Columbus, The Indians, And Human Progress - 5743 Words

Chapter 1 – COLUMBUS, THE INDIANS, AND HUMAN PROGRESS Thesis Statement: 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. B. Evidence used: The Europeans main goal revolved around the stability of power of the Spanish Crown. The Spanish Crown was focused on expanding their military so they needed resources such as gold to pay for the constantly increasing military budget. Columbus used this idea to help get resources such as, boats, men, food and weapons from the Spanish Crown. This is important because it describes the desperate need of gold that the Spaniards had which ultimately led to the gruesome acts they committed. Although the Spaniards and English were greeted with hospitality, food, and gifts they still sought war because it was not enough. Zinn mentions this quote,â€Å"They willingly traded everything they owned†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , which shows that Cortes and Columbus were both greeted by the Indians with kindness. However, they both used that to their advantage tricking them into slavery and oppression. â€Å"he was so anxious to please the King that he committedShow MoreRelatedSummary : Columbus, The Indians, And Human Progress1389 Words   |  6 PagesDahuya Date: August 8, 2016 Period: 1 Chapter 1: Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress 1. Important People In this section, you will list the important people that are presented in the chapter with a short description of that individual. (Approximately one sentence each) Arawak people- Natives of the Bahamas Islands that Christopher Columbus came upon; they are known for their hospitality and their belief in sharing. Christopher Columbus- A merchant s clerk from the Italian city of GenoaRead MoreHoward Zinn Columbus, the Indians and Human Progress2369 Words   |  10 PagesColumbus, the Indians, and Human Progress by Howard Zinn Posted on October 13, 2009 by dandelionsalad by Howard Zinn Featured Writer Dandelion Salad October 12, 2009 Image by Whiskeygonebad via Flickr An excerpt from A People’s History of the United States. Arawak men and women, naked, tawny, and full of wonder, emerged from their villages onto the island’s beaches and swam out to get a closer look at the strange big boat. When Columbus and his sailors came ashore, carrying swords, speakingRead MoreEssay on Columbus and Indians1129 Words   |  5 Pagesthe article, â€Å"Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress, Dr. Howard Zinn argues that there is another perspective to consider as to Christopher Columbus’ adventures. Dr. Howard Zinn’s position is that history books have omissions of slavery, death and innocent bloodshed that accompanied the adventures of Christopher Columbus. In the following statements Dr. Howard Zinn describes his perspective; â€Å"The writer began the history, five hundred years ago, of the European invasion of the Indian SettlementRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Columbus 1244 Words   |  5 Pagesby foreigners. Zinn’s thesis for pages 1-11 was that Christopher Columbus was not the storybook hero that many textbooks portray him as. Instead, he is more of a dishonest explorer who wasn’t truthful with those who supported him. Columbus wasn’t correct in his explorations either. He didn’t discover what he thought he had and led Europe to believe that he had achieved what was thought to be impossible. According to Zinn, Columbus is portrayed as a heroic figure in traditional history books. ManyRead MoreAp History Essay example1048 Words   |  5 PagesUnited States by Howard Zinn Chapter 1 – Columbus, the Indians and Human Purpose 1. According to Zinn, what is the main purpose for writing A Peoples History of the United States? * Zinns purpose for writing this book is because he wants to tell the various point of views of the common people. 2. What is Zinns thesis for pages 1-11? * Zinns thesis for the first eleven pages is to tell/ describe events the way they happened. He starts with Columbus but he doesn’t complement him for beingRead More a peoples history Essay example844 Words   |  4 Pagessides of United States icons, which students are rarely taught about. Through historical examples, such as Christopher Columbus’ treatment of Native American Arawak Indians, Zinn supports his thesis. In Zinn’s book, he displays his displeasure with the way Americans are taught glorified history, as does another author, James Axtell, in his article, â€Å"Colonial America without the Indians: Counterfactual Reflections†, while in another article by Axtell, â€Å"The Moral Dimensions of 1492†, he states that althoughRead MoreStudy Guide Essay example790 Words   |  4 Pagespages 1-11? His thesis for the first eleven pages is to describe past events as they happened. Regarding Columbus, Zinn wouldn’t glorify him as a hero , because he wasn’t. He was violent and greedy and would describe him as such. 3. According to Zinn, how is Columbus portrayed in traditional history books? as an enlightened, peaceful explorer who befriended the native people. Christopher Columbus, portrayed by Zinn as an agent of conquest with a lust for gold and other resources, was one who had theRead MoreIs Christopher Columbus A Good Man?990 Words   |  4 Pagesaccurately. For example we talked about Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrims, Slavery, the Civil War, the Progressives, the Gilded Age, World War II, the Cold War and The Vietnam War. With each topic we each would talk about what we thought about the topic before discussing it as a whole. For example what we thought of when we heard the word Native American or Indian. Before this class my thought about some of the topics was that Christopher Columbus was a good man that had founded America and that theRead MoreHoward Zinn on Colonization865 Words   |  4 Pagesa 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 livingRead MorePositive Effects Of The Columbian Exchange837 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent. Though the impact on the natives was unpleasant, I believe the Columbian Exchange was a positive event for the New World because it brought technological advances, new ideas, and allowed both the New World and the Old World to progress. When Christopher Columbus first landed in the Americas and met the natives it was clear that they were much more naive than the Spaniards.â€Å"...They do not bear arms, and do not know them...They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Document 1). The Native