Essay on Columbus and Indians

In the first source, the author, Howard Zinn discusses how Europeans were aware of their mistreatment towards the Native Americans and how Native Americans were innocent. As well as how Christopher Columbus is portrayed, how he is not a hero, and how he shouldn't be celebrated. Zinn uses direct sources and evidence to support his argument by using journals and logs. Zinn says that the mistreatment of Native Americans is first seen to begin with Columbus. Zinn shows evidence to support this statement by using a direct source from Columbus. "They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features... They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword,

Christopher Columbus was manipulative. My final piece of evidence, from Document 2 says that "They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane... They would make fine servants... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want." This shows the mindset of a conniving man because he exploited the Native Americans in order to get what he wanted which was gold. This was a selfish reason that resulted in the pain of so many Native

Columbus never even walked on what we now call the United States of America. Where ever he did land, he was motivated only by his own greed. Columbus came for the gold, spices, and slaves. In his diary, he mentioned gold 75 times just in the first two weeks, alone (Katz 13). Indians who weren’t able to find gold, were punished by having their hands cut off. Most slaves died en route to Spain. Many Indian females were taken as sex slaves, some as young as nine and ten years old. Columbus forced cooperation from the Indians by disfiguring them and using them as examples. Even worse, he used hunting dogs to tear the Indians apart. Many natives committed suicide, and murdered their own children to save them from such a horrible life. Those who survived the voyage were worked to death. Still, another huge portion of these Indians died from disease brought over by Columbus and his

Columbus has always been portrayed as an enlightened, peaceful explorer who “discovered” a new world, and became friends with the native people. Howard Zinn’s view on Columbus’s encounter with the natives is an entirely different perspective. Zinn describes Columbus as a man who is willing to torture and kill others to be able to accomplish what he wants; in this case he wanted to obtain gold and other resources to take back with him to Spain.

Though a vast majority of students learn about Columbus’ great conquests and celebrate him as a hero, very few know of the horrible atrocities he caused when he first landed in America. While considered a hero by most in the United States, Zinn argues that people should think twice about Columbus’ actions, and question whether his behavior to the Indians was necessary. In quotes one and five, Zinn clearly depicts his thoughts on the atrocities done by Columbus and other colonists to the natives living in America.

Furthermore, Columbus began enslaving the natives for more reasons than free labor. He needed something profitable to show the King and Queen of Spain, and Columbus decided that Europe could use slaves too. Columbus was planning a return trip home to Spain. His idea was to bring some Arawaks with him and show them to the King and Queen of Spain. Queen Isabella would see how valuable a slave market could be, and she would give Columbus more money and the title that he was promised. Ever since day one, Columbus made his thoughts and intentions extremely well-known through the bindings of his journal. In one excerpt from his journal, Columbus wrote, “They would make fine servants… With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want” (Columbus qtd. in Zinn 1). Christopher Columbus did not think about how his actions would impact others. Columbus thought about what would turn a profit for himself. Columbus packed up and left for his voyage back to Spain with Arawak peoples on board his ships. Unfortunately, many Arawaks did not make it to Spain because they died on the voyage. Still desperate for

Zinn argues that the perspective of indigenous people should not be omitted and argues that their perspectives are as significant as any other. He provides insight and perspectives of the Indians to describe how the heinous acts of the Europeans were unjustified. He also discusses that the Europeans had a continual motive of exploring during that time which was to increase the power/authority of the Spanish Crown by whatever means necessary, usually leading to violent wars.

In 1492, Italian cartographer and explorer, Christopher Columbus, set off on a mission from Spain in order to find a quicker, alternative route to Asia. With him, Columbus brought eighty-seven men and three ships, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María, to sail across the large and vast Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately for Columbus, a new route to Asia was never discovered by Spain that year because he had arrived in the Caribbean, which was found in North America. Thinking that he had just entered the Indies, he started to call the people of this land, “Indians”. These Indians were actually Native Americans who had lived on these lands for thousands of years prior. Immediately, letters from Columbus to the King and Queen of Spain were sent by boat back to Europe and soon Columbus was seen as the man who helped create a bridge of prosperous trading and riches between Europe and “Asia”.1 While this discovery proved that Columbus was a hero-like figure to Spain, it’s what he did within the new land that actually makes him one of the biggest villains to ever set foot on Earth. But what classifies this explorer as a villain? Columbus captured thousands of natives, many of which were sent back to Spain to live and work as slaves. Along with that, Columbus also forced the Christian religion onto them, spread diseases that killed thousands of lives, and used violence as a means of persuasion and control.2 Corrupted by his pursuit of riches,

Zinn’s thesis focused primarily on the devious Christopher Columbus. He wrote that Christopher Columbus wasn’t a real hero. He was power hungry and obsessed with finding gold. He was dishonest and deceitful to his crew. “The first man to sight land was supposed to get a yearly pension of 10,000 maravedis for life, but Rodrigo never got it. Columbus claimed he had seen a light the evening before. He got the reward.” He was also a cruel man, abusing the inhabitants of the land which he explored. The Arawaks were friendly and welcoming to these European men with overwhelming hospitality and their belief in sharing, but Columbus abused their kindness. He took them by force and used them as slaves, took all their gold and then killed them.” As soon as I arrived in the Indies, on the first Island which I found, I took some of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts.” Columbus wrote this about his experience when he first arrived to the Bahama Islands. This shows that he did not care for the people; instead of returning back the hospitality he used unnecessary

“When Christopher Columbus sailed he sailed with three ships and found the Indians. “According to Document A Christopher” Columbus was brave, and he was bright “. “This shows that he was a very intelligent and tough man. “Additionally, according to Document B “ In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean”. “This shows that He had three ships and left from Spain”. “Therefore, the authors point of view was that Christopher Columbus was a very joyful and apparently a nice man to the people as the document tells us. During the time this source was created Christopher Columbus has set sail and met the Indians. According to Document C “ The spaniards forced their indian slaves to work without rest and gave them little food. The men died

Columbus's arrogance and exploitation regarding slavery began on his second voyage. Ferdinand and Isabella had ordered that the natives be treated kindly. In opposition to this order, Columbus began exporting slaves in great numbers in 1494. It was because he was not making any real profit elsewhere on the island that he decided to exploit the one source of income--people--he had in abundance (Fernandez-Armesto 107). When word reached him that the crown did not want him sending more slaves, Columbus ignored it. He was desperate to make his expeditions profitable enough for Ferdinand and Isabella's continued support. Evidently he was not reprimanded because thousands of Indians were exported. By the time they reached Spain, usually a third of them were dead. Bartolome de las Casas wrote that one Spaniard had told him they did not need a compass to find their way back to Spain; they could simply follow the bodies of floating Indians who had been tossed overboard when they died (17). It is horrible to consider that the exportation of these natives resulted

However, Hadingham and Zinn both point out that the grandeur of survival and conquest is overstated. In Hadingham’s case, speculation of the Clovis’ origin are prevalent. The status of “big-game hunters” that the Clovis are renowned for is disputed by Hadingham, who mentions the uncovered bones of small prey in the Gault area. Furthermore, the extinction of many ancient animals were mostly due to the changing climate.  Hadingham uses a number of archeological facts and findings. As for Zinn, he points out the cruel treatment of Indians that were greatly responsible for the success of Christopher Columbus and the future colonists. Columbus’ soldiers recall the events in writing, detailing the deceit Columbus employed against the generous Indians. Wars were waged for land and food despite the initial charity of the Arawaks and other tribes. Using Bartolome de las Casas’ writings, Zinn shows the contemptuous treatment of the Indians by the Spaniards. The Spaniards who “grew more conceited every day,” in the words of Las Casas, tolled their Indian slaves to death in mines and slaughtered the innocent for fun. Outrageous quotas of gold was imposed on the Indians and cruel punishments was dealt to those who failed. Spain’s riches was built upon the blood of Indians, not by Columbus’

There has been a heated discussion about changing columbus day to native peoples day. This argument for getting rid of columbus day is flawed and quite hypocritical. This group Is claiming we should get rid of columbus day due to the fact he killed and enslaved the native people of the nations he visited. Christopher columbus and his men did kill and enslave the native people but, that was normal for that time period. Also how could Christopher columbus kill so many with less than 200 men? The answer is simple, he joined the ongoing tribal warfare that was taking place at the time. The tribes there already had mass graves, slaughtered and enslaved each other. This didn’t just start when columbus came around, the aztecs were

Now, in our present society, people are rethinking the goodness of Columbus and the actual impact that he had on our world. People feel that the killing of the American Indians was “unethical and morally wrong,” says Janet Mckay in an article from TIME magazine (“Columbus Day in Cali” TIME MAGAZINE Oct. 15, 1995, pg. 17). When Columbus made the Voyage to the Americas it was a different time, a different way of life. People thought differently than we do today. In 1492 there were many internal conflicts in many countries. Fighting was a thing that was normal.

Zinn suggests that one reason early reason why Columbus oppressed indigenous people was out of fear of "the other." In landing in what he thought to be India, Columbus initially feared those who were there, believing that they stood in the way of his conquest and eventual glory. It is in this where the