Zinn

"A people’s History of the United States", by Howard Zinn is about the violence and torture that Columbus conflicted onto the Native American. Columbus was on a mission to find gold to take back to the king. Columbus thought the new world was covered with gold and jewels and he thought the Native American were in passion of these jewels. Columbus thought the Native Americans knew were to find the gold, because when Columbus found out that the Native Americans did not know where to find gold and jewels he believed that they were lying because the Native Americans were wearing gold earrings and necklaces. So Columbus decided to torture the Native Americans until they told him were he could find the gold. The Native Americans began to die off because they did not tell Columbus what he wanted to know because the Native Americans did not know where to get the jewels and gold. All that the Native Americans could find were bits of dust, so Columbus killed the Native Americans because they did not give him what he was in search of. Columbus was in search of gold and jewels because he was told that he would receive 10 percents of the profit.
One argument could be weather or not Columbus was responsible for his men. While I was reading this article there was no place that said Columbus told his men what to do I feel that while reading it is just assumed that Columbus told his men what to do and even how to get the information out of the Native Americans.
I was shocked when I read this article because we are taught that Columbus discover the new world and how he helped the Native Americans. When really the Native Americans wanted to help Columbus, but Columbus just wanted gold and ended up killing the Native Americans when they were unable to find the gold that Columbus felt they knew where to find it. I was told one day how we celebrate Columbus day however we really should not be because he did not find new land and he did not help the native Americans, and I never understood why a class mate told me this until I read this article and now I understand why he felt we should not celebrate Columbus day. I guess I would have to say that this article opened my eyes to what really happened and how you can not believe everything that you are told or are taught during high school.