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Effects of christopher columbus today
5 paragraph essay onthe impact of christopher columbus
Effects of christopher columbus today
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Many people celebrate Columbus Day every year in October. However Christopher
Columbus should not be considered a hero because he did it for greed, he was lost, and he caused mass genocide. The people should not have special days for him anymore than they do for King George of England. This man was king when Americans revolted, and no one views him as a hero.
To begin with Columbus went on the voyage for his greed. He had a ten precent fee of what they found, he got to govern any territory he leased to, and he has to be called admiral of the sea. Once at seas he promised money to whomever spotted land. When the time came he first credited Juan Bermejo, but later decided he wanted the glory for himself, know the importance (Mynit B.).
Because of his exaggerations it caused the enslavement of thousands of Native Americans to mind gold for him to appease his greed (Mynit B.). When Columbus came to America it resulted in the mass genocide of the Native Americans, the same as Hitler did with the Jews. He brought them disease, took them as slaves, and he raped the women. Whenever any of them tried to fight back he would attacking them with dogs, or killed them whenever they weren’t armed, we know this because when he returned to Spain, he would boast about his atrocities. Columbus
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would sometimes deliver a cruel death in the form of hanging and burning alive some of his Kallappa 1 prisoners.
Others would have their hands cut off, and bleed to death if they did not collect enough gold for him. Christopher started a sex slave industry, and went everywhere and take the women. According to Columbus the girls ages nine and ten were his highest valued product. In further proof of his cruelty, he would feed living babies to his dogs for his personal amusement. Another terrible act he and his men would cut off the body parts of the Natives to test the sharpness of their blades. When Columbus first came he said, “ they were full of love, without greed, I believe there is no better race.” Then later Columbus stated, “they deserved to be enslaved for their lack f
civilization.” Christopher Columbus’ people disliked his ruling to the point they committed mutiny. They returned to Spain with him in chains, and reported to the king and queen that he governed as a Tyrant. He then had to face charges in Spain and was striped of his title, and lost some of his fortunes. Also he disobeyed the King and Queen, because they wanted to bring the Natives to Christianity peacefully, but Columbus didn’t do it that way. Now picture your children admiring Hitler, if you don’t like that picture, then why are you admiring Columbus? It’s informing them that killing and terrorizing people is acceptable, which it’s inhuman. When you think to celebrate Columbus, or teach your kids about him, think about what he done.
Ransby believes “Columbus 's image has been scrubbed clean and sanitized by many generations of American historians so that he can now be offered up as a sterling example of the glorious era of discovery.” (Ransby, 1992/2015, p.14). Objective evidence is also a major component in this article. Columbus’s journal proved he wanted to exploit, and enslave the Indians. A population of 300,000 dwindled to a mere one by 1540. (Ransby, 1992/2015, p.12). Many scene of rape, murder and beating were also described in journals of sailors that travelled with
Columbus and Champlain were both devoted to the success of their expeditions; however, Columbus had far more selfish intentions. Columbus was an Italian who sought aid for a journey that would travel across the Atlantic Ocean in search for riches in the East. His support did not come easy as he was rejected by the courts of Portugal, France, and England. Ultimately, Columbus was able to gain authorization and funding for a voyage to begin in 1492 by the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel. After starting the long awaited expedition in April, Columbus was able to reach the West Indies by October of that year. Upon encountering the New World, Columbus immediately claimed the land along with its natives for his Spanish sovereigns.
Christopher Columbus does not deserve to be honored as a hero with his own holiday. Close to 500 years, people have praised Christopher Columbus and also celebrated him as though he was the one who truly founded America. Teachers teach students that he was a great man, also how he found treasures and land known as America. Students are also taught about the names of his three ships he used on his first voyage. However, they did not teach us the truth about Christopher Columbus, and his so called “discovery”.
A great hero from Europe or a man with only himself and his people in mind? Many people believe that he was a hero whose discoveries lead to the possibilities we have in America today, while many other condemn him for the deaths of many Native Americans that occurred to make it possible to live in America today. What would someone like me see in Columbus’ discoveries and enslavements? He introduced the Europeans to new products and ways of financial expansion. Even though Columbus gave us a head start to a better life here in America, what lengths did he go to make such a life possible? He brought over diseases to the natives and also grazing animals to eat up the vegetation. These deaths would have never occurred if not for the countries that funded the exploration. Columbus and the Europeans would never have come to the Americas when they did and so many natives would not have died.
Christopher Columbus can in no way, shape, or form should be considered a hero. A hero is someone who performs good deeds for the sake of others and not for their own benefit. Christopher Columbus did not do a single good deed in any of his four voyages in the late 1400's. 1492, proved to be a good year for Spain and Columbus , but it would become known as the year of hell for the Indians who occupied the land. Columbus and his crew basically enslaved a whole race of men, women, and children. The Natives were plagued by disease and forced into labor for the sole benefit of finding gold. How can one who is suppose to stand for such democracy assume the position of such a horrible dictator?
Columbus appears to be a dreamer. His goals were selfish and his true knowledge weak. He was deceitful and egotistical and knew how to manipulate others. Throughout his writings he refers to the things that ‘he’ accomplished, as if he had done them alone. He lied almost daily to the sailors according to his journal when he stated “less than the true number” (Halsall) of leagues travelled each day was reported to them. He spoke of an abundance of gold he found in the islands when he wrote “the majority [of rivers]…contain gold” (Belasco and Johnson 82). According to his journal entries, he only observes the existence of gold two times and both times it is seen hanging from a man’s nose. For example, on October 17 he encounters a man that had “hanging at his nose a piece of gold half as big as a castellailo” (Halsall), about a half pound in weight. Although he was told about gold and searched for gold, he never procured any. Additionally, he had a very high opinion of himself and was not hesitant in letting others know this. In his initial Journal writing he announces himself to be “Don” (Halsall), that’s like saying ‘I’m the head man.’ Furthermore, he let the King and Queen know that his proclaimed distinction was to be passed to his oldest son, including governorship of islands and lands he finds on his journey. He appears to think that what once belonged to native islanders, will belonged to him.
First, Columbus was a cruel man who enslaved, raped, and murdered the natives of the countries he sailed to. According to an article by John Margolis entitled "Goodbye Columbus", Columbus "oversaw the killings of some (Indians) and ordered the enslavement of others." Margolis goes on to say that Columbus did not prevent his crewmen from raping the innocent natives, and even that he himself raped an Indian women after beating her "with a piece of rope". If these actions do not constitute villainy, I don't know what does.
Along the Columbus journey bits of gold were found amongst the Native Indians which led to Columbus concluding that there was more (Zinn, 2009, p.481). The Native’s were turned into servants looking for a certain amount of gold for Columbus. If they had not met the daily quota their arms were to be cut off (Zinn, 2009, p.481). This is just part of the brutality that Columbus had put upon the Natives. More cruelty can be seen when Columbus sent five hundred Natives as slaves to the King and Queen in Spain. Also stabbing of Indians was done as a sport and those that resisted against the Spaniards were hunted down as animals (Zinn, 2009, p.482). Zinn shows that the Columbus story is one of the many myths of Western civilization. All the stories about Columbus especially in the USA since, it is a celebration are seen as a heroic adventure. However, many teachers argue that children should not be told such a violent story filled with horrific history (Zinn, 2009, p.485). It is important to teach children at a young age the truth about the Columbus story, so that they know what a monster he
Although, Columbus may have done some bad things to America, he helped England, Spain, and all people to this day. When he discovered America he made it known, allowing people to travel there and begin a new life. Lots of countries honor Columbus, especially Spain. For his discovery we wouldn’t be where we are now, we might have still believed the world was flat. From the author of “Sail On!” he says “Columbus’ voyage made America known to the people of Europe. This truly changed the world. It is why Columbus is honored.”He will be honored for the good things we don’t need to ponder on the
However, people tend to forget the other side of Columbus, the side that lusted after gold and resources that often belonged to the native inhabitants he came across in his exploration. In his insatiable greed, he and his crew committed countless atrocities, such as torture and killing of defenseless natives. Columbus’s discovery of these new lands has profound and negative effects as future colonists arrive. “Zinn estimates that perhaps 3 million people perished in the Caribbean alone from raids, forced labor and disease” (Zinn, 1980). Columbus was seen as a cruel man, who saw the peaceful inhabitants as right for the conquering and lead to the devastation of the native population, yet is celebrated every October.
He and his crew raped countless Taino women, often even describing the act in detail in a journal. They even began what could be seen as a prostitution ring, although not exactly prostitution as it was completely involuntary on the women’s side. An excerpt from “A Short account of the Destruction of the Indies” Writes: he Christians punched them, boxed their ears and flogged them in order to track down the local leaders, and the whole shameful process came to a head when one of the European commanders raped the wife of the paramount chief of the entire island.” Then, in a letter to a friend Columbus directly wrote "A hundred castellanos are as easily obtained for a woman as for a farm, and it is very general and there are plenty of dealers who go about looking for girls; those from nine to ten (years old) are now in demand.”, showing exactly the morals of Christopher Columbus and his
For more than five centuries Americans have lifted Christopher Columbus to heights of greatness and god-like. We celebrate his life as though he was a man that had done us a great favor. In resent years Christopher Columbus has come under scrutiny, his life and works being questioned more than celebrated. There have be many great men and women that contributed to the building of our great nation but they do not receive anywhere as much recognition as Columbus. When a person begins to study the actual accounts of the "finding of the New World" they begin to wonder if Columbus should adored or hated for his actions. As a child I was taught that Columbus was a great man that had accomplished great things for the sake of humanity, but in reality his agenda was not to better humanity but to better himself. He found the Americas by mere chance and he did not even know of what he found. We give him credit for "finding" the Americas but history tells of the people, that he called Indians, already inhabiting the foreign land. So you decide whether or not Christopher Columbus should be revered a hero.
My personal opinion? Villain. Christopher Columbus was a nasty man who was motivated by greed. “The information that Columbus wanted most was: Where is the Gold” (Zinn 4)? He logged in his journal his first encounter with the Arawak people, stating “As soon as I arrived in the Indies, I took some of the natives by force in order that they might give me information of whatever there is in these parts” (Zinn 4). Their crime? “They wore tiny gold ornaments in their ears” (Zinn 5). Columbus would stop at nothing to gain what he most desired. Horrible as he was, he ultimately paved the way for America as we know it. All things happen for a reason, right?
Christopher Columbus, was he a hero, or villain? For about 500 years, people have praised him and celebrated his life as though he was someone who did good for us. Schools teach students that Columbus was a great man, found gold and pearls, and discovered new lands. Students are even taught the names of Christopher Columbus' three ships he used on his first voyage. However, they grow up not knowing the truth about Christopher Columbus, what he really did to 'accomplish' his tasks. I simply believe that schools should show both sides of Columbus' story, so that students can be aware of the facts behind the 'discovery' of Early America.
Columbus day is one of the oldest and most traditional holiday in American history. However, many people do not know what they are celebrating. America should not continue to celebrate Columbus Day because of the cruelty Columbus brought to the natives, his legacy, and achievements. Columbus Day is unreasonably celebrated because he brought the terrible act of the raping of native women, hunting of people with dogs, and harsh punishments. Moreover, it should stop being celebrated as Columbus also created the opportunity for the spread of diseases, slavery, and death. Additionally, some of his achievements that are celebrated such as: the discovery of the new world, his theory of the earth's shape, and establishing contact with the new world