Howard Zinn Colombus Case

Howard Zinn was the first author to bash Columbus' voyage and "discovery" of the New World. Throughout this article Zinn includes plenty of sources to prove his points. He also gives a new perspective on Columbus, which was very controversial at the time. This article made me reconsider Columbus and his "findings".

Howard Zinn's article on his opinion of Columbus features numerous uses of various sources. He uses around seven different sources. The first source he alludes to is right at the beginning, Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations. Smith stated that "The Discovery of America" was one of "the two greatest and most important events in the history of mankind." Smith's point gives Zinn enough leverage to case his own opinion on the introduction of America to the Old World. He believes that Columbus' accomplishment did "set in motion some of the most pivotal developments in human history." Smith considered Columbus' "discovery" as both a catastrophe and gain for the western European countries. On page 18, he introduces Richard Eden, an English writer who believed that the Indians' state of living was even worse than slavery. Las Casas, a Dominican priest blamed Spain for the death of millions of native americans during the encounter and called it one of "Spain's practices". he states that they have started a massacre with every "discovery" they have made. Although most of the Europeans thought of the indians as savages, Zinn gives an example of a Florentine navigator who thought the Indians were, "beautiful of stature and build." Most of the sources Zinn uses bring a view that actually degrades the Europeans for the encounter and offers sympathy for the indians. These sources are mainly from the European perspective, yet he still keeps his focus very neutral throughout.

Howard Zinn's perspective during this article was one that changed the world's view on Columbus. He will tend to throw a point out and introduce all the information on that point to back his opinion up. He felt for the Indians and didn't glorify Columbus, as most writings have before. He wasn't exactly an optimist as he pointed out most of the harsh facts of the way the Europeans treated the Indians. Previously to reading this article I was told that Columbus was the "good guy". I was never truly