Christopher Columbus Research Paper

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Columbus’s Characteristics By: Jordan Meek Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Martin Luther King Jr., all people that we spend one day a year for reflection on their positive impact on our world. These figures also possess positive characteristics, enough so to be the role models of so many young children. Christopher Columbus was a greedy man, who didn’t care about the effects that his blind ambition had on others. Yet, we still celebrate him an equal amount as the formerly mentioned American heros. Highland Park High School should not celebrate Christopher Columbus day because his personal characteristics are unworthy of such celebration. Christopher Columbus was born in 1451, in Genoa, Italy. He was born in the…show more content…
By the final trip of Columbus’s life, his greed overpowered any other reason for the voyage. On August 3, 1492, Christopher left Spain, in hopes of reaching India. This comes after 8 years of begging and pleading Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand for enough money to buy three ships and a crew in order to set sail. On his first voyage, parts of the Caribbean were explored, but the majority of the island were left unfound. Throughout Columbus’s life, he had heard of the extensive amounts of gold in the New World. So, when Columbus reached the shore, he was disappointed to find no gold awaiting him. Although the previously thought amounts of gold were just legends, Columbus did return to Spain with just enough gold and natives not to be ridiculed by the throne. Due to his findings, which were exaggerated to the King and Queen by Columbus, he was awarded the title of “Admiral of the Ocean Sea.” Christopher Columbus finally had the title and riches that he dreamed of, but he wasn’t done. The following year, in October of 1493, he left with a crew of over 1000 and around 17 ships. When Columbus and his men returned to Hispaniola, a previously claimed and colonized land with 39 of his men inhabiting it, was destroyed. This was caused by the natives rebelling against these invaders of their land. Before to the ambush, the men raped and tortured these natives. Going against Queen Isabella, who was strongly against enslavement, Columbus blamed the massacre on the Natives, and enslaved them. Columbus here shows how blind he is to the issue, not even realizing that it was his men who provoked this. On his second voyage Columbus explored more of the islands around the Caribbean. Before he left for Spain, Columbus appointed Bartholomew to oversee Hispaniola. Along with Columbus, there were shiploads of Natives in captivity heading towards Spain, their only main purpose was so Columbus

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