R.I. schools seek a full view of Columbus' 1492
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue,
It was a courageous thing to do,
But someone was already here.
The Inuit and Cherokee,
The Aztec and the Menominee,
Onondaga and the Cree.
“I Will Be Your Friend,” by Nancy Schimmel, a songwriter and storyteller
PROVIDENCE — Christopher Columbus was a heroic explorer who discovered America, proved the Earth was round and led his nation to untold riches in the New World.
Not.
From elementary schools to college campuses, a new narrative is being written about the once-storied first contact between Columbus and the indigenous people of the West Indies. No longer is Columbus portrayed as an intrepid adventurer whose accidental arrival in the Bahamas ushered in wave after wave of civilizing European influence in North and South America.
In one elementary school in McDonald, Pa., a fourth-grade class put Columbus on trial for abusing his position, misrepresenting the crown of Spain and stealing gold. Students were asked to comment on whether Columbus was a hero or a criminal.
“We present a much more balanced view now,” said Sue Blanchette, vice president of the National Council for Social Studies. “We’re moving away from the Eurocentric point of view. We come from a generation where he was the be-all and end-all. He wasn’t.”
Today, students are taught that Columbus didn’t discover America, the Vikings did; that Columbus didn’t demonstrate that the Earth was round, that it was widely known during the late 15th century. In some colleges, students are being taught that far from being a hero, Columbus was, in fact, a villain because he and his men systematically enslaved and murdered the native Taino people...
Read entire article at Rhode Island News
It was a courageous thing to do,
But someone was already here.
The Inuit and Cherokee,
The Aztec and the Menominee,
Onondaga and the Cree.
“I Will Be Your Friend,” by Nancy Schimmel, a songwriter and storyteller
PROVIDENCE — Christopher Columbus was a heroic explorer who discovered America, proved the Earth was round and led his nation to untold riches in the New World.
Not.
From elementary schools to college campuses, a new narrative is being written about the once-storied first contact between Columbus and the indigenous people of the West Indies. No longer is Columbus portrayed as an intrepid adventurer whose accidental arrival in the Bahamas ushered in wave after wave of civilizing European influence in North and South America.
In one elementary school in McDonald, Pa., a fourth-grade class put Columbus on trial for abusing his position, misrepresenting the crown of Spain and stealing gold. Students were asked to comment on whether Columbus was a hero or a criminal.
“We present a much more balanced view now,” said Sue Blanchette, vice president of the National Council for Social Studies. “We’re moving away from the Eurocentric point of view. We come from a generation where he was the be-all and end-all. He wasn’t.”
Today, students are taught that Columbus didn’t discover America, the Vikings did; that Columbus didn’t demonstrate that the Earth was round, that it was widely known during the late 15th century. In some colleges, students are being taught that far from being a hero, Columbus was, in fact, a villain because he and his men systematically enslaved and murdered the native Taino people...