Lesson 2: The Glorification of the Spaniards in Accounts of the “Discovery” and Conquest of the Americas

This lesson plan is meant to have students critically analyze historical accounts that glorify the Spaniards at the time of the so-called “discovery” and conquest of what is today Latin America. Traditionally in American History textbooks, Europeans are portrayed as “heroic” in their colonization of the Americas, thus devaluing the experiences and pre-existing advanced technologies of the Indigenous civilizations and empires. In this lesson, students will analyze sections of Columbus’ diary edited by las Casas and come to recognize the power that authors have in determining the way that history is written. This lesson will ensure that students are able to identify and understand the role of las Casas as an editor of Columbus’ text on the “discovery” of the Americas as well as understand the need of Columbus to glorify himself in front of the Spanish Crown in his writing.