Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress Essay Example

Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress Paper Spain, being recently unified, wanted spices and gold. The gold to them could purchase anything. So they offered Christopher Columbus ten percent of the profit, if he would bring back gold and spices. Christopher Columbus was sent to Asia with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Columbus sailed for thirty-three days not sighting land. It wasn’t until early October of 1492 that he and his crew finally landed. He supposedly was the first to sight land and received a ten thousand maravedis as his reward. It was not him, but a member of his crew who first sighted land, Rodrigo. But Columbus got the credit. As Columbus and his crew approached the island, they were greeted by the native inhabitants of the island. The natives were the Arawak Indians, and the island they were on was the Bahama Islands. The Arawaks gave them food, water, and incredible gifts. Columbus took some of the natives as prisoners so they could show him where the gold was. They took him to Hispaniola. Hispaniola, as Columbus reported, was beautiful, fertile, filled with gold and other metals. Columbus had promised Spain and investors gold, but there wasn’t much gold to be found. He ordered that Indians ages fourteen and over to collect gold. We will write a custom essay sample on Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer After the Indians collected the amount of gold required, they were given copper token necklaces to prove that they had collected the gold. Later, it was obvious that no more gold was left to collect, so the Indians were taken to work on estates. They worked hard and many died. None of the original Arawaks were left on the Bahama Islands. Bartolome de las Casas transcribed Columbus’s log. He wrote a multivolume History of the Indies. He wrote that the Indians had no temple, if not a religion. Las Casas writes of how the Spaniards were becoming more conceited as the days passed. The Spaniards killed for fun. They considered themselves to on top of the world. After collecting gold for about 6-8 months, the gold was melted. This was such hard labor, that many died. According to Casas, over three million died. The women were so malnourished that they could not produce milk for their babies. The babies were often killed out of the mother’s desperation. The men worked so hard in the mines, stressed killed them. Samuel Eliot Morison wrote that we shouldn’t accept the atrocities so easily, but to not make a big deal about it either, because it was in the past. It didn’t happen to us in the present. No point in grieving for the victims or judging the villains, because it won’t make a difference. It’s much easier to bury the truth than hide it. Columbus did it to the Arawaks, and others did the same. Such as Cortes to the Aztecs, and Pizarro to the Incas. They all took advantage of the natives and abused everything they received. Were these massacres really necessary for the progression of the human race? Of course this question can easily be debated, but remember the key word, necessary. All the gold and silver Spain received, it didn’t make it richer, but a little more powerful in the combat area. What was the point of being a little stronger if you lost the wars to come? Everything became worse than it was before. Even though Columbus referred to the natives as Indians, we do so because there is the possibility that they originated from Asia. Indians have become more evolved. Around the time of Christ, there was a culture of Indians, also known as Moundbuilders. They built many gigantic sculptures. Many Indian cultures had their own laws, poetry, and tales to tell on to future generations. The main point being this: is it right for someone to take another’s life just to progress in life and tell the story as if they were the heroes?

Jerusalem Jerusalem and Israel Museum Essay

Jerusalem Jerusalem and Israel Museum Essay Jerusalem: Jerusalem and Israel Museum Essay Jerusalem. Filled with facts and religion. Jerusalem is a place many people have fought over. It seems to be the one focal point for many religions. I am going to talk about the main places in Jerusalem you may visit in your lifetime, and the times you might visit them. Judaism The Western Wall. The builders of the Western Wall could never have imagined that one day their most humble creation would become the most important religious symbol for the Jewish people. Indeed, when it was built some 2000 years ago it was only a retaining wall supporting the outer part of the Temple Mount, upon which stood the Second Temple. (The Second Temple was constructed around 520 BC.) Many Jews come to celebrate their Bar Mitzvah. The Hurva Synagogue The debris of the Hurva Synagogue are on the west side of Hurva Square in the Jewish Quarter. Very little is left of the synagogue except for a striking, slender arch. Erected in 1977, the arch is 13m high and spans what was the central hall. The ruins have been made safe for visitors to wander around and information boards help them imagine the great edifice that once stood here. Israel Museum Opened in May 1965, the Israel Museum is a world-class museum and an outstanding example of modern Israeli architecture. The most popular part of the Israel Museum is the Shrine of the Book, with its distinctive onion-shaped top. The roof was designed by American architects Kiesler and Bartos to resemble the jar covers in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947. Inside, a long, subtly lit passageway, designed to bring to mind the environment in which the scrolls were found, has an everlasting exhibition on life in Qumran when the scrolls were written. Christianity The Church Of The Holy Sepilchre Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre visitors will find the place where the Virgin Mary received her son's body. This spot, marking the thirteenth post on Christ's journey to his death, symbolically features a statue of Mary with a silver dagger wedged into her chest. Christ's tomb marks the fourteenth and last post on the Via Dolorosa, and features a massive marble structure believed to be Jesus' original tomb. The Church Of St John The Bapsist Nested in the hills of Ein Kerem, visitors to the church of St. John will also enjoy its picturesque surroundings. Ein Kerem is known for its charming winding streets, artisan stores and homely cafes. Two other churches are within walking distance of St. John's church, and are well worth a visit when on a Christian tour to Israel. The birth and life of Saint John the Baptist appear in the Gospel of Luke, where his family lineage and prophetic abilities are professed. It is in the Gospel of Luke that reference is made to John's birthplace in Jerusalem. Church Of All Nations Sometimes referred to as the Basilica of Agony, the Church of All Nations is situated at the feet of the Mount of Olives. It is believed to be the place where Jesus was last seen praying before he was betrayed by Judas and captured by the Romans. The Garden