Name: Jesselyn Macias

Period: 5
Date: 9-14-18
People v. Columbus et al Essay

I think the most guiltiest is The System of Empire and Christopher Columbus.
The System of Empire is a system that values property over people. Especially gold.
They teach people to be evil and greedy. Christopher Columbus was an italian explorer
who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. He also was needy for gold so
he made people find it for him. His men helped him enslave and kill many Tainos.

The first reason I blame The System of Empire is because they valued property
over people. This system values private property, especially gold. To feel secure you
had to own property. According to Bill Bigelow, Author of “ ​The System of Empire​”, “ …
an individual had to own property to feel secure. The more property one owned, the
more security…”(para,3). So I blame them because the cared more about how much
property one owned. The second reason I blame The System of Empire is the following.
It was a diseased system that approved of violence against foreigners and
non-Christians. So basically if they didn’t find gold they will be punished. Which made
Columbus and his men to enslave and kill.

The first reason I blame Christopher Columbus is because he did many harsh
thing to the tainos. For example, he and his men enslaved, raped, and killed them.
When Columbus left to Spain his men raped and abused the Tainos. Columbus slept
with underage girls and raped them. Then he’ll make them slaves. Also Columbus lied
to the King and Queen, disobeyed their orders and instead raped. Christopher was also
so needy for gold that he slaved the tainos to find it for him. If they didn’t find gold for
him in three months, they would be punished. According to pg.7 it says.” Every Taino,
14 year old, must bring him gold every three months. The Spaniards cut off the hands of
those who did not obey, and left them to bleed to death.” He established something
called “the tribute system”. He then changes the system into complete slavery.

Therefore, Christopher Columbus and The System of Empire are the ones to
blame and are at fault. Columbus should be blamed for all the murders of thousands of
Tainos. He raped, killed, enslaved, and abused the indians. He cut off arms and many
other things. However, The System of Empire taught them to value property (gold) over
people. Which made Columbus do what he did. While it is true that his men did the
killing, Columbus was the one that ordered them to do it if they didn’t obey.