This chapter made me wonder even more why historians who write textbooks for kids or even adults do not write the whole truth. We have children growing up thinking Christopher Columbus was a great explorer. We even have a day to celebrate him and primary grade teachers talk about him on that day. They just tell them what he did and how he found America. I feel like now I can't read a history book without thinking that what I am reading is biased. Towards the end of the chapter they talked about famous historian, Samuel Eliot Morison who wrote about Columbus in a book. They said that he mentioned the truth quickly about the mass murder. He did not lie but he just gave readers a quick view into the horrifying murder of thousands of Indians. The chapter even said it almost seems that it is unimportant to him to include. He wanted readers to think highly of Columbus because he felt he was a great man.
History shapes how we think, our values, and what we believe. They say history repeats itself but how can we learn from it if we may not be told the whole truth. As teachers, I think it is important that when we teach we set our opinions to the side. Part of teaching students to become critical thinkers is allowing them to form their own opinions. When we teach we need to allow for the opportunity of both sides to be heard. In the case of Columbus, I would want my students to understand Columbus's side of the story and the Indians side of the story. I like to think of this as an election. I want to hear want both candidates plan to do before I place my vote. So same with our students, they should hear both sides.
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