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Portrait of a man with curly hair and a black hat, set against a light background.
A historical figure in a dark hat holds a globe, gazing thoughtfully at it.
Portrait of a man with curly hair wearing a dark hat, against a light background.
A king and queen seated on thrones, flanked by advisors, in an ornate hall, with attendees below.

Columbus Day

5 items

Portrait of a man with curly hair and a black hat, set against a light background.
Should We Remember Christopher Columbus as a Conqueror or Explorer? Point-Counterpoint
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Should Columbus' actions be viewed from a modern lens, or based on the values of his time? Mark Christensen shares two views on this question.
A historical figure in a dark hat holds a globe, gazing thoughtfully at it.
Paideia Seminar: Christopher Columbus
Lesson - 7 Activities

Lesson

7 Activities

95 Min

A prerequisite to this activity is the completion of the Columbus's Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, 1494 Primary Source activity, which should immediately precede this lesson. This Lesson should be implemented after students have explored the motivations for European exploration and the consequences of the Columbian Exchange, through resources such as the First Contacts Narrative, the Columbian Exchange Narrative, and the Should We Remember Christopher Columbus as a Conqueror or Explorer? Point-Counterpoint. This Lesson should be followed by the Cortes's Account of Tenochtitlan Primary Source activity, the Las Casas on the Destruction of the Indies Primary Source activity, and/or the Life in the Spanish Colonies Narrative.
95 Min
Portrait of a man with curly hair wearing a dark hat, against a light background.
Admiral of the Ocean Sea: Christopher Columbus and Diligence
Lesson - 1 Activities

Lesson

1 Activities

45 Min

How did Christopher Columbus’ display diligence while voyaing across the Atlantic?
45 Min
A king and queen seated on thrones, flanked by advisors, in an ornate hall, with attendees below.
Columbus’s Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, 1494
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
Text promoting "The Columbian Exchange" within BRI's Homework Help series, featuring the Bill of Rights Institute logo.
The Columbian Exchange | BRI’s Homework Help
Video

Video

6 Min

The Columbian Exchange was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, people, diseases, ideas, and cultures between Europe, Africa, and the Americas following Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492. This exchange transformed societies on both sides of the Atlantic by introducing new crops, such as corn and potatoes, to Europe and Africa, while bringing horses, livestock, wheat, and other goods to the Americas. The exchange also expanded the transatlantic slave trade, resulting in the forced migration of millions of Africans. One of its most devastating effects was the spread of European diseases, such as smallpox, which decimated Native American populations. Despite both positive and negative consequences, the Columbian Exchange reshaped global economies, cultures, and populations, marking the beginning of a new era of worldwide interaction.
6 Min