American Histories History On Its Finder

Seth R. ✪(page 1)

Seth Richerdson ✪
Professor Isaac Kindblade
APUSH 6
6/18/17

American Histories History On Its Finder

(Tab)- History is fact, a solid centerpiece of the past that cannot be changed nor remade. One of the reasons it is so commonly dismissed as a boring topic, being that it is made from a collection of facts which we are forced to remember. Though history may not change, its perception can. It is a misconception that it has only been written a single way all throughout its own history. Historiography, or the studying of history's history, shows that the voice of the author makes history the collection of facts that we know. In this essay It's intention is to show the change in the telling of the tale on the founding of America in fourteen ninety two. Looking directly at the Change in perspective/description of Columbus, The Native American, and the "New World."
(Tab)- The first ever recorded history book so abbreviated as "A concise history of the US," published 1795 was a resource unreachable of this essay's author. So without further ado, the abbreviated "a history of the USA to help the youth." Written by Charles A. Goodrich published 1822. The first introduction to American history being Columbus described first as a native of "Genora," (Italy). As the story went on in a very shortened length I noticed that the overall way they talked on Columbus was quite an unlucky mannar. He was denied his dream by his own people, his idols and he sent his brother to talk to England who was captured (a fact no other school book I read mentioned.) Then he went on this trip and it described him as almost a brave

Seth R. ✪ (page 2)

explorer, as he "remained firm and inflexible." It seemed that when they made it to the new world the only description worth noting is the geographic area which seems to be a common trait of this early history book. Something that was went into in detail was the description of the People who lived their. "They were of a dusky copper colour-naked- Beardless, with long black hair."
(Tab)- 1889 the next American history book was published or rather the first. "A first book in American history," by Edward Eggleston. Same story Columbus figures out the world isn't flat, except the person who gives him money to go on his trip was the King of Spain? I find it interesting that in this interpretation of the story Columbus is depicted as courageous like the last one but is also shown to be deceiving and desperate on his ship. Land, land they call as they see "a beautiful little island." So the men made their way to shore and instead of sword in hand standing above his men kissing the ground, Columbus wore some scarlet, planted the flag and was right down on the ground kissing it with his men. "Indians" as this school book calls them came over to the ship by canoe or swimming. "Bearing cotton yarn, bread from roots, tame parrots, a few golden ornaments that they exchanged for small things to adorn themselves with." Than they went home right that's what the last book said, nope. Actually they sailed around quite a bit longer wondering why they weren't really in Asia.
(Tab)- Thirty Two years later "history of the United States," by Charles A. Beard and Mary R. Beard was published 1921 and put into classrooms. This school book has an oddity to it that no other school book in this essay has. This is in due cause to the fact that the school book has literally nothing on Columbus. (I didn't like the guy either but you didn't have to wipe him out of

Seth R. ✪ (page 3)

history.) Looking up and down this book, there isn't one mention of Columbus's name nor an account of his journey and the land and civilization he ran into. It's fascinating that Columbus was deemed not part of American history. The book just starts you off chapter one, "The Great Migration to America, the Colonial Period."
(Tab)- Garet Garrett the man who just doubled the R's and the T's to his last name, also known for writing "The American story," 1955. Columbus's story doesn't really get told but at least he gets mentioned in this history book. He is described as so, "A man who discovered the new world, that he was sure of not existing." It also mentions his dream of looting Cathay (China) so to recapture the holy land by killing all Infidels. (Columbus just gets less heroic with every reboot.) the new world was described first geographically as, "this new world had the shape of a sack tied in the middle, with grain in one end and a pig in the other." Than the New world was described as the place to trade with if you were French, this place to dominate if you were Spanish, and the place to bottleneck if you were an English pirate. the civilization before hand still wasn't mentioned except once as "Indians," which the French made friends with and the Spanish looted.
(Tab)- Modern day History, "A Survey of American History," by Alan Brinkley 2007, "the discovery of America did not begin with Christopher Columbus." The first line, destroys everything I've read through the past hundred or so years. After doing that it goes on to describe the Original Founders of America, the native Americans that he ran into so well described as "Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs." The people and their civilizations described in such detail that I cannot allow myself to open the flood gates on such a wide range of facts and knowledge of the

Seth R. ✪ (page 4)

first eight pages spent on the first people. Than it describes Columbus on his adventure across the sea funded by Queen Isabella of Spain. Believing he had made it to Asia tell death describing him in no more detail than crossing the sea and showing others how to do it to. The New land was described from the civilizations that lived on its perspective divided between the arctic, sub arctic, plains, far west, eastern woodlands, and southwest.
(Tab)- In conclusion History has made huge leaps from small fairy tales, to large factual notes. Its surprising to see that the people who lived here prior didn't have their history told before Columbus and were seven still referred to as "Indians" tell very recently. The Native people's description changed drastically from borderline saying savages to describing in detail the sophistication of their civilizations. The progress of American history has changed from begging with one man finding an island to humans that inhabited it generations ago. Still working out the bias from our history but history has come a long way.

Seth R. ✪ (Page 5)

Works Cited

John          M'Culloch, A concise history of the united states, from the          discovery of America till 1795: with a correct map of the United          States. 1795
         Charles          A. Goodrich. A History of the United States of America on a plan          adapted to the capacity of youth, and designed to aid the memory by          systematic arrangement and interesting association: illustrated by          engravings. 1822 (pages 8-9)
         Edward          Eggleston, A first book in American history: with special reference          to the lives and deeds of great Americans. 1889 (pages 8-11)
          Charles          A. Beard and Mary R. Beard, History of the United States. 1921          (pages 5)
         Garet          Garrett, the American Story. 1955 (pages 5)
         Alan          Brinkley, A Survey of American History. 2007 (pages 3-11)