TedTest

From the Ted Talk by Alex Gendler: History vs. Christopher Columbus

Unscramble the Blue Letters

Many people in the United States and Latin America have grown up celebrating the arnrisnveay of Christopher Columbus's voyage, but was he an intrepid eexplorr who brought two worlds together or a ruthless exploiter who brought caoisiolnlm and slavery? And did he even discover America at all? It's time to put Columbus on the stand in History vs. cthrohpeisr clobuums. "Order, order in the court. Wait, am I even supposed to be at work today?" Cough "Yes, your Honor. From 1792, Columbus Day was celebrated in many parts of the United States on October 12th, the actual anniversary date. But although it was draleecd an offiaicl holiday in 1934, iidiadvunl states aren't required to oevsbre it. Only 23 states close pulbic services, and more states are moving away from it coetmllepy." Cough "What a pity. In the 70s, we even moved it to the second madony in October so people could get a nice three-day weekend, but I guess you folks just hate celebrations." "Uh, what are we celebrating again?" "Come on, Your hoonr, we all learned it in school. Christopher Columbus convinced the King of sapin to send him on a mosiisn to find a better trade route to India, not by going East over land but sailing West around the globe. Everyone said it was crazy because they still thohugt the world was flat, but he knew better. And when in 1492 he sailed the ocean blue, he found something better than India: a whole new continent." "What rubbish. First of all, educated people knew the world was round since Aristotle. Secondly, Columbus didn't discover anything. There were already people living here for millennia. And he wasn't even the first European to visit. The Norse had steeltd Newfoundland almost 500 years before." "You don't say, so how come we're not all wearing those cow helmets?" "Actually, they didn't really wear those either." Cough "Who creas what some Vikings did way back when? Those smtelttnees didn't last, but Columbus's did. And the news he borught back to Europe spread far and wide, inspiring all the explorers and settlers who came after. Without him, none of us would be here today." "And because of him, millions of Native Americans aren't here today. Do you know what Columbus did in the cielnoos he founded? He took the very first natives he met prisoner and wrtoe in his journal about how easily he could conquer and enslave all of them." "Oh, come on. Everyone was fighting each other back then. Didn't the natives even tell Columbus about other tribes raiding and taking captives?" "Yes, but tribal warfare was sporadic and limited. It certainly didn't wipe out 90% of the population." "Hmm. Why is celebrating this Columbus so important to you, anyway?" "Your Honor, Columbus's voyage was an itniriopsan to struggling people all across Europe, symbolizing freedom and new beginnings. And his discovery gave our grandparents and great-grandparents the chance to come here and build better lives for their children. Don't we deserve a hero to rinemd everyone that our country was bluid on the struggles of immigrants?" "And what about the struggles of Native Americans who were nearly wiped out and forced into reservations and whose descendants still suffer from peortvy and dnimiiocaitsrn? How can you make a hero out of a man who caused so much suffering?" "That's history. You can't jugde a guy in the 15th century by modern standards. People back then even thought spreading cstaiiirtnhy and ciailivtiozn across the world was a moral duty." "Actually, he was pretty bad, even by old saandrtds. While gnevornig Hispaniola, he tortured and mluieattd natives who didn't bring him enough gold and sold girls as young as nine into sexual slavery, and he was brutal even to the other colonists he rueld, to the point that he was removed from power and thrown in jail. When the missionary, Bartolomé de las caass, visited the island, he wrote, 'From 1494 to 1508, over 3,000,000 people had perished from war, slavery and the mines. Who in future groitenenas will believe this?'" "Well, I'm not sure I believe those numbers." "Say, aren't there other ways the hloadiy is celebrated?" "In some Latin American countries, they celebrate the same date under different nmeas, such as Día de la Raza. In these places, it's more a celebration of the native and mixed cultures that survvied through the cailnool period. Some places in the U.S. have also renamed the holiday, as ntivae American Day or Indigenous People's Day and changed the celebrations accordingly." "So, why not just change the name if it's such a problem?" "Because it's tradition. oidnarry polpee need their heroes and their founding myths. Can't we just keep celebrating the way we've been doing for a century, without having to delve into all this serious research? It's not like anyone is actually celebrating genocide." "Traditions change, and the way we csohoe to keep them alive says a lot about our values." "Well, it looks like giving tired judges a day off isn't one of those values, anyway." Traditions and holidays are important to all cultures, but a hero in one era may become a villain in the next as our hisacoitrl knowledge expands and our values evolve. And deciding what these traditions should mean today is a major part of putting history on trail.

Open Cloze

Many people in the United States and Latin America have grown up celebrating the ___________ of Christopher Columbus's voyage, but was he an intrepid ________ who brought two worlds together or a ruthless exploiter who brought ___________ and slavery? And did he even discover America at all? It's time to put Columbus on the stand in History vs. ___________ ________. "Order, order in the court. Wait, am I even supposed to be at work today?" Cough "Yes, your Honor. From 1792, Columbus Day was celebrated in many parts of the United States on October 12th, the actual anniversary date. But although it was ________ an ________ holiday in 1934, __________ states aren't required to _______ it. Only 23 states close ______ services, and more states are moving away from it __________." Cough "What a pity. In the 70s, we even moved it to the second ______ in October so people could get a nice three-day weekend, but I guess you folks just hate celebrations." "Uh, what are we celebrating again?" "Come on, Your _____, we all learned it in school. Christopher Columbus convinced the King of _____ to send him on a _______ to find a better trade route to India, not by going East over land but sailing West around the globe. Everyone said it was crazy because they still _______ the world was flat, but he knew better. And when in 1492 he sailed the ocean blue, he found something better than India: a whole new continent." "What rubbish. First of all, educated people knew the world was round since Aristotle. Secondly, Columbus didn't discover anything. There were already people living here for millennia. And he wasn't even the first European to visit. The Norse had _______ Newfoundland almost 500 years before." "You don't say, so how come we're not all wearing those cow helmets?" "Actually, they didn't really wear those either." Cough "Who _____ what some Vikings did way back when? Those ___________ didn't last, but Columbus's did. And the news he _______ back to Europe spread far and wide, inspiring all the explorers and settlers who came after. Without him, none of us would be here today." "And because of him, millions of Native Americans aren't here today. Do you know what Columbus did in the ________ he founded? He took the very first natives he met prisoner and _____ in his journal about how easily he could conquer and enslave all of them." "Oh, come on. Everyone was fighting each other back then. Didn't the natives even tell Columbus about other tribes raiding and taking captives?" "Yes, but tribal warfare was sporadic and limited. It certainly didn't wipe out 90% of the population." "Hmm. Why is celebrating this Columbus so important to you, anyway?" "Your Honor, Columbus's voyage was an ___________ to struggling people all across Europe, symbolizing freedom and new beginnings. And his discovery gave our grandparents and great-grandparents the chance to come here and build better lives for their children. Don't we deserve a hero to ______ everyone that our country was _____ on the struggles of immigrants?" "And what about the struggles of Native Americans who were nearly wiped out and forced into reservations and whose descendants still suffer from _______ and ______________? How can you make a hero out of a man who caused so much suffering?" "That's history. You can't _____ a guy in the 15th century by modern standards. People back then even thought spreading ____________ and ____________ across the world was a moral duty." "Actually, he was pretty bad, even by old _________. While _________ Hispaniola, he tortured and _________ natives who didn't bring him enough gold and sold girls as young as nine into sexual slavery, and he was brutal even to the other colonists he _____, to the point that he was removed from power and thrown in jail. When the missionary, Bartolomé de las _____, visited the island, he wrote, 'From 1494 to 1508, over 3,000,000 people had perished from war, slavery and the mines. Who in future ___________ will believe this?'" "Well, I'm not sure I believe those numbers." "Say, aren't there other ways the _______ is celebrated?" "In some Latin American countries, they celebrate the same date under different _____, such as Día de la Raza. In these places, it's more a celebration of the native and mixed cultures that ________ through the ________ period. Some places in the U.S. have also renamed the holiday, as ______ American Day or Indigenous People's Day and changed the celebrations accordingly." "So, why not just change the name if it's such a problem?" "Because it's tradition. ________ ______ need their heroes and their founding myths. Can't we just keep celebrating the way we've been doing for a century, without having to delve into all this serious research? It's not like anyone is actually celebrating genocide." "Traditions change, and the way we ______ to keep them alive says a lot about our values." "Well, it looks like giving tired judges a day off isn't one of those values, anyway." Traditions and holidays are important to all cultures, but a hero in one era may become a villain in the next as our __________ knowledge expands and our values evolve. And deciding what these traditions should mean today is a major part of putting history on _____.

Solution

people
settled
generations
mutilated
completely
ruled
declared
columbus
settlements
civilization
survived
brought
colonies
judge
thought
public
poverty
remind
native
explorer
cares
observe
holiday
build
trial
anniversary
colonialism
historical
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ordinary
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monday
wrote
honor
christopher
christianity
choose
casas
colonial
official
standards
mission
spain
names
individual
discrimination

Original Text

Many people in the United States and Latin America have grown up celebrating the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage, but was he an intrepid explorer who brought two worlds together or a ruthless exploiter who brought colonialism and slavery? And did he even discover America at all? It's time to put Columbus on the stand in History vs. Christopher Columbus. "Order, order in the court. Wait, am I even supposed to be at work today?" Cough "Yes, your Honor. From 1792, Columbus Day was celebrated in many parts of the United States on October 12th, the actual anniversary date. But although it was declared an official holiday in 1934, individual states aren't required to observe it. Only 23 states close public services, and more states are moving away from it completely." Cough "What a pity. In the 70s, we even moved it to the second Monday in October so people could get a nice three-day weekend, but I guess you folks just hate celebrations." "Uh, what are we celebrating again?" "Come on, Your Honor, we all learned it in school. Christopher Columbus convinced the King of Spain to send him on a mission to find a better trade route to India, not by going East over land but sailing West around the globe. Everyone said it was crazy because they still thought the world was flat, but he knew better. And when in 1492 he sailed the ocean blue, he found something better than India: a whole new continent." "What rubbish. First of all, educated people knew the world was round since Aristotle. Secondly, Columbus didn't discover anything. There were already people living here for millennia. And he wasn't even the first European to visit. The Norse had settled Newfoundland almost 500 years before." "You don't say, so how come we're not all wearing those cow helmets?" "Actually, they didn't really wear those either." Cough "Who cares what some Vikings did way back when? Those settlements didn't last, but Columbus's did. And the news he brought back to Europe spread far and wide, inspiring all the explorers and settlers who came after. Without him, none of us would be here today." "And because of him, millions of Native Americans aren't here today. Do you know what Columbus did in the colonies he founded? He took the very first natives he met prisoner and wrote in his journal about how easily he could conquer and enslave all of them." "Oh, come on. Everyone was fighting each other back then. Didn't the natives even tell Columbus about other tribes raiding and taking captives?" "Yes, but tribal warfare was sporadic and limited. It certainly didn't wipe out 90% of the population." "Hmm. Why is celebrating this Columbus so important to you, anyway?" "Your Honor, Columbus's voyage was an inspiration to struggling people all across Europe, symbolizing freedom and new beginnings. And his discovery gave our grandparents and great-grandparents the chance to come here and build better lives for their children. Don't we deserve a hero to remind everyone that our country was build on the struggles of immigrants?" "And what about the struggles of Native Americans who were nearly wiped out and forced into reservations and whose descendants still suffer from poverty and discrimination? How can you make a hero out of a man who caused so much suffering?" "That's history. You can't judge a guy in the 15th century by modern standards. People back then even thought spreading Christianity and civilization across the world was a moral duty." "Actually, he was pretty bad, even by old standards. While governing Hispaniola, he tortured and mutilated natives who didn't bring him enough gold and sold girls as young as nine into sexual slavery, and he was brutal even to the other colonists he ruled, to the point that he was removed from power and thrown in jail. When the missionary, Bartolomé de las Casas, visited the island, he wrote, 'From 1494 to 1508, over 3,000,000 people had perished from war, slavery and the mines. Who in future generations will believe this?'" "Well, I'm not sure I believe those numbers." "Say, aren't there other ways the holiday is celebrated?" "In some Latin American countries, they celebrate the same date under different names, such as Día de la Raza. In these places, it's more a celebration of the native and mixed cultures that survived through the colonial period. Some places in the U.S. have also renamed the holiday, as Native American Day or Indigenous People's Day and changed the celebrations accordingly." "So, why not just change the name if it's such a problem?" "Because it's tradition. Ordinary people need their heroes and their founding myths. Can't we just keep celebrating the way we've been doing for a century, without having to delve into all this serious research? It's not like anyone is actually celebrating genocide." "Traditions change, and the way we choose to keep them alive says a lot about our values." "Well, it looks like giving tired judges a day off isn't one of those values, anyway." Traditions and holidays are important to all cultures, but a hero in one era may become a villain in the next as our historical knowledge expands and our values evolve. And deciding what these traditions should mean today is a major part of putting history on trial.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations

ngrams of length 2

collocation	frequency
united states	2
christopher columbus	2
native americans	2

Important Words

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alive
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