Synopses & Reviews
Rethinking Columbus has changed the way schools teach about the "discovery" of America. This new edition has over 80 essays, poems, short stories, interviews, historical vignettes, and lesson plans that re-evaluate the legacy of Columbus -- right up to the present day. Packed with useful teaching ideas for kindergarten through college.
A rich chorus of multicultural voices comes together in Rethinking Columbus to replace the murky legends of Columbus with a deeper understanding of history from 1492 to the present.
Synopsis
Why rethink Christopher Columbus? Because the Columbus myth is a foundation of children's beliefs about society. Columbus is often a child's first lesson about encounters between different cultures and races. The murky legend of a brave adventurer tells children whose version of history to accept, and whose to ignore. It says nothing about the brutality of the European invasion of North America. We need to listen to a wider range of voices. We need to hear from those whose lands and rights were taken away by those who "discovered" them. Their stories, too often suppressed, tell of 500 years of courageous struggle, and the lasting wisdom of native peoples. Understanding what really happened to them in 1492 is key to understanding why people suffer the same injustices today. More than 80 essays, poems, interviews, historical vignettes, and lesson plans reevaluate the myth of Columbus and issues of indigenous rights. Rethinking Columbus is packed with useful teaching ideas for kindergarten through college.