Your first discussion topic concerns Christopher Columbus and whether the explorer was a hero or villain.
This, of course, is subject to interpretation, but given what you are reading in this course and what you
know about Columbus, do you believe he assisted the cause of humanity or damaged it? What
contributions did Columbus make? What case can be made that he was a bad actor?
In addition to your chapter reading on Columbus, you should peruse Columbus’s journal (available by
googling “Columbus journal”) and read at least one other source. You are obligated not only to post your
own opinion, but to respond to a few of the posts of your classmates. Also, please see the Discussion
Rubric for further details on what constitutes an ideal grade.
Your posts are due no later than before midnight January 2nd.
Response 1
Christopher Columbus was one of the first of many European to land in the new world. By some people,
he is praised as a hero of courage and vision. Other people utterly despise Columbus as a villain of the
first order who enslaved the natives. Somewhere in the mix of those divergent opinions exists the truth
about the legacy of Christopher Columbus. Even though he was claimed to have discovered the
Americas, he was never the first to arrive here.
There are misconceptions and misplace, ideologies, facts, and theories about the history of Christopher
Columbus. Base on a historical perspective Christopher contributed to the expansion of Europe through
his discovery of the western hemisphere. According to the chapter, Columbus’s real motive for his
exploration of the new world was to bring a new era of Christianity, open a new dimension in religion.
Base on the chapter I think it was more to find power, conquest, and emersed wealth for himself.
The voyages of Christopher Columbus eventually destroyed and absolutely ruined Native American
culture forever. Base on how he communicates with the locals, it indicates his motive was wrong, he
refers to them as ignorant, subjugate, and servants, such attribute is not Christian like or heroic.
Columbus also brought over diseases that lead to the death of many natives because they were exposed
to measles, influenza, smallpox. The taking of land, wealth, and labor from indigenous peoples, leading
to their near extermination, and the transatlantic slave trade, which created a racial underclass.
Columbus was seeking adventure, glory, and wealth. At the same time, he believed he was doing God’s
work. Columbus also captured and enslaved other Indigenous peoples. The practice of enslavement was
common and legal in Europe at the time, and the trade of enslaved people was very lucrative. He
manipulated anyone who posed a threat to his perspective fame and fortune through his actions and
faulty promises.
In my opinion, I can’t say he is a hero or villain, despite all his discoveries, we can’t forget the tragedy
and brutality that he and his men inflicted on indigenous people. We cannot forget his contribution to
the world, his farming technique, his knowledge, and his technologies. Columbus was a talented sailor,
navigator, and ship captain. He bravely went west without a map, trusting his instincts and calculations.
Although he wasn’t the best man to ever walk this earth, we cannot see him as just a villain. His
discoveries change the world, the entire course of history, yet at the same time we can’t call him a hero
and he should never regard as one. His treatment of humans was undeniably atrocious and should never
be forgotten.
Response 2
COLLAPSE
Despite the fact that he wasn’t the best man to actually exist, we can‘t just consider Columbus a villain
only. His revelations changed the world everlastingly and the whole course of history. Yet, at the same
time, he should never be regarded as a hero. Due to the fact that Christopher Columbus may have been
quite possibly the most well known traveler of his time in his exploration of the New World, his picture
actually resounds with a sense of negativity due to his inhumane actions in the acquisition of the people
he conquered. Christopher Columbus pursued the New World with initial bringing christianity and
discovering new land for the European empire. I believed he assisted the cause of humanity and
damaged it as a whole. His desire started with very nearly a sense of good, in which he needed to make
new territories for the European countries and become quite possibly the main explorers of humanity.
(Fierro, Page 13) But Columbus wanted more than what he could give. His dynamic after arriving at the
New World had unquestionably caused controversy due to his attitude towards the Indians. He was a
man who wanted power and wealth for himself. For example, his initial idea was to peacefully exchange
gifts for treasure with the Indians but ended up attempting to take all the Indians treasure back to
europe. In his journal he states “For I knew that they were people who could be more easily freed and
converted to our holy faith by love than by force”(Columbus ,1492) what that means is that it’s very easy
to make these people follow the christanity role without having to force them but he will force them if
he had to. Another quote for the journal is “With fifty men they can all be subjugated and made to do
what is required of them” (Columbus ,1492) He feels as if he owns these people and he has the right to
make them do what he says. These two quotes stuck out to me the most in his journal because they
show how he took advantage of these individuals as his slaves. Therefore, I mostly believe that
Christopher Columbus was truly a villain in the New World and because of his desire for greed, his initial
way of peace turned into the total opposite.
RESPONSE 3
COLL A P S E
Christopher Columbus is a man who is surrounded with much controversy. Historians and intellectuals
often try to determine whether he is a hero or a villain. After reading the text and multiple sources, my
own opinion on the matter is that Christopher Columbus was a villain. Of course, he does have his place
in our country’s history and has contributed to the creation of our country, however his mistreatment of
indigenous peoples is unforgivable and has left a stain on his name.
The most shocking discovery that I made in my research was how he spoke about the natives in his
journals. Quotes from his own writing make it clear that he was uninterested in the culture and identity of
these people, but rather the resources they had and how he could convert them to his religion. One quote
in particular was quite villainous, which reads “They were a people to be delivered and converted to our
holy faith rather by love than by force” (Columbus, 1986). His words imply that since the native people are
so friendly, he will not have to use force in order to convert them to Christianity. This ideal is problematic
because it implies that he would use force if it was necessary. There is a clear sense of superiority that he
holds in regards to his religion and culture vs. that of the natives. Another troubling quote from his journal
is, “With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want” (Columbus, 1986).
Christopher Columbus clearly feels as if these people are his for the taking and he has the right to use
them in whichever way he sees fit. This is the same ideal that slave owners held, and if we do not hold
them in high regard in America’s history we should not hold Christopher Columbus in high regard either.
Another source called biography.com was also particularly helpful in forming my opinion on Columbus.
The text states, “The indigenous peoples were soon forced into slavery and punished with the loss of a
limb or death if they did not collect enough gold” (Myint, 2020). It is clear that Christopher Columbus was
using these people for his own personal gain because he was taking a percentage of the gold for himself.
He was forcing the natives to do his work for him, and then he reaped the benefits. Columbus was also
stripped of his title as governor by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1499 because he had been
accused of mistreating Spanish colonists, which he admitted (Myint, 2020). If he was treating his own
people poorly, one can only imagine the kind of treatment that was being given to the natives that he took
as slaves.
Citations:
Columbus, Christopher. (1968). The journal of Christopher Columbus. London :Blond
Myint, B. (2020, October 08). Was Christopher Columbus a Hero or Villain? Retrieved December 30,
2020,
from https://www.biography.com/news/christopher-columbus–day-facts
Discussion post 2
British colonization in America was characterized by a great degree of freedom for some and oppression
and slavery for others. What was it about British colonization that led to these two contradictory
developments at the same time? Please use the chapter readings as well as any outside readings for
support. Please get in the habit of citing the sources you are using, including the assigned reading.
You have until Monday, January 5th to post your comments and to respond to the posts of your
classmates.
It is very clear from the reading that there was a great deal of difference in freedoms between the average
american and slaves in the colonies. I believe that the main reason for this difference is due to the fact
that land ownership determined the legal rights that a person had. Land ownership determined voting
privileges, status, and financial means for success (Fierro, 3). Land ownership being a determining factor
in the freedoms of people in this era is largely oppressive because in most cases, only white men were
able to own land. Therefore, if you were a woman or a POC in these times it was very uncommon, if not
impossible, for you to have the same rights as white men. British colonization caused this gap in
freedoms because of the slavery laws put into place by the colonies as well as limitations of women put
into law as well. The slavery laws, in particular, led to the biggest difference in freedoms. For example,
the Negro Act after the Stono Rebellion forbade slaves from growing their own food, assembling in
groups, earning their own money, or learning to read (Fierro, 16). It is laws such as these that made
slaves completely reliant on their owners because they were literally outlawed from becoming financially
and legally independent. This was also caused by British colonization because the British largely
contributed to the increase of slaves in the colonies. Overall, British colonization caused people with land
ownership to be basically the only humans with full rights in the colonies, largely due to the restrictive
laws put on slaves and women.
Citation:
Fierro, Rafaele. The Beginnings of British Colonial Settlement. The American Commitment. Vol. 1.
Response 2
While Great Britain would emerge as one of the last European powers to establish colonies in the
Americas, following in the footsteps of Spain, Portugal and France, the British would emerge as
arguably the most successful in terms of establishing and maintianing colonial ventures. While
there was overall success in creating a colonial presense, it would be a more of a patchwork
process rather a unified establishment, varying in their reasons in leaving the British Isles and
their objectives in establishing colonies in what they considered a “new” world. Partly
responsible for these divergences would be the nature in which colonies were established, as the
Puritans in present day Massachusetts had fled religious persecution while those in Virginia had
went in search of material wealth.
For those seeking freedom from religious authority, it should not be shocking to see a greater
deal of autonomy and community reliance, and Puritan towns operated as such with life
centered around the immediate township and the successes and failures of a community were
more or less shared by all. Having recently escaped a land where rulers held large amounts of
power, particularly religious authority, the concepts of individual freedoms likely appealed to
early Puritan settlers and this would have been tolerable to those on the British Isles as the
colonies based around Plymouth both attracted those who did not to comply with their rules as
well as serving as a removed area for would be rabblerousers and upstarts (Wilfley, 1900). The
interconnected nature of early Puritan settlements and the large waves of immigration, mainly
composed of nuclear families, led to a more homogeneous culture and colony which enabled
largely equal standings in terms of rights societal mobility (Fierro, page 16).
In somewhat of a contrast, more Southern colonies including the Virginia Colony were
established in the hopes of profit by adventurous young men. These groups would have been
more focused on the prospect of self enrichment than the community building seen in the
Plymouth and Massachusetts colonies to the north. In fact many of those traveling were “restless,
roistering rogues” (Fierro, page 4), many of whom would have listed greed as a motivator for
their trans-Atlantic voyage. For most of its history, these colonies operated in a survival mode
mentality, with death a constant companion and life reserved to those who had earned it (Fierro,
page 5-6). With this backdrop, coupled with the need for cheap labor to grow, harvest and export
cash crops, the reasoning for stricter social distinctions was not without basis. These early
settlements likely saw their survival as being tied to strong leadership and were more willing to
surrender to successful individuals as servants and allow the practice of slavery as it gave a
source of labor to exploited for profit as well as a social class that would always remain beneath
them.
Sources:
Fierro, Rafaele. The American Commitment. Volume I.
Wilfley, Lebbeus R. How Great Britain Governs Her Colonies. The Yale Law Journal
Company, Volume 9 No. 5. Published March 1900
Response 3
I do not doubt that our ancestors suffer a lot to help build what we have today. What a tragic way to
start and develop the reputation Bradford had in life. One-year-old, that was the age Bradford had when
he began to suffer and to deal with death. Imagine how difficult it was for him without the services and
support we have nowadays. Perhaps when he tough everything would be ok, and I said maybe because
we do not know for sure, his wife dies in a voyage looking for better opportunities. Some people think she
committed suicide. (page 3) How much we have sacrificed for a better future and opportunity for our
family and us. I can identify with him because I left everything behind, my family, my house, and my
friends when I decide to move to a new country to provide a better health service for my older daughter,
which suffers from a craniofacial disorder. Like Bradford’s, I move without a clear expectation or
knowledge of what will happen or if I even will survive the new style of living.
The British colonization in America was characterized by a great degree of freedom or/and oppression
and slavery and proven to be the most resourceful, permanent, and successful of colonial settlements in
the new world. If we can call it like that, a mix of emotions, slavery, oppression, and somehow liberty has
people seeing it in two ways. The good of having the freedom they didn’t have or enjoyed before, and the
bad of separation from family. This separation could happen, either because they were taken away as a
slave, they die in the intent to offer something better to their family in the future(the ones that went under
a promise contract), or the insane daily working hours. Some of us have oversea with the promise of
better living, but does it is true? Have we received that promise? Yes, my daughter enjoys the benefit of
