Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Sorting Fact from Fiction: How Do We "Know" Our History?

We've looked Columbus's arrival in the "New World" from various perspectives, including Columbus's own journals (a primary source).  We've also read about the impact of bias on the presentation of historical "facts." We know that biases color our interpretations of events, symbols, and historical figures.

Based upon your readings and our class discussion, write a paragraph in which you explain what should be included in 7th grade history classes that teach the arrival of Europeans to the shores of North and Central America. Be sure that your paragraph opens with a topic sentence that includes your position--the point you hope to prove in your paragraph.  Use evidence from our readings to support your claims, and be as specific as possible, not only about what should be included, but also about your reasons. End the paragraph with a sentence that returns to your topic sentence's claim, and that also addresses the "so what" question.  In other words, be sure to explain why your conclusion matters.

You might also want to read and respond to your classmates' posts.  Please do so with respect and common sense, keeping in mind that each of us writes from our own perspective.  Use your first name and your class period in your post. 


42 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Columbus was very cruel and greedy, but he thought what he was doing was the right thing to do. He wanted the best for his country; however, the way he planned on doing it was stealing from, enslaving, and killing the natives. Columbus was trying to get lots of gold to Spain, but was very cruel about how he wanted to get it. When the natives weren’t able to supply him with sufficient gold, Columbus decided that he’d get slaves to send back instead. While Columbus may have done this to impress the queen that he was loyal, he was still trying to help his country. However, some of the things he did to the natives were just cruel and weren’t helping anyone. Columbus is sometimes considered the one to “discover” America, but in reality one of his crew members was the first to spot land, and there were already lots of natives there. Columbus was a cruel and greedy person, but he thought he was doing the best for himself and his country, although he was being unnecessarily cruel at times. The story of Columbus is largely unclear because there are people on the European’s side, while others are on the Natives’ side, and in order to find the truth, you need to get past the bias. Most people don’t know the truth, and that should be changed. Columbus was a hero to the Europeans because he got them land, riches, and slaves, however, he was a villain to the natives because he killed, abused, and enslaved them even though they showed hospitality to him and his crew.

Elbert Du
Humanities 1-2

8:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Kelly Slimmon
Ms. Doyle
Period 1/2
Some of the facts about Columbus we have read are very important and would not make the story complete without including, though some of these facts are not all good facts. In some stories about Columbus, the author wants the reader to believe that Columbus is a great person, and in some ways Columbus is good person. He and his crew went searching for gold and new places for their king and queen. But, in other ways, Columbus is not a good person. In the reading, Columbus and Western Civilization the author does not have any intention of making the reader like Columbus. On page 126, the author says "And so, how must I tell the story of Columbus? I concluded, I must see him through the eyes of the people who were here when he arrived, the people he called "Indians" because he thought he was in Asia". The author wants to talk about Columbus through the eyes of the Indians. The author talks about all the awful things Columbus and his men did to the Indians. If some one were going to teach about this topic, it would be unfair to leave out what really happened in fear of making Columbus look bad, or teaching of how the main character was not completely a good person. If the author is bias it may be hard to get the truth, this is why a primary source is better than a secondary source. This is why the author, or teacher, should include the details, good or bad.

8:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In our 7th grade history textbooks there should not only be “happy” or European biased material but also showing the “dark side” of America. In most history textbooks they focus on only what the people want to here not the truth. The authors of the textbooks should include material about the bad things Columbus did and also talk about slavery and the anti-black phases of America. As the author of “Why Textbooks Lie” said, the books should not only hold patriotic material but true material. This will teach the youth of America more about history, how to be better in the future and that some things are very bad and that those kids should work hard to change those things. In conclusion, there should be more accurate and unbiased textbooks to teach the American youth so that they know what really happened and how they can change the future.

Doyle 5-6
David Anderson

1:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When teaching about the history of the explorers that came to The Americas, lessons should include facts. The facts should include what happened and why it happened. History lessons should explain why the explorers came. They came for many reasons. The explorers came because they wanted to spread Catholicism. In Addition, the explorers wanted to find an easier way to go to India for trade. Lessons should also explain what happened as a result of the exploration. The main result was the Columbian exchange, which was that many new ideas, people, diseases and goods were spread between the east and west. The explorers found new land and decided to settle there. Disease was spread and many people died. New goods were traded between the east and the west. In conclusion teachers should teach only facts about Columbus, not any bias. There was good and bad things that happened when the explorers came to America, but people should be able to form their own opinions.

Sam R.
October 20, 2012
Humanities
Margaret (Peggy) Doyle
Period(s) 5(-6)

1:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Henry Schellinger
Doyle 1-2
October 20

Not teaching the “truth” in school is bad and potentially dangerous because it makes children idolize a false hero (in Columbus’s and many other’s case). I was taught lies about Columbus too in my preschool and kindergarten. I had always thought that Columbus was a hero because that’s what was taught in my old school. As opposed to teaching only one side of the story (Columbus’s) teach both including the Native Americans. Textbooks would need to stop shedding Columbus in a hero’s light and talk about his true motives. If people don’t know about what Columbus did, there could be (and probably already has been) many an argument about what happened. It is very misleading for textbooks to lie; therefor authors should not just take the easy way out and copy off of everyone else’s lies.

4:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Meghan Benke
Humanities 1-2
Ms.Doyle

Columbus was not as good of a person as most of the reading we have read are making him out to be, or at least we can assume so. Columbus wanted the best for his country, he wanted all the gold he could get, and he would do anything to anyone to get those things. When Columbus found out he couldn't get gold like he wanted, he decided to just send slaves instead. One thing most stories don't tell about Columbus is that he would hurt as many people as he needed to to get what he wanted. Most authors are European, so they favor Columbus. In 7th grade humanities classes they should teach both sides of the story. They should also tell about the "Indians" point of view, not just Columbus' point of view. Columbus was not actually as good a person as he has been made out to be. Kids should be taught both sides of the story, or they are not being taught everything.

8:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lily Levitt
Ms. Doyle 5-6
In many historical stories about Columbus discovering the New World have been based upon Columbus himself and how he was a great person but in reality hurt and tortured the lives of many Native Americans without really knowing what he was doing. In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean with his crew to find the Indies, but instead found the New World. Most all of the papers and articles about Columbus either have a very bad or very good bias about him. The best way to talk about this event is to meet in the middle; Columbus was neither good nor bad. When Columbus met with the leader of the Tainos and gave him a red cape to say thanks for his people helping unload their ship, Columbus received back a beautiful golden crown from the leader. Columbus took this exchange the wrong way; he thought he was then allowed to take over their land. But the Tainos were just trying to become friends and show trust and loyalty to Spain and its people. Columbus thought that the crown on his head meant he was then the leader. Later on Columbus came back with an army- after finding out that the Natives had gold, to fight. Because the Natives were not aware of what was happening, Columbus took over. Many of the Native’s lives changed dramatically when people decided to stop working for Columbus. Columbus saw no other alternative than to result in violence, and many Natives were killed. Though Columbus did hurt and kill, and was a terrible person at times; he believed that he was simply helping his home country, Spain, to get gold and other riches [different foods, spices, etc.]

9:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Columbus had many goals that specifically rewarded him (getting gold, having a royal name “Don” or “The Admiral of the Sea”, and having a royal family). The goals themselves weren’t that bad but the way Columbus executed them was wrong for a bias person who was with the Natives. The way Columbus treated the Indians wasn’t completely his fault, it was just his point of view on how the Indians reacted to the Spaniards and how to succeed his goal. When the Indians constantly gave presents to the Spaniards they assumed it was a sign of not knowing how to handle wealth. A certain symbol is the GOLD tiara Columbus received from trading a red cape. In Columbus’s eyes it was a sign of handing over leadership and power, to the Indians it was just a little crown, an equal trade. Teachers should explain different points of views that people have and how the “truth” can be tampered with depending of someone’s angle. Neither the Spaniards nor the Natives can be blamed for everything. They both had different opinions about each other and both made wrong assumptions their only way of communication was through trade, which was hard because wrong assumptions can be made easily without clear communication.
Rachel Schonbaum
10/20/12
Humanities 5-6

10:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The history of the what the Native Americans and Columbus should not be based on just Columbus' journal, because Columbus has a bias about himself and does not write about the bad stuff he did. When teaching history, most textbooks write about Columbus bringing gold back to Spain from the Indians in America. Textbooks should include facts about Columbus enslaving and killing the natives. Textbooks should also include what the natives did to Columbus. Textbooks write about Columbus being a hero, but the don't include natives being killed and enslaved.

Horace Shew
Doyle 5/6

8:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anna
Humanities 1-2
Ms. Doyle
When teaching seventh grade history a teacher needs to make sure that they do not use biased textbooks, and if possible use primary sources from Columbus and from the Natives instead. As shown in “Why Textbooks Lie”, many textbooks that are written are actually third sources, not even secondary sources. This means that the author is only looking at secondary sources, which will make his or her facts even more distorted. Also, no children should be given a false side of the story just to enhance patriotism, or a liking for Columbus. If Columbus was a good person, then children should learn that. If Columbus was a bad person, then children should learn that. People need to learn both sides of the story. This is similar to when two kids have a fight; the teacher has to find out each kid’s story before concluding anything. Otherwise, even if it is a primary source, one from Columbus will be biased towards him, and one from the Natives will be biased to them. For example, in Columbus’s journals he obviously thinks poorly of the natives because they wear no clothes and believes that they will be happy to be taken over and turned into `civilized’ people.
In some ways Columbus was a good person; he was loyal to his country and wanted to gain wealth for them. In other ways, Columbus was a horrible person, someone who was cruel to the Natives to get gold and was willing to do anything to do it. No matter who wrote what someone is reading, it will always be biased, so if you only read about one side of the war, or the rich people in the Civil War, one will always think that the people the author is portraying as good, are good. This is why it is necessary to read primary sources (so the facts are not distorted), and to read about both sides of the story, so that you see both biases at the same time. Seventh grade history teachers need to include what good things Columbus did, what bad things Columbus did, but also a good account of what Columbus did to the Natives. This should include what happened to Enrique in Enrique’s rebellion, but also things such as if they did not find enough gold in a certain amount of time, the Native’s arms were hacked off, and the Spaniards thought of soldiers stabbing Indians and dashing babies’ heads on rocks as sport (page 128 in Columbus and Western Civilizations). In conclusion, seventh grade history teachers need to use primary sources from both sides of the story, not biased textbooks, because this way even though there are biases, one learns all of the details from each party’s point of view. This enables the children to learn the information in more depth and to gain an understanding of what truly happened.

9:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Columbus’ history is full of misconceptions and wrong doings. Columbus’ journey starts out when the highnesses ask him to sail to the Indies to give the princes there a message. Columbus, not aware of North America yet, sails westward and crashes in North America. His ship the Santa Maria crashes and the Native Americans help the explorers onto their land. Columbus mistakes the Native Americans for Indians from the Indies. Columbus gives the Natives a red cape as thanks for helping them. The Natives think that they need to trade something to them in return for the cape. They give Columbus a tiara, which he mistakes for a crown. Columbus believes that when the Native Americans hand him the crown they are giving him their land. One of his goals was to bring back gold to Spain. He feared that he might not find anything while he was there and he would have to go home empty-handed. The textbooks that we have today, only say what people want to read. They give Columbus false heroism. Even though it is Columbus who found our Continent, he also enslaved and killed thousands of innocent people. Some of it wasn’t his fault. The Taino people and the Explorers did not speak the same language, which made it hard to communicate. As you can see, since there was hardly any communication between the Natives and the explorers it led to misconceptions that couldn’t be solved.

Michael Rubin
Humanities 5-6

9:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Most history books about Columbus do not tell the whole story and even lie about certain things to make Columbus seem like a better person and a hero you should look up to. But if the history books told the truth no one would want to look up to Columbus because he was pretty much a terrible person only intent on getting what he wanted (which was mostly gold) and not caring what happened to the people around him. Columbus originally wanted to find India (which is why he called the native Americans indians) but when he found out there was a lot of gold on the little island that he landed on he enslaved all the natives on the island and made them work in gold mines. If anyone rebelled Columbus and his army would kill him/her.
Most of the history book writers are European or descendants from Europe, so they write from the perspective of Columbus. I think to make a good history book you need to write from many perspectives. To make a good history on Columbus you would have to write from both the perspective of Columbus and the perspective of the “indians”. Since history book writers don’t do this most Americans don’t know what really happened in and to their country.

Giulia Shaughnessy
humanities 1-2

9:45 AM  
Blogger pup88888 said...

Paryssa Khazaie
Doyle
Humanities 1-2


When Columbus first met the Natives, he thinks they are very nice and generous, but in reality he is just thinking about what great slaves they would be. Many people say that Columbus was the first man to discover America. They might have said that because back then no one thought the Natives were really important since they were just slaves. Columbus was terrible to the Natives, acting like a friend, then turning them into slaves for his own good. He was doing this to impress the queen with his loyalty, but truthfully he was just actin like a savage, which does not show loyalty at all. Columbus really just, sucked out every hope the Natives had. The story of Columbus was written from the side of the spanish, which i think was very wrong because if look at the story from both sides, you will see it's not just lollipops and rainbows, but it's actually pretty gruesome.

9:47 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All history books should say and explain how cruel Columbus really was because with people not knowing the truth they are celebrating how mean and cruel Columbus was to the Native Americans. The Native Americans were so nice to Columbus, they gave him so many gifts. The Native Americans even gave him a gold crown. All Columbus was trying to do was take over "Hispaniola". Columbus thought that the gold crown was a symbol of the Native Americans trading over their land to Columbus. All the Native Americans thought the crown meant was a symbol of beauty and decoration. For Columbus the gold crown represented higher power and leadership. After receiving the gold crown Columbus said "they showed me how people from other islands nearby came there and tried to take them, and how they defended themselves...They should be good an intelligent servants.". Even after all of the gifts the Native Americans came gave Columbus he still killed many of the Native Americans and made them get gold and ore for him. If the Native Americans didn't do what Columbus wanted he would set hounds on them.And instead of having to endure the pain of whatever Columbus did or would have made the Native Americans do they poisoned themselves. Columbus put crosses allover the island and and hanged a lot of the Native Americans. The truth and explanation should be in all textbooks because Americans are celebrating the wrong person.

-Jenna Pandolfi
Humanities 1-2

10:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

On Columbus’s second voyage to the New World, his main goal wasn’t to explore the new land and become friends with the Natives; he was looking for wealth in the New World. In Columbus’s journal, in the middle of page 5, he states, “I was attentive and labored to find out if there was any gold.” Columbus needs to find wealth in this land to provide for his Highnesses, since they provided his expedition. On page 5 Columbus says, “They should be good and intelligent servants.” Columbus is also looking to enslave the Natives. Many students are taught that Columbus wanted to become friends with the Natives. Columbus may have seemed friendly towards the Natives at first, but that was only to figure out how he could enslave them, and to find out were the gold was. Columbus’s second voyage was not made so that he could become good “friends” with the Natives, but so that he could find more wealth in the land to bring back to Europe.
Anna
Doyle 5-6
10/21/12

10:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We should discuss about Columbus's encounter with the natives and how he treats them. At first Columbus thought that the natives were very kind and naive about weapons and and did not believe in possesions. Then after he noticed gold with the natives, Columbus said,"They would be great servants." This is where life for the natives took a turn for the worst, Columbus forced the natives to mine for gold and to be servants to the Spaniards. The treatment towards the natives was so harsh, that the natives killed their children, then hung themselves. The story of Columbus was told from the point of view of the Spanish. This is wrong because the natives dont get to tell their point of view. The natives have suffered the worst treatment and have been wiped out and yet only a few people know about this. To many people Columbus was a hero. To the natives he was their darkest villain. Therefore we shoud discuss about how Columbus treated the natives and we should also try to see Columbus from the natives point of view.

Arjun Dhar
Doyle
per 1-2
10-21-2012

11:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A teacher should teach students about Christopher Columbus and his men by using, primary, unbiased sources. While all sources have a bias, a teacher should choose sources with minimal bias. Also, if a teacher chooses to show sources with a certain bias, they should also show the other side's opinion so that the students are informed about both opinions. For example, if a teacher showed Columbus' diary, they might also want to show a documentary from the Taino's perspective. History is generally written from the victor's perspective, and this encourages bias toward the victor's side by people who read this history. However, when some authors write from the other side's perspective, readers see things they may not have seen previously. Also, the sources should be mainly primary sources. The closer to primary the source, the more accurate the information. This is because if a source is primary, it has only been influenced by one bias. If a source is secondary, it has been influenced by two biases. If a source is third hand, it has been influenced by three biases. Therefore, primary sources are the most reliable because they have been influenced by the fewest amount of biases. In conclusion, a teacher should give their students unbiased, factual documents from primary sources.

John McKee
10/21/2012
Doyle 1-2

12:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doyle 1-2
Sageus
Truitt


Columbus was portrayed in modern times as a hero in most books. Columbus intended to do the right thing but that did not change his bias. Columbus seemed to think that Natives were ignorant and failed to see them otherwise. Columbus was gilded by his bias. Columbus would kill natives and destroy their possessions. Columbus was not only killing but enslaving many natives and then he would force them to work on gold mines. Although Columbus's bias was shared by most of the crew one Spaniard had thought differently. This Spaniard wrote of many things Columbus did with a bias of his own which was of course against Columbus. Although Columbus wrote in his bias and a single Spaniard wrote in a different bias the story is more clear when seen from both sides. When both stories are compared Columbus is looked at by himself as doing the right thing while in the same story he is also looked at by a Spaniard as if most actions of Columbus are cruel. Overall Columbus was cruel and true to his bias.

1:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The things that students should learn in school about Columbus, are about the real things he did. In some schools the students learn about things that Columbus really didn’t do. They learn that Columbus did lots of great things, and that he was a great man. Columbus really did do a lot of terrible things. He did find America and call it the New World later on, and called the people there, Indians. The natives were very generous people and because he thought he was India. The people who lived there were called “Natives”. The natives were very generous people and Columbus ruined their lives. Students in schools should know this because it changed America. In Columbus’s journal he describes how he wanted to take over the natives land and turn them into slaves because they were so nice and kind and it would be easy to do. The Natives thought that Columbus was very nice, but he really did want to turn them all into slaves and take over their land and turn them all into slaves and take over their land and turn them all into Christians. Students need to know this, because that is the real reason that the Americans now live in America. Columbus eventually did turn the natives into Christians, and took over the land and also turned them into slaves. It is important for students in America and other countries to know what Columbus did, because he is the founder of America and they should know that even though he is, he wasn’t such a good person because of what he did to the Natives, and the way he changed their land.

Clara Dandy-5

1:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think that what Columbus did to the natives should be told in a seventh grade text book. He basically made all of the natives go extinct. He turned them into slaves and used them to mine gold. But it wasn't entirely his fault. In Columbus's journals he says her majesty says I will be the ruler of the new people and I will bring back gold. This implies that the Queen told him that he was able to take over the natives. Also slaves were allowed back then. It is not fair to judge Columbus by the standards of today.That being said I still think he pushed it a little to far when he and his men bashed baby's heads against rocks. Columbus did do awful things to the Indians and he did only care about money but the queen ordered him to get the gold and he couldn't do that himself. In conclusion I think that he was a bad person and did drive the natives extinct but he did it not just for money but because his country ordered him to.

2:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Students will benefit by knowing about what Columbus did to the Native Americans because learning about this part of America’s history can help us become better people and not make the same mistakes, and treat people how Columbus should have treated the Native Americans. The Native Americans were very respectful and kind towards Columbus, but he did not act the same way. Instead of becoming friends with the Native Americans, Columbus turns them into slaves, which eventually wipes out almost all of the Native Americans’ existence. Most textbooks that are used by teachers and students have a bias. A bias can cause an author to write things from his/her perspective, versus writing directly about what happened. This can also change the way the reader interprets the information. For example, in “Columbus and Western Civilization,” Howard Zinn gives us the impression that Columbus is someone who is very selfish and didn’t help anyone except himself. This is portrayed by Zinn’s descriptions of Columbus’ greedy desire for gold. Columbus wants all the gold there is, and he makes the Native Americans find all of it. Some authors make Columbus seem like a good person, which he was, besides all the horrible things he did. In the reading, In 1942, the author describes Columbus as a great person who made America a better country. Many teachers and students only know of the great Columbus who made America a great place. Textbooks and 7th grade history classes should teach people not only the good things Columbus did, but also the things he should have regretted doing. People should know about the awful things Columbus did to the Native Americans because Columbus’ mistakes can lead us to know more, improve ourselves, and make America even better.

Alice
Doyle 1-2

3:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sonny Doyle pd 5-6

When teachers teach their students of how Columbus found America they should also talk not only about the good things that he did but also of the bad things. In Columbus’s journal, he is very bias because he doesn’t talk about the bad things he did, like enslaving the Indians even though they treated him with a lot respect. Even though America wants to show how great it is we should also put real facts in the text books that teach children how America was founded. In textbooks there should be writing from the Indians perspective and Columbus’s perspective so that children know not only Columbus’s great half, but also how greedy and bad he was too. So in conclusion, textbooks should tell of both sides of the story and teach children that yes, Columbus was great but he also did many bad things.

3:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Columbus: The Truth
Adrian Morrison
10/21/12
Columbus was a man who cared only about his success and cared little for the welfare of others. Columbus may have believed he was doing the right thing, for his country and for the sake of exploration. But he was not looking at the costs of his gain. He brought gold to Spain, but to do so, he subjected the natives to slavery and oppression. There was also a cost for his finding of the new world; the natives were subjected to diseases, which they had never experienced before. Not only this, but the constant measures to prevent uprising such as hanging, decapitation of limbs and rape were constant throughout Columbus’ time. Many would say, “but what about how he “discovered” America”. To this I would say that the Animals found America and after that, the Indians and even then. It was a sailor who first saw the Americas. In conclusion, you may be surprised that Columbus wasn’t this jolly happy fellow who was kind and a true adventure. You may now have realized that Columbus was a man who believed he was doing well to his country by getting land, riches, gold and fame. But when it came to the costs of his actin everyone turned a blind eye at the atrocities he committed. He may be a hero to most, but to the victims of his actions he was a traitorous man who accepted gifts, and then put them into slavery and to the lands of their fathers.

3:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

History classes should teach both sides of the story about the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. Students should learn about things like Columbus's goals when he arrived in America, how he felt about the indigenous people living there, and what he did with them. For example, one of his goals was to find gold, which was one of his major motivations. Students should know that because it motivated him to do many of the other things he did there. To get the gold, he forced the native people to mine it. Students should know this because it tells us that he did not have respect for the people living there. Learning these things will prevent Eurocentric biases among the students because biases are sometimes caused by what we are taught. In "Why do Textbooks Lie?" it says, "Textbook authors... have no interest in mentioning anything bad about [Columbus]... even though that's half of the story, and perhaps the most important half." If that is true, then kids should certainly learn the other half of the story also. The bad things that Columbus and other Europeans did are an important part of the story of their arrivals, so these too should be taught in seventh grade history classes.

Helena, Doyle 1-2

4:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In 7th grade history classes they should teach from the point of view of the natives and Columbus. Most things that we have read were very biased. They all implied that Columbus was a big jerk, even though in his eyes he wasn't doing anything wrong. He was just looking for something to give the king and queen to show them that they made a good choice in investing in Columbus' journey. Students should also look at primary sources and secondary sources, so they can sort fact from fiction and find the truth.

Annika B.
Pd 5-6

4:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Columbus was not a good person (my bias) in 7th grade history kids should be taught the truth about Columbus, that he came to a land that was not his own and tried to take over my killing everybody and in-slaving people to find gold. In the video of Columbus we watched it shows Columbus coming to the land of the Tieno tribe, and they thought that he was a nice man for giving the chief a red cap, and the Tieno tribe gave him a gold crown. That’s when Columbus decided to take advantage of them to just get gold. Columbus also sets a very bad example for all of us today, he is saying if you are more advanced and are richer than you can treat others below you like dirt. You treat each other equally. And fairly.

Miranda Mireles
Per 1-2
Doyle

4:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The history that is taught by seventh grade teachers shouldn't be entirely based on Columbus' journals. Columbus' journals are a primary source, but Columbus isn't a reliable narrator. Columbus' journals are so biased that by just teaching them students would never get the story from the native's point of view. From Columbus' prespective, turning the natives into slave was a logical, productive thing to do, while the same thing might have made the natives think Columbus' was the worst man alive. By also telling the story from the other points of view, like the natives', students wouldn't just get how Columbus felt about things, but how others thought of them too. Columbus' journals might be a primary source, but teaching what he thought along with what others thought would give students a better understanding of what was happening.

David Pan
Doyle 5-6

4:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Columbus is recognized as a hero in many textbooks even after many wrongdoings. Columbus may have seemed nice when he went to the island first, but only had the intentions of enslaving the culture so that they can mine gold. Many times even saying that they "will make good slaves." Columbus even assumed that they were and uncivilized culture because most of them did not wear clothing. Textbooks should talk about his plans after he enslaved the native americans. Some chose to ignore what he did because they are bias. Not many people know what really happened to the natives. Columbus is sometimes known as america's "hero". Textbooks may have unreliable narrators, telling less of the story than what really happened. This shows that not all sources are reliable and that people should do deeper research than reading one perspective.

Megan Moran
Doyle
5-6

6:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Olivia I.
Doyle 5/6

In many biased text books, Columbus is portrayed as being the great man that "discovered America" and rid the land of the natives. Just stating that Columbus was the first to discover America is incorrect. The "Indians" had already settled on the land that Columbus called America. Columbus just took the homes away from the natives in pursuit of his own pleasures. Seventh grade textbooks should include the natives' point of view, how poorly they were treated in return for how they helped and welcomed Columbus. The textbooks should also give the real reasons for why Columbus acted how he did. Columbus did not just act this way because he was greedy, but also for the king and queen who sponsored his trip. If Columbus had nothing to show for his journey, then how could he convince the king and queen that he had found something? He might have never been able to come back.

7:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When teaching seventh grade, students should be taught everything we know about Columbus and the Native Americans because they need to know both sides of the story. In some children’s books about Columbus, Columbus is portrayed as an amazing hero in every way. The children’s books don’t even mention the fact that Columbus enslaved the Native Americans and took over their land; the author had a bias for Columbus. The movie that was shown showed what Columbus did and what the Native Americans did; there was a bias for the Native Americans but at least it included what happened. The texts that students should read should be both primary and secondary sources. It is necessary to know what Columbus (his journals) thought and what information historians have gathered. It is important to have students learn both sides of the story because it gives them information with different points of view. If the students read all that is known about Columbus, then they will be able to learn everything in more depth and be able to understand what happened.

Jessica F.
10/21/12
Doyle 5-6

8:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

in our 7th grade humanities books they should not only show the "bright side" of things or the wrong things. Our text books should teach also the bad sides of things and what flaws happened on the journey. Columbus was self absorbed and only worried about his own problems. He wanted to look good in front of his country and the king and queen of Spain. But he was being extremely cruel to the natives by stealing they're gold and enslaving them and killing them. Columbus was also claimed the one to discover america, but actually a fellow crew member saw it first and the natives already settled there. Thats why a teacher that teaches this must be fair in telling us both the bad and the good side of the story. The teacher should not only tell the story through columbus' eyes but also through the eyes of the natives and let the student interpret who was bad and who was good.


Thomas Moran
Humanities 5-6

8:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Emma Meyers
Ms. Doyle
period 1-2
Columbus was not a very good person, and he was very greedy, so I think schools should stop only showing his good side and start telling the truth. I can understand why the Europeans thought he was a hero because he "discovered" America and brought back a whole bunch of gold and slaves to the king and queen, but still they shouldn't just ignore what Columbus did to the natives. People have a right to know what Columbus did. He even said "they would make good servants" showing he has no respect for them at all and that he doesn't want to be allies with them, he wants to use them and take their gold. To sum it up, I can understand why to some people Columbus would be a hero, but people should not edit out what Columbus did to the natives and people should know the whole truth.

8:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Ashwin A.
per.1-2

Some of the things to include in 7th grade history classes that talk about the arrival of explorers to new world shores, would be to discuss more details about the explorers lives, and their motivations.
For example, we know that Christopher Columbus left with his crew from Spain to start his exploration, but what did he do before he went on this journey? Was he a seaman or was he a boat maker? What was his longest journey beforehand and how did he prepare himself for this long journey?
In the discussion of these journeys, there is always a reference to time, date and day, but it is not mentioned as to how they ( the explorers) knew these things? What tools did they use in order to find out this information? I think having some discussion about this in the textbooks would be very interesting to beginner readers and makes the reader imagine what it was really like exploring new lands.
The last thing that could be taught in topics that include exploration would be to talk more about the people of the invaded land in a more complete way. For example, although the Indians were described in this journal entry, we still don't know what language they spoke. Also, the simple description of the Indian weapons/tools makes me think that they must have had more complex weapons/tools that were not included in this journal. Christopher Columbus seemed like he was "superior" to the Indians in many ways because of his "modern" weapons/tools, but we know that the Indians had lived on the land for many years and they also probably had decent weapons/tools to protect themselves and their families. Describing more about the Indians and their culture and how they lived would make this journal more balanced.

9:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Columbus is a very terrible person and thinks more of his own personal gain. When he had made friends with the Natives, Columbus was going to give their leader a token of gratitude. He gave the Natives a cape to show his honor of friendship. When it was the leader’s time to trade a gift, they gave him a golden crown. In this moment, Columbus thinks of personal gain because of the crown. He thinks that this is a sign to surrender, that they are now your master. Columbus also sees personal gain through the crown itself: Gold. He needs to come back from his voyage with something valuable, and this shiny material is the perfect thing to bring back home. So when he leaves for Spain, he devises a a plan to enslave all of the Natives there and burn all of the bonds they had created. In this way do you really know Columbus’s true self, a selfish and greedy person. After he enslaved all of the Natives, all of them had now hated these new visitors. The land the Spanish took was rightfully the Natives but the took it by force with weapons and men. In this end of Columbus’s voyage, there are now only two biases that exist. In Spain, they honor Columbus as a hero, but in America they hate him and his natives.

Jacob Shkrob
Humanities 5-6

3:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In school, students should be taught about how Columbus was not the best person. Right now they are primarily taught about how he discovered America but not about how he massacred the people he racistly thought were "Indians". He made them slaves and killed many of them, and the ones that ran away killed themselves and their children. He brought other Spaniards to their island and unfairly took over. He was definitely not the "hero" that he was described as in the books. Students should be taught that, and also his motives for doing that and how racist he was at the time. They should know the facts, and not a biased version of it. They textbooks should show the dark history of America, not just the sunshine-y parts about how Columbus was a good person who was brave. They should know the truth about America.

Ilana Weisbach
Humanities 5-6

1:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Facts that are the most important for seventh graders to learn about Columbus are both sides of the story. You need to know both sides of the story because everyone has a Bias. For instance when we watched the movie about Columbus meeting the Taino it was a bias from the Indian's side because it kept talking about how bad Columbus was, and if it was from the point of view of someone who had the same bias as him it wouldn't say how mean he was to the Indian's. You need to also see both points of view because that is the only way you see the whole story. You see the bias of the Europeans when they think that Columbus is a hero for killing the natives and bringing back gold and slaves.

Miranda Mejia
Humanities 5-6

1:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doyle 5-6
Cecile

The things that school should teach about Columbus are the things that Columbus really did. Schools try to teach in a way so that the family does not get offended by the things the school is teaching. Teachers should not be biased because the what they think will impact the way the children will think later on. Like in "Why Do Textbooks Lie?" They say how textbook leave out the details that reflect badly on Columbus and or the United States. If teachers and textbooks taught what Columbus really did and how he treated the Natives, Kids could know how America was before and how much it has changes. Kids could also know to be different later on. They will know that Columbus treated the Natives badly and the children will know to teach other people differently.

1:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dave- Columbus's main goal for his voyage is to got to India. After he figured out that he was not in India he changed his goal to be friends and flourish with valuables. His first part of the journey was to trade and after he changed it was more or less to pillage. Despite the fact he was prepared for trade he still took over the island and brought back slaves.Columbus was a hero though because he found america and made the doors open for moving. Therefore Europe wads able to start there trade.

1:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Text books don't always tell the truth because of peoples biases. Most kids books make Columbus sound like a very nice happy person and leave out the fact that he was very greedy and cruel. 7th grade teachers need to say the whole story of columbus, not only his nice side. You can't always rely on text books because they don't always tell the truth. They leave out the fact that not only he was very greedy and cruel, but believed the natives were bad and don't deserve to be alive. He would send them to places like spain, and if they did not come back with gold, he would slit their hands off. Some may say that columbus was the first to "discover" America, even though one of his crew members from his ship saw it first but he claimed that he did and he just didn't want to say it, because he wanted to be "special"

1:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

we have read many facts about Columbus and many were very important. We have learned that Columbus really just wanted to best for his country but in doing so he was just being very mean and overall, just a horrible person. In lower school, children are taught that Columbus is a great man and a hero. But in 7th grade, we have learned that Columbus was enslaving, and slaughtering native Americans everywhere. Columbus would execute the Natives if they could not supply him with the gold that he wanted. It is really just a lot better to read primary sources than it is to read secondary sources because we need to learn the true facts about Columbus. Not everyone really understands who Columbus was, and to do so you have to ignore the biases. Some people say that he was the man that discovered america and that is just not true. All the biases that cover that true facts about Columbus are clogging many peoples thoughts. The youth of america should be told the truth about Columbus so that they can form their own opinions about him.
-James Woodruff
Humanities 1-2

5:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not teaching the “truth” in school is bad and potentially dangerous because it makes children idolize a false hero (in Columbus’s and many other’s case). I was taught lies about Columbus too in my preschool and kindergarten. I had always thought that Columbus was a hero because that’s what was taught in my old school. As opposed to teaching only one side of the story (Columbus’s) teach both including the Native Americans. Textbooks would need to stop shedding Columbus in a hero’s light and talk about his true motives. If people don’t know about what Columbus did, there could be (and probably already has been) many an argument about what happened. It is very misleading for textbooks to lie; therefor authors should not just take the easy way out and copy off of everyone else’s lies.

6:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Adrian Morrison
1. I learned that the pilgrims in America, had so much belief in the bible that they were ready to take the life of a person who seemed strange, to look good in front of God. An example of this is when Reverend Paris was ready to accuse his own daughters and his slaves of witchcraft.
2. I learned that pilgrims believed in magic and also believed that it could be used when someone was being possessed by the devil. An example of this is when they talk about black and white magic in the article Witches are everywhere.
3. Indians were thought as servants of the devil, and one of the reasons people could have been scared of magic, was that there was a large Indian war 70 miles from Salem.
4. In our Humanities project, I studied the trial of Anne Hutchinson and one thing that my project and the Salem witch trials had in common was the reason they both started was because of the puritans lack of openness to people who were different from them. In the Salem witch trials, innocent young women were accused of being witches, because they acted or looked different from the majority of people. In Anne Hutchinson’s trial, Anne was convicted because she had a religious belief that was different from the puritan’s. In both these stories people were convicted of something because they seemed different than the majority.
5. Why didn’t the girls who accused people of being witches be punished?

6:28 PM  

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