Name: Chrys Moreno

Period:5
Date: 9-14-18

People v. Columbus et al Essay

You will now review your notes and sources, and plan, draft, revise, and edit your writing. You
may use your notes and refer to the sources on pg. 6, pg. 7, and pg. 8 of the Classwork section
in your binder. Now read your assignment and the information about how your writing will be
scored; then begin your work.

Your assignment:
Over the past three classes, we have learned, discussed, and debated the colonization of
Hispaniola and the effect on the Taino people. We discussed the role that Columbus, Columbus’
Men, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the Tainos and the System of Empire played in the
destruction of the Taino population. Use the sources on pg. 6, pg. 7, and pg. 8 of your binder to
write a multi-paragraph argumentative essay about who is the guiltiest.

Make sure you establish an argumentative claim, address potential counterarguments, and
support your claim from the sources you have read. Develop your ideas clearly and use your
own words except when quoting directly from the sources. Be sure to reference the sources by
title or page number when using details or facts directly from the sources.

Argumentative Essay Scoring​​:

Your argumentative essay will be scored using the following:
1. Organization and Purpose:​​ How well did you state your claim, address opposing
claims, and maintain your claim with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to
end? How well did your ideas thoughtfully flow from beginning to end using effective
transitions? How effective was your introduction and conclusion?
2. Evidence/elaboration:​​ How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from
the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did you clearly state your
ideas in your own words using precise language that is appropriate for your audience
and purpose? How well did you reference the sources you used by title or number?
3. Conventions:​​ How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling?

Now begin work on your argumentative essay​​. Manage your time carefully so that you can:
● Plan your multi-paragraph argumentative essay
● Write your multi-paragraph argumentative essay.
● Revise and edit the final draft of your multi-paragraph argumentative essay.

For this assignment, you are being asked to write a multi-paragraph argumentative essay, so
please be as thorough as possible. Type your response below. Remember to check your notes
and your prewriting/planning as you write and then revise and edit your argumentative essay.
Name:Chrys Moreno
Period:5
Date: 9-14-18
People v. Columbus et al Essay
Begin writing your essay here

Columbus, the man who “founded” America how could he be the person responsible for
the death of three million Natives? Well I’ll tell you, he is the most guiltiest person when it comes
to who’s fault it was for the death of three million Tainos. Columbus is the most guilty because
he threatened his men to kill the Tainos and he also lied to everyone saying the Tainos are
cannibals only to justify for their enslavement. But yet even with all these claims people still
think that he isn’t the guiltiest of all the people involved in the situation. Let’s just see about that.

The first reason Columbus is guilty is because he threatened his men to kill and torture
the Tainos and if they didn’t he would punish them. For example on pg.7 of our class work it
states that,“In his Colony of ‘Isabella’, Columbus’s men begin to die of disease and there is less
food every day. Columbus forced them to work and punished anyone who disobeys his orders”(
February-March 1494). This quote shows us that even though Columbus’s men didn’t want to
do this they had no choice. Also if they did refuse Columbus’s orders they would be tortured or
even killed for that matter. And if they couldn’t go against Columbus then they’d have to be
forced to kill Tainos because it was either their lives or the Tainos’ lives. Yet this isn’t the only
reason Columbus is the most guilty.

The second reason Columbus is guilty is because he framed the Tainos and called them
cannibals just so he can have to right to enslave them. For example on pg.7 of our classwork it
states that,”Columbus sends ships back to Spain for supplies. Several dozen “Indian” slaves are
taken aboard. Columbus justify slavery by claiming that they are cannibals and he can only save
their souls by making them slaves to the Spanish Christians”(February 1494). This quote shows
us that even though the Tainos were only protecting themselves they were still thought of as
cannibals and couldn’t be free. Also even if they wanted to be free they couldn’t say anything
because everyone believed in Columbus instead of them. And so the Tainos had no choice but
to be enslaved, worked, and killed. Yet even with these facts people still think Columbus’s Men
are actually the most guiltiest.

The reason people think Columbus’s men are the most guiltiest is because they were the
ones who physically hurt and killed the Tainos. For example on pg.7 of our class work it states
that,”In St.Croix they torture and kill a group called the Caribs”(September 25th 1493). This
quote shows us that even though Columbus’s men did physically kill them but if the men were to
refuse they would be punished. Also if the men do refuse not only will they be refusing
Columbus’s orders but they will be refusing the King and Queen’s orders and will be thought as
a traitor. And so the men are forced to do so because if they don’t they will be killed one way or
another.
 So the first reason Columbus is guilty is because he threatened his men to kill the Tainos
and they couldn’t refuse because they would also be killed by Columbus. The second reason he
is guilty is because he framed the Tainos and told everyone that they were cannibals just so he
could enslave them. Also the Tainos couldn’t do anything because no one will believe them
because everyone thought Columbus was right. Yet even with these facts people thought that
his men were the most guilty because they were the ones who literally tortured and killed them
all. But like I said before his men had no choice because either Columbus would kill them or the
King and Queen will. But overall whether people think Columbus, his men, or anyone else is
guilty, deep down we all know that Columbus had started it all and that he is the most guilty.