Grade 8 Exam

[MountainMan]

Yes, of course poliss, but I suspect you're responding from today's sensibilities. In 1895 the prevailing American viewpoint was that the Native Americans were savages rightly conquered by more advanced and righteous European Americans. The massacre at Wounded Knee, for example, was only five years earlier in 1890. Despite the presence of well established tribes of indigenous peoples, America was "discovered" by Columbus because the history was written by the victors. In recent decades we've been open to examining the complex reality that recognizes the seamanship of Columbus' journey (along with his appalling treatment of Native populations) but also acknowledges and celebrates the diverse Native Cultures that were here centuries before the Santa Maria crested the horizon.

Ralph[/quote]

Not to mention the fact the Columbus never landed on the American continent at all.

Some of us believe Columbus must have been a Democrat:

1. When he left, he didn't know where he was going.

2. When he arrived, he didn't know where he was.

3. When he returned, he wasn't sure where he had been, and

4. He did it all on borrowed money.

[Sumpter250]

Not to mention the fact the Columbus never landed on the American continent at all.
Some of us believe Columbus must have been a Democrat:
1. When he left, he didn't know where he was going.
2. When he arrived, he didn't know where he was.
3. When he returned, he wasn't sure where he had been, and
4. He did it all on borrowed money.

I wouldn't call him a Democrat -- more like an average modern American, Democrat, Republican, Independent, etc.
" Columbus never landed on the American continent at all. "
--- see 2.
" 1. When he left, he didn't know where he was going. "
--- His GPS wasn't working.
" 2. When he arrived, he didn't know where he was. "
--- Ditto
" 3. When he returned, he wasn't sure where he had been. "
--- Hmmmm.......Ditto again.---- or, he was too busy texting to pay attention to where he was.
" 4. He did it all on borrowed money. "
--- , and just like most modern Americans, he had at least three credit cards maxed out ! hock:
No, I am a Senior Executive Vice President of Bio Gas Technology --- I have one card, and it is paid down monthly.
I also do not use GPS. I prefer Multiple Application Positioning Systems --- MAPS.
Columbus was simply a graduate of the School of Uncharted Courses.

[Brakie]

I think I will skip that test.

[MountainMan]

Not to mention the fact the Columbus never landed on the American continent at all.
Some of us believe Columbus must have been a Democrat:
1. When he left, he didn't know where he was going.
2. When he arrived, he didn't know where he was.
3. When he returned, he wasn't sure where he had been, and
4. He did it all on borrowed money.

I wouldn't call him a Democrat -- more like an average modern American, Democrat, Republican, Independent, etc.
" Columbus never landed on the American continent at all. "
--- see 2.
" 1. When he left, he didn't know where he was going. "
--- His GPS wasn't working.
" 2. When he arrived, he didn't know where he was. "
--- Ditto
" 3. When he returned, he wasn't sure where he had been. "
--- Hmmmm.......Ditto again.---- or, he was too busy texting to pay attention to where he was.
" 4. He did it all on borrowed money. "
--- , and just like most modern Americans, he had at least three credit cards maxed out ! hock:
No, I am a Senior Executive Vice President of Bio Gas Technology --- I have one card, and it is paid down monthly.
I also do not use GPS. I prefer Multiple Application Positioning Systems --- MAPS.
Columbus was simply a graduate of the School of Uncharted Courses.

Sorry, but my eyes won't handle that light blue color.

[ezdays]

Sorry, but my eyes won't handle that light blue color.

You must be using the white background. That is a problem, even in the quoted areas of a post. I wish we were able to make a "font color" drop down menu with a list of colors that work with all of our schemes.

[Ralph]

I use the blue background but the quotes in MM's post have a white background making the light blue hard to see. Is each member's choice of background reflected when the quote previous posts?

Ralph

[Ralph]

You must be using the white background. That is a problem, even in the quoted areas of a post. I wish we were able to make a "font color" drop down menu with a list of colors that work with all of our schemes.

Testing.....
Hmmmm, maybe not...is white the default background for quotes?

[yellowlynn]

I couldn't read it until I used the mouse and hilited it. That is all I generally do with problems like that. It shocks me that I was even able to thunk aboot that. :o :o

Lynn

[ezdays]

Yeah, white is the default for quotes. Some of our other schemes also display posts with white backgrounds. It's difficult to get colors that display well in both blue and white backgrounds. It was kinda hit and miss when we set things up. I've not been fond of the font color selection grid, I'll play around a bit and maybe post a few color choices that work best.

[nachoman]

Geez, Sumpter. What kind of guy are you - using a MAP?!

I use DEAD RECKONING.

[Bob C]

I beg your pardon...Chris & Company on his 4th voyage (so - not "never") arrived in what is now Nicaragua on 7/30/1502 http://www.columbusnavigation.com/cctl.shtml ...His venture was financed by the Spanish monarchy (venture Capitalism) who expected (and received) profit from the investment...and he returned to the discovered lands three more times - so obviously knew where he'd gone. I'll stop right there.

[poliss]

The question is on U.S. History, therefore the America in the question must refer to the U.S. Columbus never reached the US.
Given the knowledge and prejudices of the time, the question should have been: Give an account of the discovery of the Americas by Columbus.
Columbus thought he had reached Asia. He never knew he had reached the Americas.
It might have been more relevant to the USA if they had asked about the voyages of Giovanni Caboto.

[MountainMan]

Sorry, but my eyes won't handle that light blue color.

You must be using the white background. That is a problem, even in the quoted areas of a post. I wish we were able to make a "font color" drop down menu with a list of colors that work with all of our schemes.

It's the standard background that the forum opens with. Is there another choice?

[MountainMan]

I beg your pardon...Chris & Company on his 4th voyage (so - not "never") arrived in what is now Nicaragua on 7/30/1502 http://www.columbusnavigation.com/cctl.shtml ...His venture was financed by the Spanish monarchy (venture Capitalism) who expected (and received) profit from the investment...and he returned to the discovered lands three more times - so obviously knew where he'd gone. I'll stop right there.

Let's look at these statement for just a moment:

"He arrived in what is now Nicaragua". Actually, he arrived in the region of the West Indies, but he was aiming for India, so I would have to say that he he didn't discover America.

"His venture was financed by the "Spanish". Yep - so he did it all on someone else's money, as previously stated. Also, IIRC, he died pretty much destitute, so his venture capitalism never worked out for him because the riches from India obviously weren't there.

"He returned three more times". So he did, but each time he re-traced his route, he still got it wrong. After all, a broken clock is still right twice a day. He never found either India or America, so he did not, in fact, "know where he was going" - he just knew where he had been by repeating his mistakes. Still sounds like a Democrat to me!

[poliss]

I had no idea George Dubya was a Democrat. When meeting Welsh singer Charlotte Church he asked where she was from. On getting the reply Wales, he asked what state was Wales in.