Rethinking History Class on Columbus Day
At The Atlantic, Melinda D. Anderson writes on the importance of teaching the historical truth about Christopher Columbus and his impact on Native Americans in the United States. “One of the things that we discuss extensively in class is the whole notion of discovery and of course, Columbus is always at the center of this conversation,” said Jeff Ryan, an AP history teacher. “The story of Columbus through Native eyes can be viewed as difficult [but] we do have some evidence that shows Columbus behaved in ways that certainly are not worthy of celebrating. Exposing students to this interpretation is crucial.”