I remember learning about Columbus in around elementary school. It was just the basic facts that he sailed to the new world thinking it was India. I also learned that this is why we sometime call Native Americans “Indians”. When he landed, he ended up somewhere near the Bahamas. That was pretty much all of it until 10th grade of high school. That’s when I really learned about Columbus. I found out that he was a really bad person actually. He really saw the natives there as less and he actually enslaved them. I also found out that he wasn’t the first person to land in America which is pretty disappointing. I understand why I never found out about all this information in elementary school since it is dark.
The readings and discussions from this week haven’t really changed my view on Columbus and what he did. It just gave me a more clear and detailed explanation of what really happened. I knew it was bad but reading The Journal of Columbus really had some detailed explanations of what happened. “Unless your Highnesses should order them all to be brought to Castile, or to be kept as captives on the same island; for with fifty men they can all be subjugated and made to do what is required of them…” In this quote it’s pretty clear that Columbus and the King of Spain really think of these natives as lower people. They seem to have no issue with taking them from their home and subjugating them to do whatever the King desires. Although this is not that surprising since the world used to be like this before we became more civilized.
Discovery has changed a lot of aspects of colonialism in my opinion. From The Doctrine of Discovery, I found out that Christianity was a huge driving force in for new settlers. “The Bull stated that any land not inhabited by Christians was available to be “discovered,” claimed, and exploited by Christian rulers and declared that “the Catholic faith and the Christian religion be exalted and be everywhere increased and spread, that the health of souls be cared for and that barbarous nations be overthrown and brought to the faith itself.” This quote right here shows how they believe that Christians have the right to claim anything that isn’t under their control already. These ideals have set systems like slavery that continued into the couple centuries.
Hi Lucas!
I’m glad that the reads provided more detail and context into this period of history. It’s a reminder of how important historical documents are, and that they can be used to correct harmful myths. I agree that with Columbus’ journals, it becomes very clear that he had a negative perception of Indigenous people and believed that they should be enslaved. It is equally interesting to engage with the role of Christianity in justifying these acts of violence as well.