Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A darker side of Columbus emerges in US classrooms - Boston.com (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/10/11/a_darker_side_of_columbus_emerges_in_us_classrooms/?page=1 - broken link)
So, how many elementary school teachers teach such lessons about Columbus to elementary school children? Teaching young children he brought small pox and killed the natives and only teaching the horror stories to such children to me is very wrong and smacks of teaching personal idology to an impressionable youth. At such young ages about the most that should be taught is the date and the bravery of making such a trip at all. At that time period such a trip was like sending a man to the moon. Sure he was a flawed man, no person is flawless. But he didn't intentionally bring small pox with him to kill the native population. In high school we learned about the small pox and how the natives died but by that age we understood that this was not an intentional act of violence and did not make him an evil man the way these teachers are making him out to be.
smacks of teaching personal idology to an impressionable youth.
In high school we learned about the small pox and how the natives died but by that age we understood that this was not an intentional act of violence and did not make him an evil man the way these teachers are making him out to be.
In terms of the teachers, I doubt sincerely that for most it is even slightly a personal ideology, and is far more likely to be simply what they have been taught to teach or told to teach.
In terms of Columbus, while the Small Pox was not intentional, I think it is a bit disingenuous to look only at that issue.
Even from the first, Columbus understood the people with whom he dealt to be simple, to have little notion of property rights, and to have little in the way of protection, and yet in his first letter to the King and Queen, he wrote:
I promise this, that If I am supported by our most invincible sovereigns with a little of their help, as much gold can be supplied as they will need, indeed as much of spices, of cotton, of mastic gum (which is only found in Chios), also as much of aloes wood, and as many slaves for the navy, as their Majesties will wish to demand.
I am perfectly willing to grant Columbus had no intention of killing the people with the Small Pox.
After all, if they were dead, they could hardly be enslaved, could they?
In terms of the teachers, I doubt sincerely that for most it is even slightly a personal ideology, and is far more likely to be simply what they have been taught to teach or told to teach.
In terms of Columbus, while the Small Pox was not intentional, I think it is a bit disingenuous to look only at that issue.
Even from the first, Columbus understood the people with whom he dealt to be simple, to have little notion of property rights, and to have little in the way of protection, and yet in his first letter to the King and Queen, he wrote:
I promise this, that If I am supported by our most invincible sovereigns with a little of their help, as much gold can be supplied as they will need, indeed as much of spices, of cotton, of mastic gum (which is only found in Chios), also as much of aloes wood, and as many slaves for the navy, as their Majesties will wish to demand.
I am perfectly willing to grant Columbus had no intention of killing the people with the Small Pox.
After all, if they were dead, they could hardly be enslaved, could they?
Maybe they weren't of a "quality" for slavery that the political power of that day sought. After all, they were reported as being heathens with little understanding of Native American way of life. Proper is to do as those with the power define.
I agree that education needs to be age appropriate. It also needs to be factually and contextually correct. Maybe the first lesson any child should understand is that history is often written by the one who wins the battle, the economic subversion, or power struggle. They should understand that there are at least four points of view to any topic.
And yet such a part of history should not be taught at the elementary school age. One has to put historical lessons in the context of the time period in which it occurred. In modern age, such is barbaric actions (except in parts of Africa today). However, in the time period in which he lived, it was common practice and accepted as the norm. As the school children mature and move onto more detailed history lessons then such parts of the history of Columbus can be taught within the context of what life was like in that time period. To leave out the context of the period is to demonize him by today's standards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jps-teacher
In terms of the teachers, I doubt sincerely that for most it is even slightly a personal ideology, and is far more likely to be simply what they have been taught to teach or told to teach.
In terms of Columbus, while the Small Pox was not intentional, I think it is a bit disingenuous to look only at that issue.
Even from the first, Columbus understood the people with whom he dealt to be simple, to have little notion of property rights, and to have little in the way of protection, and yet in his first letter to the King and Queen, he wrote:
I promise this, that If I am supported by our most invincible sovereigns with a little of their help, as much gold can be supplied as they will need, indeed as much of spices, of cotton, of mastic gum (which is only found in Chios), also as much of aloes wood, and as many slaves for the navy, as their Majesties will wish to demand.
I am perfectly willing to grant Columbus had no intention of killing the people with the Small Pox.
After all, if they were dead, they could hardly be enslaved, could they?
Maybe they weren't of a "quality" for slavery that the political power of that day sought. After all, they were reported as being heathens with little understanding of Native American way of life. Proper is to do as those with the power define.
Sorry - I've lost track of to whom you refer by "they".
And yet such a part of history should not be taught at the elementary school age. One has to put historical lessons in the context of the time period in which it occurred. In modern age, such is barbaric actions (except in parts of Africa today). However, in the time period in which he lived, it was common practice and accepted as the norm. As the school children mature and move onto more detailed history lessons then such parts of the history of Columbus can be taught within the context of what life was like in that time period. To leave out the context of the period is to demonize him by today's standards.
In the time period in which he lived, killing Jews was also the norm.
Clearly, then, we should teach it within the context of what life was like in that time period.
In the time period in which he lived, killing Jews was also the norm.
Clearly, then, we should teach it within the context of what life was like in that time period.
Only at the age appropriate levels. Elementary school children shouldn't be going into historical details. Their main focus in school should be learning how to read (something some high school and college graduates still don't know how to do), write, and perform basic math. Perhaps if elementary schools went back to those basics then our school children would be performing better.
I very much agree with the person quoted who saw stuff like this as an attempt to be "deliberately negative." Making our interpretation of history over-PC does no justice to the subject either.
Only at the age appropriate levels. Elementary school children shouldn't be going into historical details. Their main focus in school should be learning how to read (something some high school and college graduates still don't know how to do), write, and perform basic math. Perhaps if elementary schools went back to those basics then our school children would be performing better.
In which case, why teach about Columbus at all?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
