"History has two big stories to tell"--the story of how humans diverged over many millenia, and the story of how they later re-converged, "lac[ing] the world together with routes of contact." Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto chronicles human exploration throughout history beginning with the peopling of the earth through the earliest pathfinders and continuing up to the near-present age of globalization.
Felipe Fernández-Armesto is an historian and the William P. Reynolds Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. Fernández-Armesto is a prolific, award-winning author with work published in 27 languages. Many of his books were written for popular audiences including, 1492: The Year the World Began, Our America: A Hispanic History of the United States, Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food and The Conquistadors: A Very Short Introduction to name a few. According to Candice Millard of the New York Times, Fernández-Armesto's "breadth of knowledge and depth of understanding" of such an "enormous subject" more than qualifies him to write a history of exploration. He leaves no question in the mind of the reader of his diligence in researching and retelling a story of human exploration with careful detail. Michael Upchurch from The Seattle Times states, Felipe Fernández-Armesto's "lively mind, pithy phrasing and stunningly thorough and diverse knowledge are a constant pleasure."
According to Fernández-Armesto, "explorers were the engineers of history's infrastructures, the builders of the causeways of culture, foragers of links, spinners of webs." For many, the idea of exploration evokes images of adventure and excitement, risk and anticipation. Explorers are the trailblazers, ...
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...d that challenges contemporary American romanticized ideas about early explorers motives and contributions to global history such as Christopher Columbus' tendency to exaggerate and Captain John Smith's tyrannical forced submission of the Powhatans. Some parts of Pathfinders were reminiscent of Tolstoy's presumption in War and Peace that the reader had a thorough prior knowledge on warfare and military strategies and tactics. Many of Fernández-Armesto's explanations and descriptions relied on assumed depth of knowledge of maritime navigation and world geography that many among a general audience may not possess. No doubt, "wanderlust, vainglory, and self-romanticization were always parts of the explorers' psychic equipment." That same "threefold nature: fame, curiosity and lust for gain" will surely carry modern day explorers into new realms yet to be charted.
Exploration was economically, politically, and religiously motivated. All explorers had an objective before embarking on their voyages; however, not all explorers went about their expeditions the same. Christopher Columbus described in his journal how his main goal was to aid himself and Spain by treating the Natives and their lands that he encountered as a means to profitable goods. Samuel de Champlain had contrasting ideas, and he allied himself with certain tribes giving the French additional control. Champlain’s friendliness, concern, and cooperation with the natives took him past the economic dealings and into a more trustworthy relationship.
Admittedly, these men are responsible for much of the exploration of the America’s, but to focus on so few of the explorers ignores how reactive their actions were, and the larger narrative of the world at that time (4). For example, Columbus is praised and idolized for discovering the America’s, however it was only by luck that he arrived on those shores. Moreover, there were many other explorers at the time who could have reached the America’s if Columbus had not done so first (9). Another man who is seen as the key figure in the actual Conquest is Cortes. Cortes’ campaign in the America’s is commonly viewed as the standard to strive for, yet it is also the exception to a typical conquest (19). He is viewed as some above-it-all conquistador idol, when in all actuality he merely followed the standard protocol of the Conquest (19). This does not mean that Cortes’ actions were any less inspirational, merely that they were not uncharacteristic acts that he created (19). Both Columbus and Cortes were merely following standard procedure of the time, yet they are written about as if they were heroes of their time, bravely going and doing what none had done before. And in some sense, they were the first to discover and conquer, but it is foolish to assume that just because they were the first to be in the America’s
It has been said that Europeans went over to the New World in search of God, Glory and Gold. For the most part, the two latter motives were what drew men to the wildernesses of unknown continents; but still, mixed within these desperate attempts to forage a better life or to discover extravagant riches, history has shown that some men aspired to nobler ends.
Age of Explorations was a time of discovery of the new world during the 15th through 17th century. Many Explorers were in search for new passage ways, new trading ports, new land, new spices, and riches. The three explorers discussed in this paper is Henry Hudson, Jacques Cartier, and Francisco Pizarro. Henry Hudson was an explorer whose main purpose was to find a route to Asia from Europe, he had a series of three voyages trying to achieve this. Jacques Cartier was sent to find riches and a route to Asia as well. Francisco Pizarro served on an expedition, which he discovered the Pacific Ocean.
European states started embarking on a sequence of worldwide explorations that marked a new period in the world during the start of the 15th century. This period was called the Age of Exploration and it extended to the early 17th century, allowing Western Europe to venture to places like Africa, America and the Far East. This period is defined by figures like Ferdinand Magellan, the first to go crosswise the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean as well as the first to go around the globe.
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. However, even after centuries later, little is truly known of the mysterious voyage and findings of the new world.1 By examining “Letter from Columbus to Luis Santangel”, one can further contextualize the events of Columbus' exploration of the New World. The letter uncovers Columbus' subtle hints of his true intentions and exposes his exaggerated tone that catered to his lavish demands with Spain. Likewise, The Columbian Voyage Map read in accordance with the letter helps the reader track Columbus' first, second, third, and fourth voyage to the New World carefully and conveniently. Thus, the letter and map's rarity and description render invaluable insight into Columbus' intentionality of the New World and its indigenous inhabitants.
“Paradise Found and Lost” from Daniel J. Boorstin’s The Discoverers, embodies Columbus’ emotions, ideas, and hopes. Boorstin, a former Librarian of Congress, leads the reader through one man’s struggles as he tries to find a Western Passage to the wealth of the East. After reading “Paradise Found and Lost,” I was enlightened about Columbus’ tenacious spirit as he repeatedly fails to find the passage to Asia. Boorstin title of this essay is quite apropos because Columbus discovers a paradise but is unable to see what is before him for his vision is too jaded by his ambition.
Reading both passages of the two explorers, Christopher Columbus and Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, gives a great description of how the world was back in the 1500s. Now, although both were Spaniard explorers, each had different experiences and discoveries. One of the differences is how they approached exploring the new world. For instance, Columbus went to find new land in the west, while Cabeza de Vaca went as an expedition to already found lands. In addition, Columbus had a lot of success, while Cabeza de Vaca since the beginning, because of Narváez, “endured many disasters” (Baym, et al., 2013, p. 28). Furthermore, Christopher Columbus considered most important to find more land, and especially the route to reach Asia.
In 1514 de Soto sailed with the new governor of modern day Panama. Six years later he was a captain who because of his part in military action against the Indians of Panama had earned the right to own Indian Sl...
During the era of maritime exploration and the discovery of the Americas, assumptions were made of the land likening it to not only a paradise, but one that was overrun with cannibalistic natives. These suppositions led to a desire to explore the lands and conquer the savages that posed a threat to man and civilization itself. The consequences of this mass colonization and dehumanization of the natives paved the way for literary pieces that pose as critiques of the era when viewed through a post-colonial lens. When looked at through a post-colonial perspective, a few common themes prevail amongst compared texts. Focusing on the theme of the journey, what it means, and what is at stake, Garcilaso de la Vega’s “The Story of Pedro Serrano” and Juan José Saer’s The Witness both touch on all these themes with great severity, dissecting the purpose of the journey and what it means to be a civilized man.
The Age of Exploration was a time period when Europeans made discoveries that transformed the world. The Age of Exploration was due to scientific developments and the desire for wealth. The Age of Exploration is a period that started in the 15th century with the first Portuguese explorations. During The Age of Exploration, Europeans used many tools and technology to make discoveries that transformed the world. During The Age of Exploration many explorers wanted to explore for many different reasons. Since they wanted to explore, they did explore and they made discoveries and explorations, and as a result, many effects many effects were made on the world.
He brings out the idea that past Historians saw the action of a few men, as heroic act. In other to convey his point of view, Restall brings up examples of theses exceptional man. The first person he mentions is Christopher Columbus. According to him Columbus was not exceptional or unique, he was just at the right place at the right time. As Restall puts it, the most exceptional thing about Columbus’ geographical vision was that it was wrong.” (p.27). Restall explains that Columbus based his ideas on patterns visualized by previous Portuguese Geographer. Columbus initially set out to find a shorter route to India when he stumbled upon a new land. He also brings up Cortes, who is known for the probonza de merito, which is a system that would give rewards to conquistadores for their great accomplishments. With this example, Restall shows that by that the conquistadores had encouragement to omit the negatives and enhance the positive aspects of their daily lives. With this entire different example, Restall show that exaggeration concealed the conquistadores failures making them to be
In America, our society is defined as a “melting pot”. A “melting pot” refers to the blend or melting of cultures, or a combination of several of cultures in a society. Explorers to the “New World” such as Cabeza de Vaca and William Bradford are significantly important in history and in literature. Both explorers traveled to the “New World” for different reasons. Cabeza de Vaca went on an exploration to gain more wealth, gold, learn about the land, and culture. On the other hand, Bradford moved to the Americas for religious freedom, and away from English rule. Cabeza de Vaca and Bradford both were important, remember able explorers to the New World, and both their stories tell their experience, especially their encounters with different communities. Cabeza de Vaca 's piece Castaways is a conversion and inversion narrative about this experiences especially with the Native Americans, while William Bradford 's Of Plymouth Planation is classified as providential narrative, which focuses on the God 's future plans than the interaction with different communities.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus was a self-made man who worked his way up to being the Captain of a merchant vessel. He gained the support of the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, for an expedition to the Indies. With the support of the Spanish monarchy, he set off to find a new and faster trade route to the Indies. Upon the arrival of his first voyage, Columbus wrote a letter to Luis de Santangel, a “royal official and an early supporter of his venture,” in February 1493 (35). The epistle, letter, entitled “Letter to Luis de Santangel Regarding the First Voyage” was copied and then distributed in Spain before being translated and spread throughout Europe. The Letter is held in such regard with the people as it is considered the first printed description of the new world. Through his description of the nature of the islands, Columbus decided the future fate of the islands. His description of the vast beauty of the nature around him, declares both the economic and nationalistic motivations for colonizing the new world.
In his first voyage in 1492, when Christopher Columbus set out to search for Asia, he ended up landing in America on a small island in the Caribbean Sea, which he confidently thought was Asia. He then made several other voyages to the New World in search for riches, thinking that he was exploring an already explored land, but he had found the greatest riches of them all, undiscovered land, America. This shows that when one sets out on a mission, they face different challenges on the journey but in the end, achieve more than what they planned on achieving. The novel The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, and the novel Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, both describe two journeys where the characters achieve more when they learn about life, survival and patience, by understanding religion, tackling their fears, associating with nature, and encountering other characters from whom they learn something. The former is about a young shepherd named Santiago, who has a recurring dream of a treasure in Egypt, for which he makes a journey to achieve his “Personal Legend” by the help of a man who claims to be...