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Rethinking Columbus
One of the most popular teaching activities on the Zinn Education Project website is The People vs. Columbus, et al. which challenges student to critically examine the motivations for and impact of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in Hispaniola. The lesson is … Read More »
Bartolomé de las Casas: “Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account”
Bartolome de las Casas’ “Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account” (1542) read by John Sayles, Viggo Mortensen, and Staceyann Chin. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
The People vs. Columbus, et al.
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 8 pages.
Role play in the form of a trial to determine who is responsible for the death of millions of Tainos on the island of Hispaniola in the late 15th century.
Discovering Columbus: Re-reading the Past
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 6 pages.
How to engage students in a critical analysis of the textbook version of “discovery.”
Columbus and Las Casas
Teaching Activity PDF. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 15 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 1 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on Columbus’ arrival in the “New World,” and the contrasting accounts of Bartolome de Las Casas and Eduardo Galeano.
Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years
Teaching Guide. Edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. 2003. 192 pages.
Readings and lessons for pre-K to 12 about the impact and legacy of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas.
Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look
Book – Non-fiction. By Susan Gage. 1991. 51 pages.
Graphic/comic book tackles history of colonialism in the Americas.
Unlearning “Indian” Sterotypes
Film. 1977 (Updated in 2008). Rethinking Schools and the Council on Interracial Books for Children.
Native American history through the eyes of Native American children.
Lies My Teacher Told Me About Christopher Columbus
Poster. By James W. Loewen. 2006. Booklet, 48 pp. Poster, 32.5″ x 21″
Graphic corrective to the Columbus story told in many American classrooms.
