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Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Rethinking Columbus
Examining historical perspectives through a critical lens
and challenging bias.
I “discovered” Mr. Ambrose’s classroom…that
means it’s mine now, right?

Discussion Warm Up

 : “The word ‘discovery’ is loaded…[it] carries a
perspective, a bias…the point of view of the supposed
discoverers… And when the word gets repeated in
textbooks, those textbooks become… ‘the propaganda
of the winners.’” -Bill Bigelow [quoting Howard
Zinn] Rethinking Columbus
 What is problematic about the word “discovery”?
 How do you feel about the way Columbus’s story is
taught in schools?
 Do you agree with Bigelow?
Guiding Questions

Get into the habit of interrogating a text. Start by asking:
• Whose story is this?
• What voices are missing or purposely ignored in this account?
• Are certain groups marginalized within the text?
• How does the author choose to write about these groups?
• What are the author’s goals or motivations?
Go ahead, be a skeptic.

 "All written material should be read skeptically. I
want students to explore the politics of print—that
perspectives on history and social reality underlie
the written word…to read is both to comprehend
what is written, but also to question why it is
written” – Bill Bigelow Rethinking Columbus