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The Voyage of Columbus and the Meeting of Two Worlds
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While tedious at times, Columbus’ personal journal did offer a lot of interesting things to think about, and showed much about the kind of person that he was. I was confused throughout much of it. First, by the fact that he constantly lied to his crew about the distance they’d traveled, then by the way […] read full post >>
Week One – Thoughts on Latin America
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My reaction to the lecture:
While watching the video lecture, I found myself questioning for the first time, “Where is latin America”? My whole life I had just assumed that anything in central/south america was or is Latin America. However, while watching that video I found myself to be mistaken. By saying that countries in central/south america made up what I know to be Latin America was leaving out countries such as Cuba and the Dominica Republic and including countries that could not consider themselves to be Latin American. This continued my thinking into what makes a country Latin American? As I continued to think of all the possible things that could link these countries into a collective known as latin america I found it harder and harder to think of connections. This is because there is not one language, history, or culture that link all of these places. This led me then to the question that was presented in both the podcast and the video, Why is there a notion of Latin America?
My reaction to video and podcast:
While watching the video “Introduction to latin american studies” I thought the question the narrator was asking “why does the notion of latin america persist” interesting. If it is so difficult to define Latain america then why are there so many stereotypes, assumptions, and views on a people group who don’t share a country, one language, or even a common history. This same theme occured in the podcast by Alec Dawson. I find it fascinating how pevelant the concept of latin america is despite the difficulties that occur when trying to define where or what latin america is.
My personal opinion:
I think that the notion of Latin America is so prevalent because it is an easy way for people who are not familiar with the variety of cultures to lump them together in a category in which makes them feel comfortable. Although many if not most of these assumptions and stereotypes are false about any given country, it gives people who don’t have a knowledgeable grasp on the multiple cultures, histories, and languages a feeling of comfort and familiarity when presented with the topic of Latin America or any of the countries that could be defined as Latin American. Because the term Latin America appears to be beneficial for those who do not understand it instead of those who would be labeled as Latin American, I think that sometimes this term may have misleading or stereotypical connotations that perside along with it.
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Week One – Thoughts on Latin America
Posted by: feedwordpress
My reaction to the lecture:
While watching the video lecture, I found myself questioning for the first time, “Where is latin America”? My whole life I had just assumed that anything in central/south america was or is Latin America. However, while watching that video I found myself to be mistaken. By saying that countries in central/south america made up what I know to be Latin America was leaving out countries such as Cuba and the Dominica Republic and including countries that could not consider themselves to be Latin American. This continued my thinking into what makes a country Latin American? As I continued to think of all the possible things that could link these countries into a collective known as latin america I found it harder and harder to think of connections. This is because there is not one language, history, or culture that link all of these places. This led me then to the question that was presented in both the podcast and the video, Why is there a notion of Latin America?
My reaction to video and podcast:
While watching the video “Introduction to latin american studies” I thought the question the narrator was asking “why does the notion of latin america persist” interesting. If it is so difficult to define Latain america then why are there so many stereotypes, assumptions, and views on a people group who don’t share a country, one language, or even a common history. This same theme occured in the podcast by Alec Dawson. I find it fascinating how pevelant the concept of latin america is despite the difficulties that occur when trying to define where or what latin america is.
My personal opinion:
I think that the notion of Latin America is so prevalent because it is an easy way for people who are not familiar with the variety of cultures to lump them together in a category in which makes them feel comfortable. Although many if not most of these assumptions and stereotypes are false about any given country, it gives people who don’t have a knowledgeable grasp on the multiple cultures, histories, and languages a feeling of comfort and familiarity when presented with the topic of Latin America or any of the countries that could be defined as Latin American. Because the term Latin America appears to be beneficial for those who do not understand it instead of those who would be labeled as Latin American, I think that sometimes this term may have misleading or stereotypical connotations that perside along with it.
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Week two – Thoughts on Columbus
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Week Two
What impression did I have of columbus before I looked at his account?
Before looking into Columbus's accounts I was led to believe that Columbus was a hero. In my younger years at school when studying North America and the European explorers who “discovered” it, I was always told that Columbus was a smart and brave man who, despite the opinion of others, hypothesised that the world was not flat and proved other Europeans wrong. However, as I went into high school, the narrative of Columbus that was being old was a slightly different one. I learnt how he mistakenly called the indigenouse people of north America Indians and how he enslaved and mutilated native people
.How my thoughts changed after reading about events in his own words?
After reading about the events that took place in Columbus's own words I find myself having mixed feelings towards Columbus and the way he treated the native islanders. When looking from a modern point of view, the way in which Columbus speaks about and treats the native people seems inhumane and cruel. However, in the context of the time, Columbus seems to think that his actions are nothing less than commendable. He thinks that by discovering the land in the name of the King and Queen he is doing what is right. This is also suggested when Columbus talks about bringing back six of the native people for the king and queen so that they may learn to speak Spanish and learn to follow the Christian religion. However awful Columbus’s actions may seem through a modern point of view. I think that in Columbus’s eyes he was doing the right thing.
It's often tempting to cast Columbus as hero or villain. For many years he was seen as the former; these days, he's more often portrayed as the latter. Is either approach helpful?
I think that to say either Columbus is a hero or villain does more harm than good. To say that Columbus was a hero dismisses the experiences of the indigenouse people of the lands that Columbus discovered. Because he did cause harm and pain to the people who originally inhabited these lands, it would be insensitive to say that what Columbus was doing was an act of heroism because it insinuates that the natives lives pre-Columbus were not valid nor valuable before Columbus arrived. On the other hand, to call Columbus a villain would also be a disservice. At the time Columbus’s beliefs on natives being a simple bread of humans was widespread and to the best of his knowledge, he was doing god's work. To call Columbus a villian downplays the common ideals and culture of 18th century Europe. By trying to understand both sides of the story and come to the conclusion that Columbus was doing only what he thought was best, can give us a more complete view on the situation and a better understanding of the ancient and modern Latin America.
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Week two – Thoughts on Columbus
Posted by: feedwordpress
Week TwoWhat impression did I have of columbus before I looked at his account?Before looking into Columbus's accounts I was led to believe that Columbus was a hero. In my younger years at school when studying North America and the European explorers wh... read full post >>
Blog Post #2: Week 2
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Question for the week:Do you think the colonization movement was empathetic? Is it reasonable to demand empathy from them?In this week's readings and videos, I revisit a topic I have studied all my life: Cristopher Columbus and his discovery of America... read full post >>
Blog Post #2: Week 2
Posted by: feedwordpress
Question for the week:Do you think the colonization movement was empathetic? Is it reasonable to demand empathy from them?In this week's readings and videos, I revisit a topic I have studied all my life: Cristopher Columbus and his discovery of America... read full post >>
Week Two: The Meeting of Two Worlds
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I found this week’s subject matter very interesting. I’m a little familiar with the story of Columbus, his discovery, and the development of the New World, but the primary source readings provided some brand new perspectives I’d never been exposed to before, and the lecture definitely flipped some of my knowledge on its head. Though […] read full post >>
Reflections Week 1
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Good evening, y’all. My name is Joseph Bouchard; I am a 3rd year student at the University of British Columbia, currently studying International Relations and minoring in Latin American Studies. These series of blog posts will be related to my LAST 100 class, which I am taking out of my interest for Mexican and Latin […] read full post >>
Week Two: The Meeting of Two Worlds
Posted by: feedwordpress
Reading Questions What did you think of Columbus before you looked at his account? As a student from Australia, my knowledge of Columbus is limited, however, having learned about the fall of the Aztecs due to the efforts of the … Continue reading → read full post >>
