For many years, it has been taught in schools about the Age of Exploration and all its conquerors, who traveled around the world discovering land. Among all these, there is a particular conqueror, one of the most recognized in history his name is Christopher Columbus. In fact, many people believe that Christopher Columbus is a brave hero because he is credited with the glorious discovery of America, and other historical events. The famous Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and master navigator. When he was young, he became fond of marine life and worked in merchant shipping in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1476 he arrived in Portugal and joined various expeditions along the western coasts of Africa. During those years he conceived the project of looking for a maritime route towards China and India crossing the Atlantic Ocean, believing that it was a narrow sea. Because he did not get support from King Juan II of Portugal, he went to Spain and finally, in 1492 got the help of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
That is how the trip with destination to Asia ended up going to what is now known as America. For one thing, Columbus established in America one of the lowest forms of exploitation and slavery. On the other hand, Columbus introduced development and progress through the exchange of riches between the Old and the New World. Christopher Columbus the hero that Americans thought he was has a dark side full of lies. The arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Caribbean island of the Bahamas on October 12, 1492, was not so beneficial for those who lived there, the natives. The arrival of the settlers resulted in diseases, exploitation, and death of millions of aborigines who welcomed visitors with open arms. ”Columbus wrote in his diary. “ They do not carry arms or know them….They should be good servants.’ The natives were soon forced into slavery and punished with the loss of a limb or death if they did not collect enough gold (a portion of which Columbus was allowed to keep for himself). Between the European’s brutal treatment and their infectious diseases, within decades, the Taino population was decimated.'(Myint and Myint, 2018).
In other words, Columbus took dozens of native prisoners and tortured them to tell him where the gold he was looking for was. Approximately 250,000 Tainos were killed, killed, maimed or killed. In addition to, Columbus and his men started to become demons when he started looting and persecuting women to release all their libidinous brutality in them. Therefore, it was not only to search desperately gold but also that ‘other gold’ that is, the woman. The dogs were used as a weapon of terror in the war by the Spanish conquerors. Columbus decided to train them trained, to kill and devour natives, the canine nobility was exploited to the fullest, achieving the desired effect of terror and persuasion on Native Americans. During the second voyage of Columbus between horses, sailors and multiple domestic animals. At least five dog breeds were known to pre-Hispanic peoples, who were small and docile, were raised for human consumption. These animals were the nightmare and the greatest fear of the natives. The natives did not have a clear notion of the word sin. However, the idea that there was a merciful God that through repentance was able to take them to a place like heaven seemed very attractive to them. Columbus’s agenda was to spread Christianity, doing everything in his power to achieve it.
For this Columbus ordered the natives to destroy their own cultural belongings and if they did not obey then the military harassed them violently. After destroying temples and idols, the colonizers focused their attention on the children, taught them that their parents’ traditions were not correct. The Columbian Exchange was very important in the history of ecology, agriculture, and culture. It was a very large exchange of plants, animals, food, people, diseases, and ideas between Europe and the Americas. “From Old World to New World: diseases that devastate humans because they were separated from the rest of the world, Native Americans had no prior contact with smallpox and other deadly diseases. This made the diseases more dangerous than they were for Europeans. Between 1500 and 1650, large numbers of Native Americans died from measles, smallpox, influenza, and other diseases.” (Econedlink.org, 2018). In fact, it affected the whole world because destructive diseases that killed many people were exchange. but it also brought important food to other parts of the world. For example, potatoes became a very important food in Europe through the exchange. But maybe the most important influence was the mixture of cultures. The exchange changed forever the religion, the language, and the races of the people Worldwide. Columbus’ voyages were responsible for the Columbian exchange if it was not for him then there will be no diseases, slavery, and exploitation. The transportation of slaves from Africa to America was one of the largest forced migrations in history with at least 12 and a half million people carrying chains across the Atlantic between 1501 and 1866. “Columbus was the first European slave trader in the Americas. He sent more slaves across the Atlantic Ocean than any individual of his time-about 5,000.” (Wilcox, 2018).
The conditions of the voyages for slaves were inhuman and brutal. The prisoners traveled, naked and chained approximately for 32 days. In addition to, around 25% of the slaves were children. The conditions were so harsh that around 12% died before reaching their destination. Christopher Columbus the hero Americans thought he was, has an untold story. For a long time, all the history books showed Columbus as the first person to discover America and his heroic actions. Due to exploitation, abuse, slavery, diseases and other bloody acts that happened during Columbus’ leadership, some Americans are demanding to stop celebrating the Discovery Day of America and instead celebrate a Day of the American Natives, stating that tribute should not be paid to the event that led to the genocide of natives in the continent. After knowing more about this character, questions arise like, is everything he did justifiably? Would it be good to support this type of holidays and keep following it? Finally, this is how the debate about whether Christopher Columbus is a hero or a villain, and the information more known. The legacy of Christopher Columbus loses the innocence of traditional history books and is tinged with blood and other secrets.
