In every school in the United States, teachers would teach students about Columbus and his journey to the Americas and how his discovery would eventually lead to the beginning of the colonization of the Americas. Every student knows who Columbus is: an explorer from Spain who set sailed to the Americas in 1492 with his ship: The Nina, The Pinta, and the Santa Maria. However, there is more than meets the eye. Christopher Columbus’s achievements have created a “mindset” in which many people will follow during colonization: to conquer and enslave the people and the land for golds and richest. We as Americans celebrate Columbus Day to remember the achievements that Columbus has done. However, we shouldn’t celebrate Columbus Day because of …show more content…
According to Michael Paiewonsky, he talks about Columbus’s vision, saying that the “natives had a good build and can make a fine slave.” (Biography: Christopher Columbus. 26:32 – 26:39). Also, Michael even mentions that Columbus captures and steals natives that he trades with and keeps them as slaves. (Biography: Christopher Columbus.26:40-26:43) Columbus’s act towards the natives was rather rash and horrible. Taking natives and use them as personal slaves for is personal use shows that Columbus really cared about is the spoils and glory. He cared about being famous and the wealth he will gain once he finishes with his first voyage. With the Spanish Empire colonizing parts, the New World, many Spaniards mistreated the natives and eventually enslave them. After Columbus discover that his colony of Hispaniola was turned to a killing zone, the both Columbus and the Spaniards begin to treat the natives as slaves and made them find the gold. According to Nancy Levinson, she talks about the natives have a daily quota and many never nor get near the data quota when they mine for gold. (Biography: Christopher Columbus. 25:50 -26:02) Because the Spaniard wanted gold, the natives didn’t reach the number of gold needed. This eventually cause the natives to work twice and hard to meet the standard quota and many were punished. Many natives begin to feel like their freedom has been lost and that the world they live in was terrible, due to the harsh treatment that
In the United States, there are many holidays that are celebrated by its citizens. Some of these holidays consist of individuals taking the day off from work and school, such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day. During these days off, individuals have the chance to reflect on the day itself, and rejoice on the purpose of the holiday. Every holiday has a distinct and positive meaning towards the United States and its people, but there is one holiday in particular that is controversial in this aspect- the celebration of Christopher Columbus- Columbus Day. This controversy is JJJJJJ because even though Christopher Columbus had a big role in discovering America, he also was a terrible human being who tortured many. In my opinion, I believe that the celebration of discovering America should continue to be celebrated. Although, the holiday should be shifted from honoring Columbus, to instead celebrating the discovery of the United States of America by the indigenous people who were already settled in our land.
In the article why we shouldn’t celebrate Columbus day, it says “He was known for enslaving natives in many of the places he occupied during his quests, but he eventually started trading African slaves when the native populations died off. Not only did his men rape and kill the natives, they began importing other people to oppress.” Later became the slave of U.S. He wasn’t being nice to the slaves like his own people.
Most children in the United States, grow up with the stories of the brave and heroic Christopher Columbus, who risked his life to connect the western and eastern hemispheres. There is even a day dedicated to his "good work" and "heroism". But the stories don't explore the whole truth. Since his discoveries led to the founding of America, history turns a blind eye to his immoral actions and the consequence of his deeds. Christopher Columbus is a villain because he enslaved, wiped out and manipulated the populations of the Native Americans in the Indies.
The Europeans had became greedy and selfish. They had become reliant on the native Americans to do everything for them. They had made them do necessary tasks that they could have done themselves, but chose not too. They had made them carry them when they didn’t want to walk, feed them, fan them,carry their hammocks,etc. They had become conceited, thinking they were too “royal” to do anything for themselves. They had made the Native Americans slaves and servants to their every bidding no matter the circumstance. They had become puppets to the Europeans and they controlled the Natives and forced them to do whatever they wanted. They had made the Natives lose their dignity and sink so low by making them complete their every request. The Natives had been worn down and degraded to be known as nothing to the Europeans but servants and people who they could call to do something for them. Countless Natives had died because of what the Europeans had brought to them
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
While trying to adapt Native Americans to European customs, Columbus and his followers took advantage of the Indians. The Spanish burned the Natives sacred objects and would not allow them to practice their own religions. They also abused the Natives, enslaving them, taking land from them, and raping their women. Because of the conquistadors quest for gold and other riches,
In addition to opening up a New World to Europe and inspiring a spirit of adventure, Columbus’s experience also showed the importance of diversity. Columbus was an Italian, but he learned to sail from the Portuguese, and his trip was funded by the Spanish. He needed the help of several different countries to accomplish what we now know him for today. Conversely, Columbus’s confrontation with the Natives shows how cultures conflict when they do not understand each other. Columbus and his troops massacred thousands of
It was the 15th century, it was a quote unquote different century. They had many new forces and changes but that doesn’t justify what happened due to Christopher Columbus. In this i’m going to state why Columbus is a terrible person. He said Native Americans would make fine servants. With the fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever he wanted and or needed. Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, but he isn’t as good of a person as we were taught. Until now some people just thought he was the guy we got the day off for. Once you learn what he’s done you realize he wasn’t just the reason we didn’t have school on a monday. He was the reason thousands of native
Christopher Columbus is a villain in my eyes. This belief rests upon three main points: excerpts from Columbus’ journal and letters from his first arrival, the reality that he and his man alike were gold-thirsty, and the unlawful crimes he committed to satisfy and please the king in order to receive glory. These actions are often overlooked by many because it eventually led to the development of our country, but that should not excuse his actions. Consequently, his actions set an example for future generations, on how to solve problems with the Indians-extinguish them. Below, I will elaborate more fully on these arguments.
Christopher Columbus set out on his voyage in 1942 on the West Indian islands, to find a new world for the Europeans. When he landed on the Caribbean Island the Indian Natives that lived there were at first scared but greeted him in a friendly manner. The conquest and settlement of the Western Hemisphere opened new opportunities for other Europeans such as the French, Dutch, English and Spanish to come to the island and colonize the Indian's land. For the Europeans to colonize and move in on Native land they had to find a way to interact with the Indians. Through their interaction they found cultural understandings and confusions that were documented by both the Europeans and the Indians. In the book, "Major Problems in American Colonial
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean and discovered what we now know as the Americas… or so it’s been taught. In all actuality, there were already Native people who had been living in the continents for thousands of years. Since 1937, the US has used this “discovery” as a holiday known as Columbus Day to celebrate a man who established the beginning of colonization of the New World. While Columbus did begin the colonization of the Americas, he was not the one who discovered them. History tends to be told from the privileged perspective which is why it’s taught that Columbus discovered these lands. The celebration of Columbus Day promotes the idea of colonization and the marginalization of Native Americans; people also believe it
Zinn Chapter One Questions: 1. What is Zinn’s thesis for pages 1-11? Zinn's thesis for pages 1-11 is to prove to us and show us in many ways that Christopher Columbus is not the hero that everyone thinks he is. He never fulfilled his promises to those that had promised. Zinn proved to us that he was a dishonest and heartless person toward those who supported him and his journeys.
Columbus not only enslaved, he also permitted and even encouraged the rape of the native women. An entry from his childhood friend and one of his men, Michele da Guneo, writes in a letter “While I was in the boat, I captured a very beautiful Carib woman, whom the said Lord Admiral (Columbus) gave to me. I was filled with a desire to take my pleasure with her and attempted to satisfy my desire. She was unwilling, and so treated me with her nails that I wished I had never begun. But—to cut a long story short—I then took a piece of rope and whipped her soundly, and she let forth such incredible screams that you would not have believed your ears.” (Halper, Katie)
We talk about him in school, it's taught that he's a great explorer who found our great nation. What they don't teach us is that he is a murderer. He murdered thousands of natives from the islands he first sailed to. Many wouldn't be able to guess the name of this explorer by the description, but in fact, his name is Christopher Columbus. Columbus didn't care about the lives of the indigenous people on many of the islands, he only cared about having control of the land. When we celebrate Columbus day in school and as a country we are honoring a man who did nothing good for the country but actually discouraged diversity and someone who resorted to violence rather than possible treaties or alliances. We need to discourage Columbus day, and rather,
Enslaving a mass majority of the natives for the King and Queen of Spain was also a quest that Christopher Columbus had set on along with finding the gold. Since the men were taken for labour and to do the gruelling work of