October 10, 2020
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8zPXC9KscGs
Discussions surrounding the legacy of Christopher Columbus tend to move back and forth from cartoonish demonization to glorifying the man’s true flaws. Robert Royal in his book Columbus and the Western Crisisdoes neither, instead giving a nuanced portrayal of Columbus’ motivations, worldview, flaws, and accomplishments.
But beyond Columbus himself, this book explores the overall importance of the encounter between cultures that took place during the Age of Discovery, how we treat history, and how the West was used for purposes of self-loathing. It examines how indigenous peoples are idealized and instrumentalized.
Columbus was neither a genocidal maniac nor a saint. Although he did not “discover” America, he discovered the world, not only of Europeans but also of Native Americans.
content
[2:42] Reason for new edition
[7:11] The evolution of Columbus’s legacy in recent decades and earlier
[13:16] Columbus’ Motivation: God, Glory, Gold, and Their Misrepresentations
[16:25] Breakdown of Columbus’ unprecedented achievements
[20:56] Did Columbus discover America?
[25:38] Relationship with Native Americans during Columbus’s first visit to America
[33:26] Did Columbus intend to be a conqueror? his failure as governor
[41:25] Columbus did not establish the Atlantic slave trade. slavery in all cultures
[45:40] There were no institutional structures that could have enabled Columbus to combat the mistreatment of native peoples.
[49:17] Spain’s role in the development of international law and universal human rights
[53:38] How to celebrate complex historical figures
link
Columbus and the Western Crisis
https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/columbus-and-the-crisis-of-the-west
Free Columbus Day Seminar with Robert Royal, Christopher Ccheck, and Wilfred McCrae
https://engage.thomasmorecollege.edu/rediscovering-columbus43042020
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