WOH 4264 Empires and Imperialism

Paper 1 (due Jan 29)

Write a 5-7-page paper (12 pt font, double spaced, 1" margins) on the documents in Symcox and Sullivan, Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies. You may write on one of the following topics, or choose your own topic (if you choose to define your own topic, please submit it to your TA for approval by Jan 26.)

1) What motivated Columbus to voyage west across the Atlantic, and how did his motivations change over time? Pay attention to both the explorations themselves and the legal battle for his privileges.

2) What arguments did the Spanish use to justify their possession of the Indies and its peoples? Do not limit your response to a discussion of the papal donation of 1493.

3) Explore how the Spanish conceptualized and described the Indies and its inhabitants, paying close attention to both their preconceptions and their observations of indigenous peoples.

4) Describe and discuss indigenous reactions to the Spanish and Spanish interpretations of these reactions.

Please consult the writing guidelines for expectations and grading criteria [grading rubric]. Use specific examples to develop your argument. Please use footnotes and proper citation format (see writing guidelines and Rampolla). A bibliography page is not necessary.