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4.4 History Lesson

In 'History Lesson', Jeanette Armstrong explores the destructive impact of European colonization on Native American culture and land. The poem highlights the irony of the settlers' so-called 'gifts' and their violent actions against the indigenous people, who were portrayed as 'uncivilized'. Through vivid imagery and literary devices, Armstrong critiques the historical narrative that justifies colonization while revealing the suffering and loss experienced by Native Americans.

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11 views3 pages

4.4 History Lesson

In 'History Lesson', Jeanette Armstrong explores the destructive impact of European colonization on Native American culture and land. The poem highlights the irony of the settlers' so-called 'gifts' and their violent actions against the indigenous people, who were portrayed as 'uncivilized'. Through vivid imagery and literary devices, Armstrong critiques the historical narrative that justifies colonization while revealing the suffering and loss experienced by Native Americans.

Uploaded by

cojeyeh590
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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HISTORY LESSON by JEANETTE ARMSTRONG

1. What did the white bring as gifts?


Ans: They brought smallpox, different alcoholic drinks (Seagram) and rice krispies as gifts.

2. "Civilization has reached the promised land." Explain.


Ans: By coming to the land of the native Red Indians, the European settlers felt they have come to the
Promised Land. In the Bible, the term “Promised Land” refers to a specific region of land that God
gifted to His chosen people, as part of their heritage. The Europeans that settled in North America
thought they were civilized and that they were doing something great for “uncivilized” Aboriginals. But
the Europeans settlers actually ended up destroying more than one great civilization.

3. What is the green paper mentioned in the poem?’green paper faces of a smiling English lady’
Ans: The green paper is the 20-dollar bill with the smiling picture of Queen Elizabeth.

4. Explain "farmers sowing skulls and bones".


Ans:This is a picture of violence that the white settlers unleashed on the natives. When the natives
objected to the white settlers for looting their land and mineral and forest wealth, the white settlers
mercilessly killed the poor natives and even left their bodies in the farms. So the farms were littered
with skulls and bones of the natives.

5. What does "skinless animals" signify?


Ans: The indigenous people have been stripped of their human rights, and they were forced to change to
fit into the beliefs of the Europeans. This is the result of the brutal colonization.

6. How does colonization affect the lives of natives?


Ans: Colonization affects the lives of natives in a negative manner. In "History Lesson," Jeanette
Armstrong tells the story of colonization from the viewpoint of Native Americans. She describes how
European settlers destroyed and spoiled Native American land and life and created problems for their
living. All of this destruction was justified under the excuse of ‘civilizing’ the ‘uncivilized’ natives. The
Aboriginal people were willing to share what they had with the Europeans, but eventually everything
was taken away. The European settlers murdered the Native Americans, ridiculed their culture, raped
their women, and suppressed their freedom.

7. Comment on the use of irony in the poem.


Ans: In her famous poem "History Lesson", the poet has used irony very effectively.
(i) There is irony is the statement that the priest means well when he waves his wand and
forgives the native Indians. The natives have not done any sins for the priest to forgive them. In fact,
the white settlers have invaded the land of the natives and so it is the natives who should be forgiving
them.
(ii) There is greater irony in the use of the word "gifts" by the poet. The gifts they brought were
diseases like small pox, alcoholic drinks like whiskey and wanted the natives to become addicts to the
drinks.
(iii) Armstrong points out the irony in this ‘civilizing work’ by the Europeans.Though European
settlers murdered Native Americans, mocked their culture, raped women, and suppressed their freedom,
they branded it as "colonization."

8. What is the theme of "History Lesson"?


Ans: The theme of "History Lesson" by Jeanette Armstrong is about how the white settlers destroyed
the land, culture and the life style of the natives.

9. Discuss the literary devices used in the poem


Ans: In the poem the poet has used many literary devices.
(i) Irony - "Pioneers and traders bring gifts of small pox, Seagram’s and rice krispies".
(ii) Personification - "The colossi stand shaking fists to mutilate whole civilizations."
(iii) Allusion - "promised land" (the Promised Land in the Bible) and "garden" (the Garden of
Eden).
(iv) Alliteration - "smoke stacks".
(v) Imagery - "Out of the belly of Christopher's ship a mob bursts running in all directions"

10. Explain the significance of the title "History Lesson".


Ans: The title "History Lesson" for the poem by Jeanette Armstrong is very significant. It shows how
the European settlers came and destroyed the culture of the indigenous people and exploited the nature.
Thus, the poem is a history lesson of the inequitable relationship between the Indigenous peoples of
Canada and the Europeans. This poem by Armstrong displays social responsibility to the reader by
introducing the real history of the Indigenous Peoples in Canada and its relationship with the Europeans.
.
11. ESSAY:Analyse "History Lesson" as a poem of colonization. And
12. ESSAY: How does the "History Lesson" portray the destruction of the land and culture of
Indigenous people by the white colonizers.
Ans: Jeannette Armstrong is a native Canadian author, educator, artist, and activist. In "History Lesson",
Jeanette Armstrong writes about the indigenous people's first encounter with European settlers. In the
poem, the poet tells the story of colonization from the perspective of Native Americans. She says how
the European settlers destroyed the culture of the indigenous people and exploited nature. To rule over
the natives, the whites used violence and racism. For the European settlers, the land of the Red Indians
was very similar to the Promised Land because here they found lush forests, rivers with abundant water
and fish, extensive farm lands and different kinds of animals. They burnt the forests and flattened the
fields and built their big cities with concrete and steel.
The European settlers came in ships. Then they ran in all directions killing animals for their fur,
shooting buffaloes for their meat and hides. Sometime they fought among themselves also. They mined
the land for minerals. They destroyed the forests to build their cities. They brought diseases like
smallpox with them. They also brought different types of alcoholic drinks and cheap packed foods.The
European settlers murdered Native Americans, mocked their culture, raped their women, and suppressed
their freedom. The European settlers murdered Native Americans, mocked their culture, raped their
women, and suppressed their freedom. Their mission was looting the land to which they came and
destroying the old native cultures in the name of civilizing them. Armstrong points out the irony in this
civilizing work by the Europeans. Thus, Armstrong shows how colonization made the Red Indians
suffer misery and pain. They came to preach about civilization but what they actually did was
destroying the existing civilizations and lifestyles of the innocent natives that were living in perfect
unity with nature.

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