Christopher Columbus
With the conquest of the new world, diverse consequences emerged worldwide. In the end, which were the benefits and the consequences for conquering the new world? What was what motivated people like Christopher Columbus to explore a new continent? People came because they thought America was filled with jewels and gold. Others came to the new world to convert Indians into Christians. Some were looking for a fertile land that could be exploited to manufacture goods, crops, and raise animals. Others were brought to the new world against their will, like black slaves, to work on plantations. Christopher Columbus is an important explorer in history for even his good and unscrupulous choices influenced and helped shape our
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modern world. Based in European and Native perspective, this research paper analyzes the benefits and consequences originated by Columbus expeditions into the new world. As European states, Spain was looking for gold and spices in the Indies; however, a journey by sea to Southeastern Asia was long, dangerous, and expensive. The Indies was known for having a rich land and sources like gold, silks, and spices. European countries like Spain was looking for reliable men capable of finding and bringing back the treasures of the new world. But nothing was accomplished until 1492, when an Italian explorer called Christopher Columbus requested the king and queen of Spain to pay his expedition. The king’s condition was to bring back gold and spices from the new world, and literary, the kings were ordering Columbus to conquer in their names territory of the new world. In return, the crown of spain promised 10 percent in profit to Colombus. Without hesitation, Columbus accepts the conditions and he sets sail on August 3, 1492 from Palos de la Frontera on “La Nina, La Pinta, and Santa Maria” to the new world. Then, on October 12, Columbus and his crew discovered the Bahamas located on the Caribbean Sea. During his first voyage to the new world, he did not accomplished his main goal, which was to find and bring gold to Spain, and he even lost one of the three ships. Though, Columbus was an ambitious man and he was convinced that the new world was filled with gold because of the ornaments the Arawak Indians carried. Leaving some of his men in the first colony built by Europeans, “La Navidad,” Columbus returns to Spain with 300 best specimens from the new world, originally 500 but 200 died en route, to prove the crown of the marvels the new world only possessed. The kings were so fascinated by Collombu’s tellings and reports regarding the new world and its people, that they accept to fund a second expedition to expand the first settlement built at the island of Hispaniola, convert the natives to Christianity, and continue with the exploration of the new world which was America and not Asia. Indeed, Columbus return lead to a deeper exploration of the new world and this was a starting point in the history of cultivation of new crops and production of livestock in the new world, which in essence, contributed equally in the development of America and the Afro-Eurasian hemisphere.
However, Columbus aims now were achieved in a darker way. Columbus knew the Indians were easy targets and easy to subjugate for they didn’t have the weapon technology or armor but spears made of cane. Even in his logs, Columbus, points out in his logs how hospital, ignorant, and submissive the Native Indians were. Zinn, Howard comments in “A People's History of the United States” that people who accompanied Columbus in his boyages like Bartolome De Las Casas reveals in his logs the inhumane treatment the Arawak Indians received by Europeans under Columbus command. Bartolome claims that Europeans, to tested their sword’s sharpness, cut off Native children’s legs, and Columbus men even bet to see who was able to cut an Indian in half. Moreover, he explain that Columbus commanded his men to cut the Indian hands and hang them as a warning to the enslaved native Indians who didn’t provide tributes or were unable or even refused to look for gold (4-8). In the second and following voyages, Columbus emigrates more Europeans to different island of the new world like Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, and Jamaica, to build new settlements, and have more control and power over the aborigines. When …show more content…
Columbus starts to enslave native Indians in the Caribbean islands, it was a time where international slave trade was starting to get more demand in the European continent. For that reason, Columbus dispatched thousands of Taino Indians from the island of Hispaniola to Spain to be traded. Many died on their way to Europe and the ones left in the new world were forced to search for gold in mines and work on plantations. Many died from exhaustion and other refused to work for Columbus. In the following months, Columbus passes a policy of forced labor, which obligated natives to work in hazardous conditions, and ensure he could obtain profits from their labor. While Arawak men worked on mines looking for gold, Arawak women were forced into the excruciating task of planting cassava, so families were separated in a period of 8 month. There was no consideration even for the new born who were not nourished appropriately because Indian mothers were forced to keep working the land. As a result, malnutrition caused the Indian mothers the inability to produce milk and they were not able nourish their new born causing the death of many Indian infants. Experts believe that once the Indian families reunited, exhaustion and depression only hindered the Indian couples desire to procreate. Indians started to perish from slavery and mines, and they were not able to procreate as well, soon enough, Indians started to perish for Columbus policies of forced labor. There were not so many people left to work the fertile lands and mines of the new world. In The Indispensable Zinn: The Essential Writings, Howard asserts that within 20 years after Columbus landed in the new world, around hundreds of Indians were left from the three million is believed existed on the Hispaniola’s Island. Furthermore, due to native’s discontent and rebellion, Columbus ordered a cruel clampdown in which many natives were executed. In an attempt to stop further revolt, Columbus ordered to display the mutilated bodies as a warning for those who wanted to reveal in a future (17- 23). Besides subjugation and a violent reign, Columbus Exchange arises other critical effects in the new world. Through Columbus Exchange, it is introduced in the Americas disease by bringing from Europe domesticated animals such as pigs, horses, and cattle. According to experts, livestock was the transmitter of deadly diseases as smallpox, influenza, and gonorrhea. Europeans eventually acquired some type of immunity and generic resistance to these diseases because they grew up domesticating animals. However, Native Indians from the new world didn’t have the same history of contact with animals. Therefore, the Indians were not immune, and disease devastated the native’s population leading to their almost extinction. Many historians believe that the exchange of plants, animals, and others goods between the East and West, Columbus initiated, is not something to be proud of. When Columbus arrived to the Arawak communities, Arawak people have already develop agricultural skills and techniques to grow crops of corn, yams, and cassava. Using the Arawak’s knowledge of agriculture, Columbus sets up a plantation system, named the “Encomienda System,” where Indians were forced to work to death on private states. Because the populations from the Hispaniola islands were almost aniquilated, Columbus triumph in the new world now depended on slave labor from Africans. Since Columbus plantation system was so economical and it provided successfully agricultural production, in the following years, the plantation systems was introduced to other countries. British, French, Portuguese, and Dutch began to grow different crops like sugar, cotton, and tobacco with slave labor from Africans, and then they exported the crops to the European market. The plantation system became so popular that it is believed that at least 12 million of African slaves were kidnapped and taken illegally to the new world to work on rising livestock, growing crops, and working on mines looking for gold and silver. Yet, as the Native Indians from the new world, Africans as well were forced to work and exposed to cruel conditions that resulted in the death of thousands. Historians now recognize that Columbus started a Genocide even greater than the Holocaust, but more importantly, he fostered on white people “racial subordination and oppression.” Subliminally, Columbus with his commands and rules taught his men that the white race was not only superior to others but that they had the right to subdue the ones below them (African slaves) because they were merely a possession. This is why Historians believe that slavery plays an important role in the origins of racism against minorities in our mother world (Hopkins, D.). Society has to realize that there are many other important consequences originated by the success of rising livestock and growing crops which affected Native Indians and the land of the new world. Columbus as well brought devastation to the land of the new world by altering the ecosystem. He not only brought new species to the new world, but he exploited and despoiled the fauna and flora that already existed in the islands. In the following years, the success of rising livestock and crops, and the fertile land itself attracted millions of Europeans to emigrate to the new world. Consequently, the mass immigration of Europeans almost destroyed Indian beliefs, ideas, culture, and ultimately, the Native Indians themselves. Unfortunately this was a pattern repeated through the Americas, leading to the nearly extinction of the people from the new world and their culture. As one clearly see, based on the evidence provided, Columbus expedition influenced negatively the history of the new world and its people. On the contrary, the discovery of the new world by Columbus brought few benefits worldwide. The agricultural techniques only known by Indians and resources that only were available in the new world or Old World, were initially innovated and exploited by Columbus who developed what is known as the “Encomienda System”. Indeed it was a cruel system that affected Native Indians and African Slaves directly. In spite of that, thanks to this plantation system, the new worlds become a source of raw materials, sugar, rice, and tobacco for countries like England, Jamaica, South Carolina, and Virginia. Spain was benefitted from gold, profit made by sugarcane production, and Native Indian slave trade. Yet, if it wasn’t for Columbus expeditions, other countries might never had the opportunity to exploit and capitalize on the land from the new world. The introduction of the plantation system to other countries was so successful because of its simplicity and economical requirements that thousands of African slaves, against their will, were immigrated to the new world. Nevertheless, the benefits from the plantation system weren’t evident until the implementation of what is known as “Columbian Exchange" which refers to the exchange of plants, animals, and goods between the new world and old word. It was possible for the sacrifice and massive production of crops by thousands of African slaves. As a result, famine started to disappear from many countries from Europe. African slaves saved the old world. Not only by working the land and feeding people worldwide but by developing a new ethnic group in the following years that eventually influenced the future of America. Additionally, the exchange of animals like the cattle and horses, brought by Spaniards, like pig and sheep brought favorable outcomes into the new and old world. Columbus himself “brought horses in the 18 century” to the new world, and eventually they multiplied in masses. When horses were domesticated by native Indians of America, they facilitated daily tasks. The use of horses allowed Native Indian to saved time and effort while hunting. Being an important means of transportation, the domestication of horses brought many benefits, in the following years to the people in North and South America such as the cattle ranching and agricultural business which became the economic foundation for American Nations too. In essence, Columbus expedition and discoveries in the new world, along with the help of native Indians and African slaves, provided Europe sufficient material wealth to trigger faster technological progress and production also known as the Industrial Revolution. Columbus expedition is a controversial journey that influenced the development of our world.
Knowledge, tools, and people were brought from the old world in order to settle and exploit the resources only available at the new world. Settlers and people looking for wealth, power, and freedom, all of them, unintentionally contributed in the development of the old and new world. This is because of the collision of knowledge and resources between the American and European countries. The new systems, resources, the production of crops, ranching, and livestock contributed to build a better life worldwide despite all the set-back and issues both worlds faced. Without the contributions acquired during the Columbus expedition, the new world and European countries might never became the powerful nations they are
today.
After the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the powerful Old World scrambled to colonize it. The three major nations involved in this were Spain, France, and England. Spain took more to the south in the Central American and Mexico areas while France went north in the Canada region. The English came to America and settled in both the New England and Chesapeake area. Although the people in these regions originated from the same area, the regions as a whole evolved into different societies because of the settlers’ purpose for coming to America and the obstacles faced in both nature and with the natives.
Columbus and de las Casas were both explorers of the new world. They both encountered Native Americans and their treatment of them was both similar and different. Columbus viewed the Native American as subhumans. He did not have much respect for the people of the land and treated them as such. In his letter to Luis de Santangel, Columbus says how he took possession of the native’s highnesses by proclamation. He also discloses how no one fought back which then made native Americans seem weak. He also states how he already took Indians aboard with him.At one instance Columbus had a dispute with Spainards and decided to give up Indians as a peace offering. Which he states in the letter to that tey were not his to give
As we all know from the memorable song, in 1492 Columbus sailed to find the New World, commonly known as the Americas. Many idolize Columbus for his accomplishment in colonizing the Americas and starting the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange is the sharing of plants, animals, diseases, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Western and Eastern Hemispheres as a direct result of Columbus’ arrival to the Americas. However, we often oversee the downfalls of the Columbian Exchange. Some consequences of the exchange are the spread of disease to the Native people and settlers, the destruction of the Native population, and the disappearance of the Natives custom’s, beliefs, and way of life.
Columbus described the people as being timid and unfitted to use weapons. He wrote, “They have no iron or steel or weapons, nor are they fitted to use them. This is not because they are not very well built and of handsome stature, but because they are very marvellously timorous.” Columbus described them as though they will not provide any resistance because they do not have the skill to use weapons, and that they very timid people. However, as shown in the first quote, Columbus wrote that they did not put up any opposition; he later wrote in the letter that he took some of the natives by force. If the natives did not put up any opposition to Columbus, why would he need to take them by force? Columbus also notes that they had been very serviceable, and would very much be open to evangelization. An important note, Columbus wrote more and provided more detail about the vast islands he had “discovered” compared to the indigenous people, of which he wrote, “ In all these islands, I saw no great diversity in the appearance of the people or in their manners and language.” In the end, Columbus’s description of the Indigenous people was that are serviceable people would make adequate slaves. Columbus’s letter paints a good picture into his imperialistic mind, as opposed to providing information about the
What he and his men did to the Indigenous people is told in horrifying detail by the Dominican priest Bartolome de Las Casas, “whose writings give the most thorough account of the Spanish-Indian encounter.” Las Casas witnessed firsthand Columbus’ soldiers stabbing Natives for sport, dashing babies’ heads on rocks, and sexually abusing Indigenous women. His testimony was corroborated by other eyewitnesses, such as a group of Dominican friars, who addressed the Spanish monarchy in 1519, hoping to bring an end to the atrocities. At the very least, Columbus was complicit in the actions of his men. He cared so little for the welfare of the Indigenous people that he let his soldiers commit reprehensible acts that would be considered crimes against humanity in the present day. Christopher Columbus’ actions suggest he had no issue with serving as an enabler of the horrifying actions committed by his men against the Indigenous
It is important to remember that Columbus was only the man who gave the orders, they were actually carried out by his men. Even after hearing people like Father Bartolomé de las Casas plead on behalf of the Tainos, Columbus’ men still decided to follow orders and torture, enslave, and murder millions of Tainos. Father de las Casas’ writing says that the Tainos are “gentle lambs” and when Columbus’ men attack the Tainos, they “tear the natives to shreds, murder them and inflict upon them untold misery, suffering and distress, tormenting, harrying and persecuting them mercilessly.” Father de las Casas writing is reliable because he witnessed these horrible actions firsthand. Christopher Columbus, when writing to the King and Queen, even says, “Of these [weapons] they do not dare to make use, for many times it has happened that I have sent ashore two or three men to some town to have speech with them, and countless people have come out to them, and as soon as they have seen my men approaching, they have fled, a father not even waiting for his son.” Columbus was on the island of Hispaniola and knew firsthand that his men had no reason to kill the Tainos because there was no way that they would fight back or stand a chance against them. Because Columbus’ men chose to follow Columbus’ orders and attack and kill the Tainos when they had
Christopher Columbus is profoundly known to be the key asset to advance European culture across seas. The Columbian Exchange, colonization, and the growth of slave usage throughout the usage of the Triangular Trade, all conveyed foreign practices to the American Continent while also interrupting, but at the same time joining with the lifestyles of the inhabitants of these lands. A mixture of processes and voyagers transformed America into a “new world”, catching the world by surprise. America would not have developed to the period in existence today, if it was not for this growing period of the “old” and “new” worlds. A global world is in continuation through today as nations continue to share cultural
It led Columbus to take Arawak Indians as prisoners on his expedition to search for gold. He sailed across islands capturing Indians along the way. He captured 1,500 Arawak men, women, and children sadly but gratefully for them they died on route so some didn’t have to endure the horrible condition that Columbus put them through. However, those that survived were fully naked and treated as animals because that is how whites saw them. Those that survived had to find gold, which was almost impossible wistfully those that didn’t find anything had their hands cut off and bled to death. Due to this inhumane treatment some tried escaping but were unsuccessful and they were hunted like dogs and killed. In addition, the prisoners were forced into war against the Spaniards who were well armed so they had no chance at being victorious. It leads me to believe that the savages were Columbus and his crew. The Arawak’s could take no more heartless and inhumane treatment that they committed mass suicides. To them they’d rather be dead by their own hands then be treated as animals. Columbus atrocious actions “in two years through murder, mutilation, or suicide, half of the 250,000 Indians…were dead” (Zinn 1980:107). What is even more barbaric is them thinking they can do it all over again. When Most of the Arawak Indians were killed they ran low slaves so needed
Many positive outcomes came from exploring. After exploration there was a lot more knowledge of the world, Europeans started producing better more accurate maps of the world which made it easier for sailors to get to the new world and back without getting lost. The discovery of the new world led to more trade and new foods, the new foods were able to feed more people which led to a bigger population for not only Europeans. After exploration Europeans were able to spread ideas and technology much quicker than before. For the Natives, they were able to hunt buffalo much easier with European
Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World in 1492 sparked an era known as the Columbian Exchange, in which the exchange of plants, animals, technology, ideas, and diseases occurred. It also marked the migration of many European settlers into the Americas, where they implemented their Eurocentric ideology on the First Nations who were residing there. A large amount of Latin Native Americans were taken as slaves back to Europe, or forced to commit rigorous labour and chores on sugar and coffee plantations in the Caribbean or South America. European monarchs utilized such resources through a mercantilist policy, giving Europe an economic boost. Based on the profits they were making through colonialism, they decided to set out and go imperialize more territory around the world. These events reinforce the idea that Europe could only flourish through the marginalization of Aboriginal
Columbus discovered the New World (America) in 1492, soon after, many other European colonies followed and expanded. One Spanish conquistador stated, "that he and his kind went to the new World to serve God and his Majesty, to give light to those who were in the darkness, and to grow rich, as all men desire to do" (Parry, p.33). The majority of Europeans that would follow, desired the same. In order to achieve this goal the Europeans murdered, starved, enslaved, stole land, and brutalized people for centuries to follow. During Columbus second voyage to the New World, he had captured 1600 Native Americans, and enslaved 550. At this point, the Native Americans lives were changed forever. The Spaniards continue to explore the new world, leaving a wake of death and destruction in their path. Along with the Europeans came diseases that th...
There once was a land so far and mysterious that no one could have imagined its existence, it was not until the European voyages of the 14th/15th century began that this unknown world know as the new world was discovered. With the discovery of the new world came the discovery of new goods, people, and more to the old world's (Europe and Africa). These new goods thus began an exchange of plants, animals, and disease between the two worlds, known as the Columbian Exchange. The Europeans, Native Americans, and African´s ways of life were forever changed both socially and economically. The columbian exchange caused more economic changes than social changes as it funded the entire European economy, funded European Industrial age, and the completely messed up America's economy as well (on one hand it flourished on the other it fell, take a
In the article, “Columbus’s Legacy: Genocide in the America’s,” by David E. Stannard, the theme can be identified as contrary to popular belief that the millions of native peoples of the Americas that perished in the sixteenth century died not only from disease brought over by the Europeans, but also as a result of mass murder, as well as death due to working them to death.
The colonist were taking and forcing the Natives to be slaves, they stole from them, they raped, and they beat them. “The Admiral found the island in a pitiful state, with most of the Christians commiting innumerable outrages for which they were mortally hated by the Indians, who refused to obey them.”, Fernando (Columbus’ son) later wrote. The Native people began to realize that the arrival of the Spanish was going to be the end them, so they began to organize armies and work together to drive the Spanish out of Hispaniola. Columbus didn’t like this and he took drastic measures to make sure no one could drive him and his people out. He and his brother (Batholomeo) attacked the tribes in March of 1495. The Spanish had 220 soldiers with full armor, horses, weapons (European) and 20 dogs. They defeated the Natives of Hispaniola. Eventually, the Natives were gone, killed by that hand the diseases of the settlers. The Spaniards brought many diseases that were unknown to the natives. Hispaniolas bad news was beginning to arrive to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Very little gold was making its way to Spain, the colonist were complaining, and little to none of the Natives had been converted to Christianity. Columbus was then forced to return to Spain to explain what was occuring. In 1496. The king and queen began to doubt Columbus and
The discovery of the new world brought the Europeans resources, money, and people. Discovery of the new was such an impact on the European exploration because of land. Countries would now have more land in their name with lots of resources. Discovery the new world made the European come up with the ideal of slavery. This was a negative for the people who lived on the land because they were either killed, brought into slavery, or kicked off the island (3). Crops and resources was another reason why the discovery of the new world was important. Exploring the world gave the Europeans resources that were very convenience. Gold was the greatest convenience resources found during the European exploration (3). When the Europeans were traveling across they weren’t just looking for land and money. They also learned from the Indians and others about their culture (3). Learning about another culture made the explorers bring back some of their culture and share it with the old world. The explorers found lots of resources and crops that they didn’t have, they also found out that the Indians didn’t have things they had, and this is what lead to the Columbian