Question

Which of the following summaries of the CON article is both accurate and objective?

A) The choice to hide murals of Columbus on Notre Dame's campus is a step towards censorship. The decision hides positive aspects of Columbus' character.
B) Both Native Americans and Christopher Columbus are guilty of crimes. Only covering up murals of Columbus is unfair and hides all of the problems that existed in North America before his arrival.
C) Christopher Columbus was not kind to Native Americans in North America. Most Native Americans died as a result of sickness and not Columbus' violence.
D) Notre Dame's decision to cover murals that may present only one side of Columbus is the wrong choice. This choice won't help us learn the truth about Columbus and hurts certain types of free speech.

Answer 1

The most accurate and objective summary is that Columbus was unkind to Native Americans, and many indigenous people died from diseases introduced by Europeans, rather than direct violence perpetrated by Columbus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The accurate and objective summary of the CON article regarding Notre Dame's decision to cover murals of Columbus is Option C: Christopher Columbus was not kind to Native Americans in North America. Most Native Americans died as a result of sickness and not Columbus' violence. This summary aligns with the historical context provided, which discusses the impact of Columbus' arrival in the Americas, including the transmission of diseases to indigenous peoples and the cultural genocide associated with the Spanish conquest. The historical sources suggest that Columbus and the European settlers viewed the indigenous peoples as subordinate and their culture as less civilized. Bartolomé de Las Casas's account highlights the dire consequences of Spanish ambition and avarice on the native population, agreeing with the notion that the indigenous peoples suffered immensely post-Columbus' arrival.