Sourcing Columbus

Open Ended

Before you learned about it in history class, which of these stories (or a different one) did you mostly hear about Christopher Columbus? (Check one or write your own)

-Mostly Statement A (The Heroic Explorer)

-Mostly Statement B (The Villainous Invader)

-A mix of both

-A different story: _________________________

Open Ended

Where do our "stories" about history come from? List at least two possible sources (e.g., movies, parents, etc.).

Open Ended

A historian's job is to figure out what really happened in the past. If you were a historian, what is ONE big question you would want to ask to figure out the truth about Columbus and his impact?

Multiple Choice

What does the acronym H.I.P.P.O stand for in historical analysis?

• Historical Context, Intended Audience, Purpose, Point of View, Outside Information

• Historical Context, Important People, Purpose, Point of View, Other Information

• History, Interpretation, Perspective, Purpose, Outside Information

• Historical Context, Intended Audience, Perspective, Purpose, Other Information

Multiple Choice

Which component of H.I.P.P.O asks you to consider what else you know about the author, time period, or event to help give the bigger picture?

• Historical Context

• Intended Audience

• Purpose

• Point of View

Open Ended

Explain how understanding the historical context and intended audience of a document can help you analyze its significance.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are key questions to ask when determining the purpose and point of view of a historical document?

• Why is the author writing or making this speech?

• What about the author made them make the statement?

• Who is the author writing to and why?

• What Information about the topic can you provide that is not given to you in the documents?

Multiple Choice

Based on the quote from Jonathan Edwards, what was the historical context and intended audience of his sermon 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God'?

• The American Revolution and British soldiers

• The Great Awakening and lazy Colonial church members

• The Civil War and abolitionists

• The Enlightenment and philosophers

Multiple Choice

What was the main purpose of Jonathan Edwards' sermon 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God' and what point of view did he express?

• To encourage colonial expansion and compare people to insects

• To persuade church members to return to piety and highlight their dependence on God's grace

• To criticize the monarchy and promote revolution

• To advocate for scientific reasoning and reject religious beliefs

Open Ended

Primary Source: Translation of the Columbus letter (Basel, 1494) |

Sourcing: Who wrote this primary source and when was it written?

Open Ended

Primary Source: Translation of the Columbus letter (Basel, 1494) |

Sourcing: Why might it be important for historians or researchers to notice who wrote this primary source?

Open Ended

Primary Source: Translation of the Columbus letter (Basel, 1494) |

Sourcing: Is this source a reliable source for researching the interactions between Chirstopher Columus and Indigenous Peoples? Why or why not?

Open Ended

Primary Source: Translation of the Columbus letter (Basel, 1494) |

Close Reading: What claim does the author make about the relationship between Columbus, his men, and Native Americans?

Open Ended

Primary Source: Translation of the Columbus letter (Basel, 1494) |

Close Reading: Provide two specific examples, from this primary source, as evidence to support the claim you made in response to the question above.

Open Ended

Who is the author of Document 2 (Secondary Source) and how might their background influence their perspective on the events described?

Open Ended

Document 2 Sourcing: Why might it be important for historians or researchers to notice who wrote this secondary source?

Open Ended

Document 2 Close Reading: What claim does the author make about the relationship between Columbus, his men, and Native Americans?

Open Ended

What claim does the author make about the relationship between Columbus, his men, and Native Americans? Provide two specific examples, from this secondary source, as evidence to support the claim you made in response to the question above.

Open Ended

Why would a historian want to use both primary and secondary sources in order to understand the impact of Columbus?

Multiple Choice

Based on Statements A and B, which of the following best describes the differing perspectives on Christopher Columbus?

• He was universally celebrated as a hero.

• He was seen as both a hero and a controversial figure.

• He was only responsible for positive changes in America.

• He was solely responsible for the suffering of Indigenous people.