The Trial of Columbus

Today’s ObjectivesContent

Objective

I can use evidence from a variety of sources to create and defend a hypothesis.

Language Objective

I can define and use key words associated with court cases.

Columbus Yeah But…

Each partner will decide if they will argue whether Columbus should be remembered positively or negatively.

The first partner writes an argument with evidence from the sources.

The second partner yeah buts… and provides an argument from their perspective.

Continue until all Yeah Buts… are full. Be prepared to share.

Key Vocabulary Indictment: A formal charge or accusation

of a serious crime.

The corrupt politician was indicted on charges of bribery.

Defendant: The person, group, or institution who is accused of wrong doing in a court of law.

Prosecutor: A lawyer who conducts a case against a defendant in a criminal court case.

Key Question

Who should be held accountable for the deaths of the nearly 3 million Tainos on the island of Hispaniola?

Instructions Get into your assigned groups.

Read all five Indictment pages. Pay special attention to your own.

As a group, determine whether you will plead guilty or innocent. Then create a formal written statement that explains your choice in detail. Your statement must include evidence/CDs from the sources (Primary and/or Secondary) that we have read in class.

As a group, you should also explain who should be who (else) is guilty of the crimes and defend them with evidence/CDs from the sources.

Trial of Columbus Procedures

1. The Prosecutor (Mr. Bonica) will call the defendant to the stand and read the indictment against them.

2. The Defendant will plead their guilt or innocence and read their defense statement.

3. The Defendant will accuse another defendant of guilt.

4. After each Defendant group has taken the stand, each group will present a closing statement.

5. The Jury will leave and make a decision.

Debrief Discussion Questions

Who do you really think is guilty? Why?

Was anyone entirely not guilty? Why?

Can you imagine a peaceful meeting between the Europeans and the Tainos? Or did the European life – the “System of Empire” – make violence inevitable.

What more do you need to know about the System of Empire to understand how it affected people’s thinking and behavior?

If the System of Empire is guilty, what should be the “sentence”? You can’t put a system in prison.