.
Abstract: Christopher Columbus is highly praised in this pdf, showing a light side to Columbus often ignored by those casting him a villain. It shows his relationships with the fellow natives he worked with, and lets us understand the wider world of Christopher Columbus despite it being cast as a dark, grim place.
- Bigelow, Bill. “Once Upon a Genocide..” Rethinking Schools5 (2009): 7-8.
Note: “For Columbus, land was real estate and it didn’t matter that other people were already living there; if he “discovered” it, he took it.” Christopher Columbus, when first arriving to the island of Hispanola, ignored many rights of the native tribes and took land as he wanted. While he may have later grew an acceptance towards the natives, he did overthrow many of their tribes in the beginning of his tenure.
Abstract: This book details the interesting relation of Christopher Columbus in current culture, while also showing the dark, twisted deeds he committed. It details out and lines his actions in chronical order, allowing the reader a step by step transformation of Columbus upon reaching the New World.
- Churchill, Ward. “Deconstructing the Columbus Myth.” A little matter of genocide: Holocaust and denial in the Americas1492 (1997): 399-445.
Note: “One might well ask how a group of human beings, even those like the Spaniards of Columbus’ day, maddened in a collective lust for wealth and prestige, might come to treat another with such unrestrained ferocity over a sustained period.” Columbus’ many ‘misdeeds’ are exaggerated by opposing sides, attempting to create almost mythical representations of normal events. Columbus’ actions were as evil as they so seemed by skewed authors of the modern day scholar.
Abstract: This pdf is one of the best yet, showing a deconstruction of many of Columbus’ famous deeds against the native population. Many of the events show are very exaggerated by authors, and some even made up to create a false image of Christopher Columbus in modern day media, as maintained by anti-Columbus protesters.