Christpher Columbus, the man you thought you knew.

Gustavo Quintero
English 48A
September 27, 2007
Journal #1, Loewen Ch. 2

Quote:
"Christopher Columbus introduced two new phenomena that revolutionized race relations and transformed the modern world: the taking of land, wealth, and labor from indigenous peoples, leading to their extermination, and the transatlantic slave trade, which created a racial underclass.


Summary:
Loewen is stating an argument in this quote that says Columbus is not the hero and great man that most students grew up studying. Columbus' actions led to the systematic breakdown of Native American culture and lives, along with the creation of early slavery.



Response:
The first thing I want to say is just how thankful I am that I enrolled in Scott's class. From the first two days of class I can already tell that I will learn and read about a great deal of relevant, insightful, entertaining and eye opening topics and material. Believe it or not I was sadly, now a days, one of the few students still in the academic environment that did not know who the real Christopher Columbus was. When we did the cocktail party our very first class meeting I quickly realized that I was still in the shadows regarding who the real Christopher Columbus. After a short class discussion about Columbus I began to slowly see just how false the image of Columbus is. One comment that caught me off guard during the cocktail hour was made by Chelsea (I think) "Christopher Columbus was a tyrant." I did not know what to say. The Columbus I knew sailed from Spain in the mid 1400's in search of Silk, spices and gold. He then "Discovered" America in 1492. Here, thinking he had found India, he named the inhabitants he saw "Indians". Boy was I clueless. Like I said before I have been completely in the shadows for some 10 plus years. The real Columbus was a man who did not discover America, he stumbled upon it. Nor was he in search of silk and spices. He was as greedy as they come, he was in search solely of gold. He was also horrible to the Native Americans by enslaving them and by forcing them to work in minds in order to give him all the gold he demanded.

One of the most striking things Loewen mentions in his book is the "Tribute System" that Columbus had set up. Columbus upset with not being able to find gold on Haiti set up a cruel system so that he would receive gold. The Native Americans were told they had to pay tribute to the Catholic Sovereigns, and by paying tribute Columbus meant by paying him either a hawk's bell of gold dust or 25 pounds of cotton. So for three months the Native Americans would spend all their time gathering up the "dues". After three months Columbus would collect the "dues" from each Native American, thereby giving that person a coin. These tokens were to be worn around their necks. Those with expired coins would have their hands cut off.

Who really knows about these atrocities? I bet if a survey was taken amongst high school students and adults with the above scenarios and the following question, Is the above paragraph a true example of Columbus's Practices, the overwhelming majority would answer no. Its just amazes me just how evil this man really was. The worst part is that this man has a Federal holiday in his honor, that is observed by the United States. Everyone should take time to read this book in order to open up their eyes to the atrocities that this man created.

One last thought I want to end with; As Scott pointed out how strange is it that we have a federal holiday for a man whose own country does not have a holiday for?

P.S. This is my first time using a blog so I apologize for the lack of images. Once I get more comfortable with posting on a blog I will make sure to add some visual and maybe audio aspects to go along with my thoughts and responses.