What Is History? Essays Examples

I am ashamed to admit that the first thing I think about when it comes to Native Americans is the savages that Christopher Columbus had encountered on his exploration. This includes the teepee-dwelling, half-naked people dancing in circles that are described in the prompt. I feel that our society has always brushed away the importance of Native Americans, and this is exemplified in the fact that all we know as students is the savage imagery that the media has shown us over the years. I had no idea democracy came from the Native Americans, and I think that it is important that everyone studies these topics in order to learn about the foundations of the United States and where we all came from.
Five important points stood out to me from Zinn’s article. Firstly, I find it interesting that the first thing Columbus thinks about is making the Natives into servants. They are willing to trade all of their possessions and all he is thinking about is domination. This is interesting because we do not think about our history in these terms. I also find it interesting that Columbus was only promised 10 percent of the profits from his trip, considering he was risking his life on an unknown journey to find the gold and spices. This seems like a small amount and showcases the history of corporate greed, stemming back to the colonial days of government control. A third interesting point in this chapter is the fact that Columbus and those who came after him completely killed off the Arawak tribe. This is not something we hear about in our history books; that Columbus, our great discoverer, actually wiped out entire groups of people because he saw them as lesser beings than himself. The next interesting point by the author is the comparison of the conquest of the Americas to later parts in history, such as labor issues in England or the slave trade. This is an example of history repeating itself. The fifth interesting point about this chapter is how Mexico was first “discovered” by Cortes. The Aztecs and Mayans thinking that Cortes was a God appearing before them does not really help the image of Western dominance.
In Loewen’s chapter there were also five interesting points that stood out. The first interesting point in the very first paragraph is the fact that Columbus is one of two people that are honored with a national holiday in the country. It is interesting because of what we have now learned about Columbus, and the fact that he is likely not the hero America thinks he is. The second interesting point is that he died poor and obsolete, when he is now considered a national hero and figure to be worshipped for the creation of the entire nation. This is ironic to me. A third interesting point is that the Europeans at this time already had guns mounted on ships. This stands out to me because of the advantage that these men would have had over anyone else, because guns were not as common at this point in time. Additionally, a fourth interesting point is that the Ancient Phoenicians and Egyptians had already sailed as far as England in ancient times, which is something that we students are never taught. As the author states, this point always gets brushed off due to the overpowering nature of the importance people place on Columbus himself. Lastly, it is also interesting to note the lesser-known examples of previous exploration done by the Irish as well as some of the African countries. These do not make it in to textbooks for the same reasons the ancient explorations do not.