We were eating lunch one day with my son and his family when the conversation turned to plans for Thanksgiving. My fifth-grade grandson remarked that Thanksgiving was a made-up holiday. Is that what they teach you in school, I asked. He said yes. My wife, who happens to be on the school board said, “Did your teacher say that?” My grandson replied in the affirmative. He appeared to be learning a negative view of the colonization of America.
A week or so later, my grandson was doing his Social Studies homework at our house. When he was finished, I asked to look at the textbooks titled Indiana Social Studies, The United States: Making a New Nation. (Harcourt School Publishers). I went to the index and looked for Catholic Church. On page 133, I found a section on Missionaries to America. Below is a transcript of five paragraphs from the textbook with my thoughts inserted in brackets and a few links added for contrasting viewpoints:
“While the conquistadors were exploring the Americas, many changes were taking place in Europe. Some people began to question the power [authority?] of the Catholic Church. At the time, the Church forced [?] people [Catholics] to follow its rules [not teach heresy] and to pay taxes [?]. It even had its own courts [still do]. The courts could punish [admonish] people [Catholics] for disagreeing [teaching heresy] with Church laws [dogma].”
“In 1517, A German priest named Martin Luther began to call openly for reforms, or changes, in the Catholic Church. This period of reforms is called the Reformation. Luther was forced out [excommunicated] of the Church, but he gained many supporters. Those who protested the actions of Catholic leaders [magisterial authority] became known at Protestants. They began new churches, including the Lutheran Church [and eventually many others].”
“As a result, the Catholic Church made some changes. It also tried to keep its power [maintain unity] through efforts now called the Counter-Reformation. The Church banned books that went [promoted heresy] against its teachings. People [Heretics] who protested Catholic laws were punished [admonished] in Church courts [or Councils].”
“During the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church worked on spreading its power [Christianity] to the Americas. Church leaders wanted to gain new followers [converts]. They also wanted to share in the wealth [prosperity?] of the lands claimed by European countries. To do this, the Church sent religious teachers, or missionaries, to convert Native Americans to the Catholic Church. Soon after coming to the Americas, missionaries held ceremonies [Baptisms?] to make [share the gospel with] Native Americans they met Catholic.”
“It was not until later [?] that the missionaries actually started [continued] teaching them about Catholic beliefs. Some missionaries forced [?] Native Americans to become Catholic and also enslaved them [No. See articles linked below]. Many Native Americans fought to hold on to their beliefs, but others were forced [chose] to change how they lived and worshipped.”
I’m no historian, but I know Protestant bias when I see it. The textbook author paints the Church in a negative light whether intentional or not. When human beings are involved, abuses are bound to take place, but this was not by decree of the Church. The Spanish conquistadors encountered Aztec ritual human sacrifices and fought to stop the practice. As I write this today on December 12, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe who by her miraculous appearance in Mexico brought about the conversion of some nine million Aztecs to the Catholic faith. Of course, you will not learn this in a secular history textbook.
