History Topic 1 Lesson 4: European Exploration and the Americas

Essential Question: How much does geography affect people's lives?

Engage:

• Crash Course History The Age of Exploration
• Video: The Columbian Exchange (2:40)

Explore:

• Read pages 39-46
• Primary Sources Read page 47
• Crash Course History Columbian Exchange

Evaluate:

• Define Vocabulary
• Journal p. 19 Cause/Effect worksheet
• Lesson Check page 46 1-6
• Primary Source: Analyzing Primary Sources questions 1,2

Hero of History: Columbus or de las Casas?

Essential Question: Which should be a 'Hero of History", Christopher Columbus or Bartolomé de las Casas?

You will be researching both Christopher Columbus and Bartolomé de las Casas as their stories intersect through the 'discovery' and occupation of the Americas. As you research ask yourself the questions:

1. Are my sources reliable? 
2. Is there corroboration between my sources?
3. Who is more believable as a storyteller?
4. Since de las Casas is responsible for the only surviving journal information from Columbus' voyages, how reliable are those journals knowing de las Casas' prejudices?
5. Which one, in your opinion, is most moral? 
6. Is it appropriate for us to judge either Columbus or de las Casas today?
7. Who would you choose as your 'Hero of History'? 

Assignment

Create a poster of your "Hero of History". The poster must include facts that you uncover through your research as well as drawings that back your choice. You will not be allowed to use printed pictures. You may choose either men, but your facts must back your claim. 

All sources you use must be cited on your poster. http://www.citationmachine.net/ is a great resource for how to cite your sources.

References

Here are some references to get you started. You will also need to find two more sources of information not on this page. Remember, we need corroboration before we can draw conclusions. 

Bartolomé de las Casas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartolom%C3%A9_de_las_Casas

Christopher Columbus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus

Extracts from the journal of Christopher Columbus:  http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/columbus1.asp

Viggo Mortensen reads Bartolome de las Casas in Spanish and English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nxRvt5Rjx8&list=UUGYGlIJfxf-jVqlVBfC_nlQ

Washington Irving's biography of Columbus https://archive.org/details/ahistorylifeand08irvigoog

Criticism of Irving's book:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_History_of_the_Life_and_Voyages_of_Christopher_Columbus

You may also want to read Chapter 2 of Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen. I have a copy you can use. 

You may also want to scan through Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. I have a copy if you wish to peruse it.

The Oatmeal's take on the debate. http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day