Humanities - RAFT Assignment

By alyssar.414520 | Updated: March 15, 2025, 2:35 a.m.

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My final semester project for the 2022-23 school year. Role: A group of modern students, working on a project together Audience: Public Format: PowToon Topic: Spreading awareness of the truth behind Columbus' adventure to the "New World"

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Columbus' Adventure
The Overlooked Truth of
Meet our Characters!
The Phone Addict, who knows everything
Jake
The Extrovert / Planner
Claire
The  Editor
Josh
Rachel
Time Manager / 
Focus Tracker
Let's
BEGIN !
Know Columbus? He has a day celebrated to him; Columbus Day.
October 9
est.
1934
He was illuminated as a hero who discovered the "New World".
HOWEVER
Not many know about the Indigenous people, how they relate to Columbus' story, and the mistreatment they faced because of Columbus.
When Columbus first arrived in the "New World", he and his crew were greeted by the native people there ; the Indigenous People.
They were super friendly, and gave the strangers gifts.
And in return for their kindness, Columbus decides to ensalve and imprison them.
Actions
speak
louder
than
words
From Columbus' notes, when he first discovered the "New World":

"They willingly traded everything they owned. ... They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features. ... They did not bear arms, and do not
know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. ... They would make fine servants. ... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."
From
Howard Zinn's Book
After Columbus took all their valuables, leaving nothing left, they turned the Indigenous People into slaves, forcing them to do hard labor and impossible tasks. This act was later known as the "Encomienda System".
If any of them tried to escape or rebel, then they would be hunted down and killed.
Their health worsened, and their situation became so bad that they stopped reproducing, and even resorted to killing their newborns to save them from a life of agony.
A day is dedicated to celebrating Columbus despite all the evil deeds he has done in his lifetime. When learning about this, it makes you wonder why we celebrate him in the first place. He wasn't the first to discover the "New World" as the Indigenous People were already there before he landed. Furthermore, he ruined their lives.
A day is dedicated to celebrating Columbus despite all the evil deeds he has done in his lifetime. When learning about this, it makes you wonder why we celebrate him in the first place. He wasn't the first to discover the "New World" as the Indigenous People were already there before he landed. Furthermore, he ruined their lives.
Columbus was looked up to by many because he was considered the first to discover the "New World", even if he technically wasn't.
Columbus Day is celebrated because immigrant itallians pushed for the holiday to be created. At the time, itallians were discriminated upon, so they took action and made use of a famous itallian figure; Christopher Columbus. Since they had shared the same origin, the people hoped that they could use him to stop the discrimination, and hopefully be accepted.
Here are some (fun?) facts!
The Indigenous People who Columbus first met at the island are called "Taino", but they are part of a bigger group called "Arawaks".
Bartolome De Las Casas was against the encomienda system and wrote how nice and peaceful the indigenous people were, and how wrong the Spaniards were making them slaves.
Juan Gines De Sepulveda wrote how the indigenous people were barbaric, while the Spaniards were civilized. He spoke in favor of the encomienda
system.

Humanities - RAFT Assignment

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