Please use categories or tags when writing your blog posts. Use categories to indicate the week (Week 3 or Week 10 etc.), and tags for key concepts or topics covered.
Week 1: About Me
Posted by: feedwordpress
Hi there! My name is Angela Pope, my friends usually call me Pope, so feel free to do so too. I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and I moved to Florida when I was kid. My dad is Canadian, from Summerside in Prince Edward Island, and my mom's from Vietn... read full post >>
19/09 Meeting of Two Worlds
Posted by: feedwordpress
I found both the lecture video, the youtube video, and Columbus’ journal all to be insightful and important in our... read full post >>
Week 2: The Meeting of Two Worlds
Posted by: feedwordpress
I found Columbus' account of his exploration of the Americas interesting. Having been aware of his alleged awfulness towards the Indians that inhabited the lands which he was exploring, his journal was rather surprising because it didn't feature ... read full post >>
Week 2: Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?
Posted by: feedwordpress
It's really interesting to read Columbus' own writings and obtain a real look into the way he thought of himself and the King and Queen of Spain. I mean in the first few sentences, it's so hilariously clear how much sucking up Columbus has to do to appease the royalty of the Spanish Court — he used the phrase "your majesties" at least five times within one paragraph. I know... it's a small detail, and I'm not trying to nit pick, I understand that at the time Spanish royalty were heralded as the most sacred beings... but it doesn't mean it's not funny to see brown nosing was not a new concept in the 1500's.
However, reading his journal does make me sad, it's clear that Columbus never had any decent or good intentions when exploring the Americas. I mean on the first day he met the indigenous Native Americans he wrote in his journal that one of his immediate thoughts was how easy it would be to subjugate and enslave them. A few days later he notes to the King and Queen that all they would need to dominate the entire island is 50 men. Even with the gifts, kindness and love the indigenous people showed him, he was still trying to find ways to manipulate them and exploit them. Throughout the journal he doesn't explicitly say that he thinks the people are naive or stupid, but with almost every sentence he implies it, it was almost as if he was constantly mocking them.
I know there's a tendency to cast people as heroes or villains, and I vacillate between throwing people into those boxes and trying to understand the complexities. But for a man like Columbus I find it really difficult to not cast him as a villain because he did terrible acts; he can literally be traced as the first man to start the genocide and subjugation of millions of Native Americans.. How do you find a hero in that, not even, how do you find a single redeeming quality? Nobody ever thinks about Hitler and recalls fond memories of him, why shouldn't I offer Columbus the same treatment? His actions leave punishing consequences even in the present day. I'm aware that it's complex, the time he grew up in, the ideologies that were instilled, etc., but I don't think you can excuse it and frame him in any way other than the classic villain.
Some questions I had while reading his journal:
1) Does creating the narrative of Columbus as a conqueror and the Natives as vulnerable pure people who were taken advantage of rob the Natives of their agency and power? Or does it create good meaningful conversation?
2) Do you think if the indigenous population had attacked Columbus and his men, would they have won? Or would they have lost? And how would that change the narrative of what we've been taught today?
3) A lot of people pose the theory that if not Columbus who discovered the indigenous people and the "Americas" someone else would have and they would have killed the entire indigenous population, do you think that's true? Would history have unraveled the same way it had with a conquerer and a conquered or could there have been relative peace throughout the territories and mutual respect? read full post >>
However, reading his journal does make me sad, it's clear that Columbus never had any decent or good intentions when exploring the Americas. I mean on the first day he met the indigenous Native Americans he wrote in his journal that one of his immediate thoughts was how easy it would be to subjugate and enslave them. A few days later he notes to the King and Queen that all they would need to dominate the entire island is 50 men. Even with the gifts, kindness and love the indigenous people showed him, he was still trying to find ways to manipulate them and exploit them. Throughout the journal he doesn't explicitly say that he thinks the people are naive or stupid, but with almost every sentence he implies it, it was almost as if he was constantly mocking them.
I know there's a tendency to cast people as heroes or villains, and I vacillate between throwing people into those boxes and trying to understand the complexities. But for a man like Columbus I find it really difficult to not cast him as a villain because he did terrible acts; he can literally be traced as the first man to start the genocide and subjugation of millions of Native Americans.. How do you find a hero in that, not even, how do you find a single redeeming quality? Nobody ever thinks about Hitler and recalls fond memories of him, why shouldn't I offer Columbus the same treatment? His actions leave punishing consequences even in the present day. I'm aware that it's complex, the time he grew up in, the ideologies that were instilled, etc., but I don't think you can excuse it and frame him in any way other than the classic villain.
Some questions I had while reading his journal:
1) Does creating the narrative of Columbus as a conqueror and the Natives as vulnerable pure people who were taken advantage of rob the Natives of their agency and power? Or does it create good meaningful conversation?
2) Do you think if the indigenous population had attacked Columbus and his men, would they have won? Or would they have lost? And how would that change the narrative of what we've been taught today?
3) A lot of people pose the theory that if not Columbus who discovered the indigenous people and the "Americas" someone else would have and they would have killed the entire indigenous population, do you think that's true? Would history have unraveled the same way it had with a conquerer and a conquered or could there have been relative peace throughout the territories and mutual respect? read full post >>
Week 2: Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?
Posted by: feedwordpress
It's really interesting to read Columbus' own writings and obtain a real look into the way he thought of himself and the King and Queen of Spain. I mean in the first few sentences, it's so hilariously clear how much sucking up Columbus has to do to appease the royalty of the Spanish Court — he used the phrase "your majesties" at least five times within one paragraph. I know... it's a small detail, and I'm not trying to nit pick, I understand that at the time Spanish royalty were heralded as the most sacred beings... but it doesn't mean it's not funny to see brown nosing was not a new concept in the 1500's.
However, reading his journal does make me sad, it's clear that Columbus never had any decent or good intentions when exploring the Americas. I mean on the first day he met the indigenous Native Americans he wrote in his journal that one of his immediate thoughts was how easy it would be to subjugate and enslave them. A few days later he notes to the King and Queen that all they would need to dominate the entire island is 50 men. Even with the gifts, kindness and love the indigenous people showed him, he was still trying to find ways to manipulate them and exploit them. Throughout the journal he doesn't explicitly say that he thinks the people are naive or stupid, but with almost every sentence he implies it, it was almost as if he was constantly mocking them.
I know there's a tendency to cast people as heroes or villains, and I vacillate between throwing people into those boxes and trying to understand the complexities. But for a man like Columbus I find it really difficult to not cast him as a villain because he did terrible acts; he can literally be traced as the first man to start the genocide and subjugation of millions of Native Americans.. How do you find a hero in that, not even, how do you find a single redeeming quality? Nobody ever thinks about Hitler and recalls fond memories of him, why shouldn't I offer Columbus the same treatment? His actions leave punishing consequences even in the present day. I'm aware that it's complex, the time he grew up in, the ideologies that were instilled, etc., but I don't think you can excuse it and frame him in any way other than the classic villain.
Some questions I had while reading his journal:
1) Does creating the narrative of Columbus as a conqueror and the Natives as vulnerable pure people who were taken advantage of rob the Natives of their agency and power? Or does it create good meaningful conversation?
2) Do you think if the indigenous population had attacked Columbus and his men, would they have won? Or would they have lost? And how would that change the narrative of what we've been taught today?
3) A lot of people pose the theory that if not Columbus who discovered the indigenous people and the "Americas" someone else would have and they would have killed the entire indigenous population, do you think that's true? Would history have unraveled the same way it had with a conquerer and a conquered or could there have been relative peace throughout the territories and mutual respect? read full post >>
However, reading his journal does make me sad, it's clear that Columbus never had any decent or good intentions when exploring the Americas. I mean on the first day he met the indigenous Native Americans he wrote in his journal that one of his immediate thoughts was how easy it would be to subjugate and enslave them. A few days later he notes to the King and Queen that all they would need to dominate the entire island is 50 men. Even with the gifts, kindness and love the indigenous people showed him, he was still trying to find ways to manipulate them and exploit them. Throughout the journal he doesn't explicitly say that he thinks the people are naive or stupid, but with almost every sentence he implies it, it was almost as if he was constantly mocking them.
I know there's a tendency to cast people as heroes or villains, and I vacillate between throwing people into those boxes and trying to understand the complexities. But for a man like Columbus I find it really difficult to not cast him as a villain because he did terrible acts; he can literally be traced as the first man to start the genocide and subjugation of millions of Native Americans.. How do you find a hero in that, not even, how do you find a single redeeming quality? Nobody ever thinks about Hitler and recalls fond memories of him, why shouldn't I offer Columbus the same treatment? His actions leave punishing consequences even in the present day. I'm aware that it's complex, the time he grew up in, the ideologies that were instilled, etc., but I don't think you can excuse it and frame him in any way other than the classic villain.
Some questions I had while reading his journal:
1) Does creating the narrative of Columbus as a conqueror and the Natives as vulnerable pure people who were taken advantage of rob the Natives of their agency and power? Or does it create good meaningful conversation?
2) Do you think if the indigenous population had attacked Columbus and his men, would they have won? Or would they have lost? And how would that change the narrative of what we've been taught today?
3) A lot of people pose the theory that if not Columbus who discovered the indigenous people and the "Americas" someone else would have and they would have killed the entire indigenous population, do you think that's true? Would history have unraveled the same way it had with a conquerer and a conquered or could there have been relative peace throughout the territories and mutual respect? read full post >>
Week 2: Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?
Posted by: feedwordpress
It's really interesting to read Columbus' own writings and obtain a real look into the way he thought of himself and the King and Queen of Spain. I mean in the first few sentences, it's so hilariously clear how much sucking up Columbus has to do to app... read full post >>
2: The Meeting of Two Worlds
Posted by: feedwordpress
The readings for this week were quite interesting, while proving just how much of a prick Columbus was, taking us... read full post >>
Week 2: The Meeting of Two Worlds
Posted by: feedwordpress
After reading the entries made by Christopher Columbus my initial thought is that his writings are rather phoney. It seems as if Columbus was writing the entries for a specific audience. Which in this case would be the King and Queen of Spain who were funding his voyage. I also feel as if he uses religion […] read full post >>
Meeting of Two Worlds
Posted by: feedwordpress
The journal of Christopher Columbus manages to be both fascinating, and appalling all at once. The journal readily demonstrates the arrogance, ignorance and sense of entitlment, that as we know today would quickly lead to violence and abuse of native people and their cultures across the world. In the case of Christopher Columbus his effect […] read full post >>
Where is Latin America?- week 1
Posted by: feedwordpress
After reading the Cuban counterpoint by Fernando Ortiz, it became more clear to me how is it that the latinamerican culture is not easily defined, but was a result of the clash between many cultures coming into the territory and the pre-Hispanic traditions. I strongly agree with the perspective Ortiz shows when saying transculturalism is […] read full post >>
