Rethinking Exploration: Columbus Ms. Teague, Fall 2010

We study this because… Columbus is dead but his legacy is not. The “Columbus-as-Discoverer” myth teaches whose voices to listen to in the world and whose to ignore. It encourages a critical reading and understanding of all historical events. We have a responsibility to learn from history so we won’t repeat it.

Essential Questions How is history told by the victors? Why does history forget the voices of the subjugated? How does culture & perspective influence the way you interpret history? How do these factors affect our understanding of history?

In this unit we will... Explore the legacy of Columbus' “discovery” of the “New World” Examine some of the untold narratives of early North American colonialism Reflect on how the voices that are heard— and those that are ignored

Questions for Exploration Whose story is being told? Who is telling the story? Who has the most to gain from the situation?

In this unit, you will… Explain how the exploration of the New World is significant today. Explain primary, secondary, and tertiary sources and benefits of each. Evaluate the perspective of a text and determine its accuracy. Define key unit vocabulary words. Understand how people interact with and impact the environment. Understand two or more points of view to comprehend a historical event. Pick a point of view on a topic and develop ideas using specific and relevant details. Form an opinion and use evidence to support an interpretation of historical events. Use powerful paragraph structure to write persuasively. Use 3+ sources to strengthen writing Correctly cite sources in an essay

Vocabulary Colonialism Imperialism Ethnocentric Conquest Conquistador Empire Entitled Exploitation Genocide Subjugate First Nation Mercantilism

Unit Scope Indian Claim Italy by “Right of Discovery New York Times 1492 Nancy Schimmel Sugar and Slavery Philip Martin African-American Resistance Bill Fletcher Columbus’ Diary Columbus Open Your Hearts Bartolome de las Casas Timeline: Spain, Columbus, Tainos The People vs. Columbus, et al. Our Class! Human Beings are not Mascots Barbara Munson

Beginnings “Discovery” represents the point of view of the supposed discoverers. It’s the invaders masking their theft And when the word gets repeated in textbooks, those textbooks become the propaganda of the winners.