Carroll, Warren H. “Honoring Christopher Columbus.” Catholic Education Research Center.
Christendom Press, 1992. Web. 3 Oct. 2016.
<http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/history/honoring-christopher-c>.
PRO
Note: “It is for the boldness of his conception and his magnificent courage in laying his life on the line to carry it out that Christopher Columbus is most rightly honored.” This source supports the idea that Christopher Columbus is a hero and should be praised. “Sick, frustrated, angry, and unable to control the Spaniards on the island, Columbus blamed the Indians for his troubles and the very small production of gold. In January 1495 he seized over a thousand Indians to make them slaves.” What he did wrong wasn’t ignored. It is addressed in the article, yet overridden by more heroic events.
Abstract: This piece references the positive side of the Christopher Columbus story without neglecting the bad things that were done.
Review: The article admits that Columbus had flaws, but it backs him up by saying that all men are flawed. Discovery is defined as when someone finds something not previously known to them. (This is in context to history.) With that definition, Columbus obviously did make a “discovery.” The article also state, “No people from any other part of the world ever discovered Europe; but Europeans discovered all other parts of the world.” I think that this is a crucial statement in defending Columbus and his doings. Columbus as, as most know, was hoping to reach Asia on his voyage. While traveling in other parts of the world, he noticed things, like bodies, vegetation, and wood carvings, that drifted ashore from somewhere. He felt that there was land “within reach” of the current technologies of the ships and that God was calling him to reach it. Being a Catholic, he spread his religion to the new land. He was the first to cross the sea, and he thought that he was going to Asia, and if the new land wouldn’t have been there, he and his crew members all would have died. His voyage was from August-October in 1492. The day he left had religious meaning (fiesta of Our Lady of Angels.) Many of the natives in the new land did become Catholics. Columbus had to find gold in order to pay for his voyage. When he returned, he was like a hero, and he received 17 ships and 1500 people to accommodate him back to America. He blamed the Indians for his lack of gold enslaved thousands of them.
Hoffman, James V. “Critical Reading/Thinking Across the Curriculum: Using I-Charts to
Support Learning.” Language Arts 69.2 (1992): 121-27. Web. 2 Oct. 2016.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/41411571?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents>.
Neither PRO or CON
Note: “What is also true is that in his quest for gold Columbus had the hands of any Indian who did not return with his or her three-month quota.” Columbus was searching for gold, and he wasn’t afraid to harm Indians to get it. “Every man and women, every boy or girl of fourteen or older, in the province of Ciabao (of the imaginary gold fields) had to collect gold for the Spaniards.” This explains the age of the people Columbus was making bring in gold. It also talks about other items other areas were to find other than gold.
Abstract: This article begins from a father’s point of view of a first grader who learned about Christopher Columbus. Much to the father’s surprise, she didn’t learn the average first grade Columbus fairy tale. Her teacher shared an article with the class that portrayed Columbus as a villain rather than a hero.
Review: The article talks about learning and critical learning, but it also talks about important facts that Columbus faced. It talks about the tone of a piece and when it is read aloud. It has different effects on the audience. It also talks about both sides of the Columbus issue. The article mentions how Columbus took hundreds of Indians and sold them back to Spain. An island call Hispaniola was wiped off the face of the earth forty years after the Spanish administration. Columbus also forced the Indians to collect non-existent gold. If they didn’t meet their quota, their fingers were cut off. The article goes on to discuss the importance of hearing all sides of the story before making assumptions about an issue.
Steven. “The Journal of Christopher Columbus (1492).” The Journal of Christopher Columbus (1492). 04 Aug. 2009.
Web. 03 Oct. 2016. <http://www.historyguide.org/earlymod/columbus.html>.
Neither PRO or CON
Note: “…I shall examine on the passage, and according as I find gold or spices in abundance, I shall determine what to do…” This is talking about Columbus’s motives for the voyage. He is, as stated in many other sources, searching for gold. “They are all extremely verdant and fertile, with the air agreeable, and probably contain many things of which I am ignorant, not inclining to stay here, but visit other islands in search of gold.”
Abstract: This is an online source of daily journal entries by Christopher Columbus from August 3, 1492 to October 21, 1492. It explains what was happening from his point of view. The entries only go up to the arrival at the island of Bosio.
Review: Columbus set sail on Friday, August 3, 1492. Many times in his journal entries, Columbus mentions God and he thanks him for something. He encountered islands on his voyage, and many of them were accompanied by Indians. He often mentions gold in journal, and he makes it known that gold was important to him. Many natives he meets offer him things like cotton or other goods, and some flee their homes in fear of the white men. On line that speaks about the importance of gold says, “But in truth, should I meet with gold or spices in great quantity, I shall remain till I collect as much as possible, and for this purpose I am proceeding solely in quest of them.” This makes it seem as if the sole purpose of Columbus’s doings was to gather gold, species, etc. to please the royalty.