1

How do the authors describe men, women, Spanish and Indians?

a. How are they depicted in the images?

b. Discuss in what ways this is a problem in the texts and in historical writing.

It is obvious in the Swedish text and in the image selection how women and Aboriginals are overshadowed by the Spanish men (On the initial image Indians are pictured as crouching in the shade while Columbus is centrally located in the light). In both articles Columbus holds a central role in the images and the text. In order to qualify the image one can discuss whether the Indians were only defenseless victims and providers of goods.

2

What sources are used in the texts to describe Columbus’ deeds?

In the grading criteria of the syllabus the importance of source criticism is emphasized. This question is meant to highlight how the article is based on a selection of sources. In the Swedish text, there are references to Columbus logbooks and letters. There are references to the logbooks in the German text as well. The references are quite imprecise and it can be assumed that they are used only as secondary sources. In general, letters and logbooks are good historical material if they were conceived in proximity to the event they depict. The problem is that these documents were written to be read by others and be judged in retrospect. They are for this reason often euphemistic descriptions of what happened. An important aspect is to alert students that no sources referenced are written by the Indians. Most of the sources that were written by the natives were burned by the Spaniards, which makes the historiography even more euro-centric.

3

How can one see that the texts are written for popular historical magazines? (Please compare with your text books to see how Columbus is described there. Discuss similarities and differences in language, content and image selection dialog etc.)

In addition to the fact that the text is based on certain primary and secondary sources the story is also written in a particular way to arouse interest. The choice of headlines, dramaturgy and image options are just a few examples of how one tries to make the story more interesting but perhaps less balanced. The Swedish text is based on a critical drama in which Columbus becomes a tyrant, while the German text is based mainly on uncertainty and the risk of being lost at sea. To see how the texts are constructed in order to guide the reader is an important part of media critical thinking. It is not evident that the textbook is better, which can be useful for students to realize. Also the textbook is based on a selection of content and a desire to attract buyers and/or readers.

4

How trustworthy do you consider the texts to be?

The idea behind this question is to further attune to reflection about critical thinking. The source-critical criteria of evidence, sourcing, corroboration, and context may not be directly applicable to a magazine article. References to source material (a kind of evidence) and whether the text is consistent with other literature on the subject (corroboration and context) can at least give important clues to the relative credibility of the texts, despite its popular historical framing. As mentioned in the comments to question 2, it is partly primary sources that are cited, but these are weaknesses in terms of tendency. They are written to be read by the people in power. So there is a historical basis for what is written, but the circumlocutions and attempts to popularize make the content of the texts, at least partly, biased.

The tendency of the writer is apparent; the Swedish text a holds a strongly critical perspective. In addition to selling a groovy tale that stands in stark contrast to the heroic image of Columbus, it holds a critical emancipatory perspective. This is a bottom-up perspective that attempts to make visible vulnerable groups and criticize power structures; an important perspective that stimulates critical analysis of historical events and processes. In the German text, the tendency is rather to highlight the thrilling dramaturgy of the journey towards the unknown. The author makes the story an actor's history, where Columbus is the "hero" and main actor and all other actors are just bystanders.

Using the time line, you can discover more about the illustrations of the GEO-Epoche article "Beyond the horizon” (2007). In addition, you can find pictures from the German magazine "G-Geschichte" and from an English magazine.

Arrange the pictures on the timeline according to their time of origin and try to answer the following questions with the help of the enclosed information:

a. Is it a picture from an eyewitness?

None of the sources are from eyewitnesses. The pictures are therefore mostly fictional and influenced by written sources as well as established painting traditions.

b. When were most of the selected pictures created?

Most of the selected historical pictures are from the 19th century. This can be explained due to the fact that great inventors and discoverers played an important role during the period of industrialisation . Additionally, the painting style of the academic history drawings can be described as very descriptive and very dramatic/emotional and are for these reasons very appealing to viewers even today.

c. On what are the pictures from the 19th century and their depiction of Columbus as well as the scenes from the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean based?

Since a contemporary pictorial representation of Columbus or of the journey of discovery does not seem to exist, imagination and painting traditions play an important part here.

d. Discuss: Can the pictures from the 19th century be considered as historical documents for Columbus and his time?

The pictures are historical image sources for their time of origin (19th century) and for the painters' (and their commissioners') perspective on the illustrated event.