In my opinion, Christopher Columbus was a villain to a greater extent than he was a hero, but should still be considered a hero today. Christopher sailed the ocean blue in 1492, on a voyage across the Atlantic, in hopes of finding India. He never intended on "discovering" America but just so happened to veer off course and land here anyways. Leif Eriksson was believed to be the first one to sail and discover North America. Once Columbus reached land, after an excruciatingly tough journey, forced the natives into servitude, nd treated them with harsh punishments if they disobeyed or failed to yield enough gold for Columbus. On top of his relations with the natives, it was apparent that he struck a deal with England and Spain that allowed him all land that he came across, suggesting his intentions may not have been as pure as people believe, but rather selfish. Also, it was believed that Columbus proved that the world was round, even though the Aztecs has previously established that idea. Christopher merely wanted to prove that the globe could be circumnavigated, but he fell way short in his underestimations regarding distance. Although he wasn't the most ideal person, he did manage to create a bridge that connected the Old World with the New World, impacting how we came to be today, and sparking the Colombian Exchange, which allowed the spread of ideas, crops, and animals across the Atlantic. Additionally, his cause makes for a good holiday to celebrate today.
No comments:
Post a Comment