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and you are also putting a spin on it. killings continueing today don't justify it anymore than yesterday nor does anything that ails us whether we have a current solution to the problem.
"blame" is relative in that pretending that it was considered 'okay' to do something in the past does not justify it. we could say they were ignorant in the past or a person cut and dry of their time can be a bit misleading when there are also people in the past who did wrong and knew they were being immoral or hurting others or taking advantage etc just like today. there are people today who believe it's justifiable to oppress others and all manner of things.
they were people of thier time but they are not free from responsibility and or motivations of thier actions. that is also a copout.
Sure, but I wouldn't blame Colombus more than the Indian tribes that fought each other!
Last edited by WildWestDude; 10-14-2009 at 08:29 AM..
That is factually false, and I don't care who wrote it. Columbus captured slaves indeed, but soon found that the death rate, both from working in the mines and bringing them over the Europe, was unprofitable. No explorere financed his exploration with indian slaves, as again, they succumbed to desease to quickly. They (or the governments that sponsored such colonization) financed exploration by gold and and later setting up colonies to grow tobacco, sugar, etc...and by that time they found out it was much more profitable to import african slaves.
The mere suggestion that Columbus founded the institution of slavery is laughable. As it had of course existed for centuries (including among american indian cultures).
Obviously, slavery had been practiced from time immemorial. Columbus' enslavement of Indians was quickly followed by John Cabot in 1497, when he seized a few Indians to go back with him to Europe. Later, it became fairly common for Portuguese, English, Dutch, and French to seize Native Americans in North America to help defray some of the costs of their expeditions.
There is nothing as persuasive as an eye witness to history, and the Spanish adventurer Bartoleme de Las Casas (1484-1576), was one who participated in the conquest of Cuba and personally "witnessed the first large-scale massacre of the Arawak Indians on the island of Hispaniola (now divided between Haiti and the Dominican Republic)." Later, de Las Casas disowned his participation in these events and became a priest. In 1552 he sent his manuscript of the Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies to Prince Phillip of Spain. It's an interesting and disturbing read. The link Follows:
Las Casas, Destruction of the Indies (http://www.uvawise.edu/history/wciv1/casas.html - broken link)
If the link doesn't work, please do a search on the following:
Las Casas, Destruction of the Indies
Quoted material is taken from History, a publication of the History club, 1997
Las Casas, Destruction of the Indies (http://www.uvawise.edu/history/wciv1/casas.html - broken link)
If the link doesn't work, please do a search on the following:
Las Casas, Destruction of the Indies
Quoted material is taken from History, a publication of the History club, 1997
That article with no author portrays the Christians as devils and the Indians as angels. You can't be serious to believe such twisted content. Oh wait, we have to believe that "the white man did it" again!
""blame" is relative in that pretending that it was considered 'okay' to do something in the past does not justify it. we could say they were ignorant in the past or a person cut and dry of their time can be a bit misleading when there are also people in the past who did wrong and knew they were being immoral or hurting others or taking advantage etc just like today. there are people today who believe it's justifiable to oppress others and all manner of things. "
Quote:
Originally Posted by WildWestDude
Sure, but I wouldn't blame Colombus more than the Indian tribes that fought each other!
Unable to edit, meant to say we can't make out Columbus to be worse than the Indian tribes that fought and killed each other.
(since the word blame was misunderstood)
Obviously, slavery had been practiced from time immemorial. Columbus' enslavement of Indians was quickly followed by John Cabot in 1497, when he seized a few Indians to go back with him to Europe. Later, it became fairly common for Portuguese, English, Dutch, and French to seize Native Americans in North America to help defray some of the costs of their expeditions.
The subject of American Indian Slaves is a subject in itself. No doubt some of the earliest settlers, up until the 1700's, used Indian slaves. And, much like african and africans, it was the Indians themselves that collected them during tribal wars.
I still doubt the total economic value of it to early expolerers. Very few were brought back to Europe I would think because even at that time Europe was starting to industrialize and the value of slave labor was decreasing. Mostly they were used as labor in the plantations of the islands, and later on the continent, and died very very young compared to black slaves.
Just for the record, Columbus' official logbook of his first voyage, which he presented to Ferdinand and Isabella in 1493, was published in an English translation (The Journal of Christopher Columbus, translated by Cecil Jane. Bonanza Books, 1989, ISBN 0-517-69699-1).
It's fascinating to read the man's own thoughts and experiences, as opposed to the mythologized stuff.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Jeffrey Kolowith's kindergarten students read a poem about Christopher Columbus, take a journey to the New World on three paper ships and place the explorer's picture on a timeline through history.
Kolowith's students learn about the explorer's significance—though they also come away with a more nuanced picture of Columbus than the noble discoverer often portrayed in pop culture and legend.
Yes, lets teach Kindergarten children that Columbus was an A$$, that George Washington liked to boink around and maybe we can ruin Santa Claus for them too. These kids are trying to survive broken homes, the financial stress of their parents, sports/entertainment figures are all messed up....good grief....who do these kids have as a hero?? It's just sad.
Yes, lets teach Kindergarten children that Columbus was an A$$, that George Washington liked to boink around and maybe we can ruin Santa Claus for them too. These kids are trying to survive broken homes, the financial stress of their parents, sports/entertainment figures are all messed up....good grief....who do these kids have as a hero?? It's just sad.
How about a parent, or a role model in the community? Is telling them lies better than teaching actual history?
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