This is a comic based on the footsteps taken by my group during the Walking, Talking Geography activity. The discovery that I realized during this assignment is that understanding where you are (i.e. understanding the significance of where you are) is what kids need to understand at this age. Using such an interactive activity can provide important meaning to these students who otherwise do not have the opportunity to grasp the concept of the foundation of geography.
There was always a sort of knowledge that Columbus was not a complete hero growing up. I grew up with a mother who taught history and had a deep respect for the Native Americans who once thrived on this continent. However I paid little attention to the history of Columbus. I had learned from a young age that other European explorers (most memorably the Vikings) had arrived in the Americas long before Columbus, but what I did not realize was the details of the Columbian expeditions. I believe I first discovered that the Columbus story had been whitewashed in either late elementary school or early middle school. I learned that he was not Spanish nor was he a kind man to the Native peoples. While my teachers understood that Columbus was less of an important figure than traditionally presented, they also omitted (or possibly were unaware of) his cruelties. The knowledge of the details of his cruelty actually came as late as college. While discussing the impo...

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