Here are a few ideas that we have considered or that you may want to consider before finalizing (or starting) the final draft of your essay. Some will work as thesis statements, others as transitions in your body paragraphs. Others you may choose to ignore completely. Be sure to look at the new documents I posted on Edline as well.
Question
Agree or disagree with the following: Once Columbus set sail on his voyage of discovery, the conquest of the Americas by the European powers and the supremacy of European culture became inevitable.
The supremacy of European technology and military skill, two fundamental elements in any conquest, are undeniable.
The question implies that European culture is objectively better than that of the Native Americans.
Columbus’s and the European conquest was enabled by the incredible geographic luck of the Europeans.
It is unfair and unproductive to judge historical figures by modern ethical standards.
The European military domination was impossible without the diseases that first wiped out native populations.
When judging the actions of historical figures, it is necessary to consider the intent of their actions and not only the consequences.
In many ways, the supremacy of European civilization is doubtful.
The Europeans succeeded only because they were more ruthless and inhumane than the Native American cultures they overcame.
Europeans adapted to Native American cultures even as they wiped those cultures from the map. (me gusta el chocolate)
What do we mean when we say “conquered”? What do we mean when we say “supremacy”?
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