Christopher Columbus Hero Or Villain Essay

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Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain? Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa (Italy) in 1451 His parents were Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarrosa. In 1476 he went to Portugal where he married Felipa Muñiz and had a son named Diego. In 1492 he enlisted the help the crown of Spain. After signing the capitulation of Santa Fe (April 17, 1492) organized his expedition in search of the Far East by sailing west. On his first trip he came to the island Guanahani (October 12, 1492) and named it San Salvador, and reached the island of Santo Domingo which he named The Espaniola. Columbus made three more expeditions. He died in Valladolid on May 20, 1506, not knowing that he had initiated the Discovery of America (The West and the World, 85-110). Christopher Columbus can be a hero as we name him to be the first who -sail by the Atlantic Ocean to the west-bound transatlantic route, drew a round trip using its currents, which is still used. Also thanks to his discovery, Europe was able to push…show more content…
He sent settlers exploited not only the products and the riches of the new lands, but also to the native inhabitants of the lands discovered. Led by Spain, the European countries brought "development" to the Americas. However, progress comes with a price. The plans of conquest and colonization of Spain ended up creating an operating system that lasted many centuries and brought one of the lowest forms of exploitation that the human race may experience - the slavery. According to Kirkpatrick Sale, Columbus himself states on his dairy “"there is no better people nor better country. They love their neighbors as themselves, and they have the sweetest talk in the world, and are gentle and are always laughing." (Sale) but apparently this is not something that mattered when in his search of power and expansion, these same people that he mentioned were exterminated. (The West and the World,
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