Opening Statement
My clients, Christopher Columbus’ men, are charged with murdering and mistreating a large number of Taino Indians. But, is that what they are truly guilty of? Or were they following orders from Christopher Columbus? They are considered guilty because Christopher Columbus gave them orders to kill and mistreat the Tainos. My clients plead guilty. But, to know who is solely responsible, we all need to know that this case is about two things, power, and control.
If we keep in mind that power and control are the most important parts of this case, what were my clients gaining from this? They had the chance of gaining diseases that were spread and dying (Bigelow, p. 101). Or the small amount of maravedis (wages) Columbus promised them to help their families that they wouldn’t see for a long period of time, or in some cases forever. When the men went on Columbus’s ill-advised voyage, they went to help their wife, or to improve the life of their kids. Or in general, for the adventure. They all went for different reasons, but, Columbus went for one, profit. That profit could be gold or it could be the spices and jewels (Zinn, p. 2). He was a greedy, selfish …show more content…
1). Columbus disregarded their culture and kindness, and instead, his concern was gold. “The first thing he tries to ask is ‘if they had gold” (Bigelow, p. 100). The loyal crew followed his demands because they trusted him, and believed they would have better lives from this expedition. They trusted the wrong person. Without delay, he forced some of his own crew to stay on the island, and they died. Columbus had no remorse for them, and his only thought was how could we capture the Caribs? (Bigelow, p. 100). The crew did not sign up for the murdering and mistreatment that Columbus forced upon them. They had no other option but to kill or they might not have seen their families again. They feared for their
My clients, Christopher Columbus’ men, are charged with murdering and mistreating a large number of Taino Indians. But, is that what they are truly guilty of? Or were they following orders from Christopher Columbus? They are considered guilty because Christopher Columbus gave them orders to kill and mistreat the Tainos. My clients plead guilty. But, to know who is solely responsible, we all need to know that this case is about two things, power, and control.
If we keep in mind that power and control are the most important parts of this case, what were my clients gaining from this? They had the chance of gaining diseases that were spread and dying (Bigelow, p. 101). Or the small amount of maravedis (wages) Columbus promised them to help their families that they wouldn’t see for a long period of time, or in some cases forever. When the men went on Columbus’s ill-advised voyage, they went to help their wife, or to improve the life of their kids. Or in general, for the adventure. They all went for different reasons, but, Columbus went for one, profit. That profit could be gold or it could be the spices and jewels (Zinn, p. 2). He was a greedy, selfish …show more content…
1). Columbus disregarded their culture and kindness, and instead, his concern was gold. “The first thing he tries to ask is ‘if they had gold” (Bigelow, p. 100). The loyal crew followed his demands because they trusted him, and believed they would have better lives from this expedition. They trusted the wrong person. Without delay, he forced some of his own crew to stay on the island, and they died. Columbus had no remorse for them, and his only thought was how could we capture the Caribs? (Bigelow, p. 100). The crew did not sign up for the murdering and mistreatment that Columbus forced upon them. They had no other option but to kill or they might not have seen their families again. They feared for their