10th Grade Humanities Name: _________________________________

T-Chart: Columbus Day vs. Native Peoples Day

INSTRUCTIONS: Use Zinn, “Columbus and the Indians” and Bowden, “Columbus Day
Celebrates Western Culture” to complete the following chart. BE SURE TO CITE THE SOURCE
FOR EACH ARGUMENT.
Zinn: Arguments AGAINST Columbus Day
Bowden: Arguments FOR Columbus Day
or FOR Native Peoples Day
“Columbus discovered the New World, “They would make fine servants…with fifty
opening a sea route to vast uncharted men we could subjugate them and make
territories that awaited the spread of them do what we want.”
civilization.”
“They were overwhelmed and mistreated and
“Columbus is a hero for spreading rational they died by the thousands. By 1550 only
values.” five hundred Indians remained. A century
later, no Arawaks were left.”
“On Columbus Day we celebrate the
civilization whose scientists banished primitive “Columbus claimed that he had seen a light
superstitions by discovering natural laws the evening before. He got the award.”
through the scientific method.”
“As soon as he arrived…he seized some
“On Columbus Day we celebrate the Arawaks by force so he could get
civilization whose entrepreneurs transformed information from them…Where is the gold?”
an inhospitable wilderness populated by
frightened savages into a wealthy nation of “Columbus said he would make another
self-confident producers, served by highways, voyage. This time he would come back to
power plants, computers, and thousands of Spain with as much gold as they
other life-enhancing products.” needed…and as many slaves as they ask.”

“On Columbus Day we celebrate the “Arawaks began to commit mass suicide.”
civilzation whose political geniuses…defined
the principles by which bloody tribal warfare,
religious strife, and, ultimately, slavery, could
be eradicated by constitutional republics
devoted too protecting life, liberty, property,
and the selfish pursuit of individual
happiness.”

“Columbus found a new territory for a

civilization that would soon show mankind
how to overcome the age-old scourges of
slavery, war, and forced religious conversion.”