CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.   Term Paper ID:19834 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Small biography, voyages, motivation, influences.... More...

8 Pages / 1800 Words 4 sources, 25 Citations, APA Format $32.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Small biography, voyages, motivation, influences. Paper Introduction: The personality of Christopher Columbus is shrouded in myth. As noted by Kirkpatrick Sale in The Conquest of Paradise (1990), historians have turned Columbus into a "largerthanlife character" (p. 346). School children today are presented with an image of the man as a national hero beyond reproach. However, as Koning (1991) notes, "the standard textbook image of Columbus is false" (p. 12). In reality, Columbus was seeking personal gain when he set out in search of a westward passage to Asia. Furthermore, he was the first European explorer to exploit the land and labor of the "New World." Many students of history are surprised when they learn that Columbus showed extreme cruelty toward the American Indians, and that he was responsible for setting in motion the chain of events which would severely decrease their population within a short period of time. In the Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Ironically,after the Spaniards had wiped out most of their Indian slaves, they beganimporting African slaves to the Caribbean in order to replace them(Wilford, 1991, p. Christopher Columbus, the son of a weaver, was born in 1451 in thenorthern Italian town of Genoa. Columbus made a third trip to the New World in 1498, during which heassumed the governorship of the island of Hispaniola. Of course, Columbus' calculations were incorrect, and theyhelp to explain why he thought he had reached Asia when he had actuallystumbled onto a "New World." In order to finance his journey to the west, Columbus firstapproached King John of Portugal. In that letter, Columbus constantly alluded to his visions of Godand his belief that both gold and China were somewhere within his reach.Furthermore, the events and distances mentioned in the letter were all"fantastically distorted and exaggerated" (Koning, 1991, p. (1991). Believing himself to be inthe Indies, Columbus referred to these indigenous people as "Indians," aname which continued to be used throughout American history. Columbus'material interests were revealed even during his earliest negotiations withKing Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. 159). 159). 97).Columbus' perception of the Indians was especially influenced by the factthat they wore little or no clothing. In the words of Sale (199 ), Columbus' personal motivations for thisquest can be found in his drive for "God, gold, and glory" (p. On October 12, 1492, the three ships finallyarrived at a small island in the Bahamas which Columbus named San Salvador. As a result of thisfrustration, the Spaniards began turning toward the idea of exploiting theland and labor of the Indians instead. After exploring some of the other islands in the region, Columbus andhis crew returned to Spain with various gifts as well as a few of theIndians. Because gold wasrelatively scarce on the islands, this was an extremely cruel andunreasonable punishment. Although the northern Vikings had reachedAmerica centuries before, their discoveries had long been forgotten. As Sale further indicates, the exploitation of Indian labor by Columbusand his crew marked the origin of the slave trade which predominatedWestern history over the following centuries (p. Thus, as noted by Sale (199 ), thesecond voyage of Columbus marked the beginning of European imperialism andthe trend toward exploiting the land of the Americas "without regard towhatever native cultures or natural conditions might exist there" (p. Asnoted by Kirkpatrick Sale in The Conquest of Paradise (199 ), historianshave turned Columbus into a "larger-than-life character" (p. Another example of the Spaniards' exploitationcan be seen in their sexual treatment of the native women. In the course of his explorations,Columbus set the standards for European imperialism and exploitation. After he arrived in the islands ofthe Caribbean, Columbus spent very little time and effort in converting thepeople that he encountered there. New York: Alfred A. However, he was frustrated in this effort. His life was permanently changed in1485 when his wife suddenly died. He believed that theearth was much smaller than it really was. 12). 264).Despite the importance of Columbus' discovery, it is apparent that theopening of the New World had both good and bad effects. (199 ). From the verystart, Columbus perceived of the Indians as inferior beings. Many of theIndian women were raped, and at one point several of them were taken onboard the ships to be used as "sex slaves for the crew" (Koning, 1991, p.75). At that time, the western portions of the Atlantic Ocean had not yetbeen explored by Europeans. (1991). Any Indian who failed to meet the quota was "killed byhaving his or her hands cut off" (Koning, 1991, p. The explorers began seizing landthroughout the New World, and "the Indians still living on this land becametheir property" (Koning, 1991, p. During that trip, it became increasingly clear thatColumbus was losing his rationality. Because theyhad no weapons or other possessions, he wrote to his supporters in Spainthat "they were fit to be servants, and captives" (Sale, 199 , p. Columbus' religiousmotives were even stronger during his later voyages to the New World, whenhe became obsessed with the idea of finding the legendary Garden of Eden(Dor-Ner, 1991, p. Columbus and the age of discovery. Schoolchildren today are presented with an image of the man as a national herobeyond reproach. Sale further indicates that the fanatic imperialism of theEuropeans had a negative impact on them as well as on the indigenousAmericans. However, Columbus was driven by a desire for fameand fortune as well as for the fulfillment of God's purpose. However, even that does not compare tothe atrocity of the wiping out of the Indian populations in the Caribbeanislands. Itwas common knowledge among the scientists of the time that the earth wasround. The conquest of paradise: Christopher Columbus andthe Columbian legacy. However, although Columbus' discovery was important for thedevelopment of the Western World, it is important that the truth of hispersonality and motivations also be understood. New York:William Morrow.Koning, H. The King and Queen of Spain had offered a substantialreward to the first crew member to accomplish this feat. In this regard, Columbus wasprobably influenced by the writings of the Florentine philosopher PaoloToscanelli, who suggested a westward route to Asia as early as the 145 's(Koning, 1991, p. 83). For the sake of historicalaccuracy, it must be acknowledged that Columbus' contribution to the worldhad negative as well as positive effects. 13). However, King John turned him downbecause his experts did not agree with Columbus' calculations and alsobecause the Portuguese were committed to their search for a sea routearound the coast of Africa. Inthis regard, Wilford (1991) notes that "the burden of the practicesColumbus initiated or condoned weighs heavily on his reputation in history"(p. He had two brothers, Bartolome and Diego,who later became partners in his expeditions (Koning, 1991, p. Inthe words of Wilford (1991), the true legacy of Columbus is one of"pettiness, self-aggrandizement, and a lack of magnanimity" (p. From that time on, he devoted himself tothe singular mission of finding support for this plan to seek a westernroute to the Far East. However, the trade routesof the Middle East were cut off when the Turkish Moslem Empire seizedcontrol of the eastern Mediterranean seaboard during the middle of thefifteenth century (Koning, 1991, p. He wasconvinced that he had been chosen by God to find a westward passage. An example of this can be seen in a"hysterical letter" that he wrote to Ferdinand and Isabella during thattime. At that time, syphilis was a terrible newdisease with no hope for a cure. Although Italian merchantscontinued to trade with the Moslems, their monopoly on that trade droveprices up for the rest of Europe. Rather, he focused his energy on thebuilding of forts and the subjugation of the Indians. Columbus' unique contribution to this idea wasfound in his calculation of the size of the earth. By that time, it wasapparent that his motivation had shifted and that he had conceived of aplan to build "not just a trading port but an outright colonial settlement,an outpost of empire where Spaniards would settle and prosper, living offthe labor of the natives" (Sale, 199 , p. Early onemorning, a lookout named Rodrigo saw land in the distance and called out tothe others. In termsof finding either gold or Asia, this fourth voyage proved to be asinconclusive as the previous ones and Columbus finally returned to Spain in15 4. However, for theindigenous peoples of the Americas, this discovery meant only loss ofproperty, enslavement, or death. Upon their landing at San Salvador, Columbus and his crew had theirfirst meeting with the natives of the island. The sexual escapades of the Spanish explorers resulted in the spreadof syphilis throughout Europe. He was provided with three small ships (the Nina, the Pinta,and the Santa Maria), as well as a crew of approximately one hundred men.On August 3, 1492, the three ships set sail on their fateful journey. The historical record shows that Columbus and his men wereextraordinarily cruel in their exploitation of the Indians. When Columbus set out on his first westward voyage across theAtlantic, the nations of Europe were interested in finding new trade routesto the Far East. Thus, the idea of reaching Asia by circling the globe was alreadyaccepted as being theoretically possible. 177). ReferencesDor-Ner, Z. For example,Columbus demanded that all Indians over the age of fourteen collect goldfor the Spaniards. In 1476, Columbus settled in Portugal and in 1479 hemarried a woman from a noble family. Forthe Europeans, the discovery of a "New World" paved the way toward newopportunities in terms of wealth and political expansion. Columbus turned next to King Ferdinand andQueen Isabella of Spain. 51). New York: Alfred A.Knopf.----------------------- 6 Finally, in 1492,the Spanish monarchs agreed to finance Columbus in his westwardexploration. According to Wilford (1991),Columbus, like all other Europeans of the time, saw clothing as being anessential aspect of civilized culture. In fact, it is apparent that thegood effects of his discovery were felt only by European capitalists. 2 ).Starting in about 1472, Columbus became a merchant seaman. Following a feeble attempt at rebellion among the Indians, theSpaniards reacted by massacring the majority of the islanders. A great deal about Columbus'character is revealed by the fact that he stole the credit for being thefirst to sight land. 111). At that time, Europe depended on its trade with India andChina for such luxury items as spices and silk. Although they seemed interested in the idea, theywere unable to act on it for several years because they were busy dealingwith a war to expel the Moors from the south of Spain. As a result of this situation, nationssuch as Portugal and Spain were actively searching for new sea routes whichwould gain them direct access to the riches of the Far East. Based on thisbelief, "without any particular inquiry, Columbus allowed himself togeneralize that these people were lacking in customs, rites, and religion"(Wilford, 1991, p. The mysterious history of Columbus: Anexploration of the man, the myth, the legacy. When a rebellionbroke out among the Spaniards on that island, the King and Queen of Spainsent a commissioner named Francisco de Bobadilla across the Atlantic forthe purpose of arresting Columbus and his brothers. (1991). 177). N. Because of this, he believedthat the voyage to Asia would be much shorter than it really was (Koning,1991, p. At about the same time, Christopher Columbusbecame convinced that a new route to Asia could be found by travelingwestward and by thus circling the globe. 346). 17). Columbus returned toSpain in chains; however, he was proved innocent during his trial in theroyal court. 31). This degrading perception had a strong influenceon the cruel treatment that the Indians were soon to receive at the handsof the Spaniards. He engaged invoyages to such locations as England, Ireland, Iceland, Madeira, and theGold Coast of Africa. In 1493, Columbus set out on his second voyage toward the west.Because the first trip was considered to be a success, Columbus wasprovided with seventeen ships and fifteen hundred men for his second trip.On this second journey, Columbus hoped to find gold and other mineraltreasures. In return for his discovery ofa new westward route to Asia, he made the unprecedented demand that he berewarded with "no less than one-tenth of all the wealth" that was acquiredfrom that route (Koning, 1991, p. Knopf.Wilford, J. During thelate fifteenth century, Portuguese explorers began trying to circle Africain order to reach Asia. Thus, in the Europeans' quest for a new paradise, "all theyever found was half a world of nature's treasures and nature's peoples thatcould be taken, and they took them, never knowing, never learning the trueregenerative power there, and that opportunity was lost" (Sale, 199 , p.37 ). He died two years later, never realizing that he had discovered a"New World." Columbus' legacy has been built up since then, and today he iscommonly regarded as a symbol for the adventurous spirit of the Americanpeople. However, Columbus brazenly claimed that he had seen a light inthe distance on the night before and thus claimed the reward for himself(Koning, 1991, p. 37). The personality of Christopher Columbus is shrouded in myth. 128). However, as Koning (1991) notes, "the standard textbookimage of Columbus is false" (p. 97). In reality, Columbus was seekingpersonal gain when he set out in search of a westward passage to Asia.Furthermore, he was the first European explorer to exploit the land andlabor of the "New World." Many students of history are surprised when theylearn that Columbus showed extreme cruelty toward the American Indians, andthat he was responsible for setting in motion the chain of events whichwould severely decrease their population within a short period of time. 245). 31). Columbus: His enterprise - exploding the myth.New York: Monthly Review.Sale, K. Hebelieved that his mission included the conversion of the "lost souls" ofAsia to the Christian God (Wilford, 1991, p. Based on his personal calculations, Columbus assumed that he had reachedan island on the outskirts of the Asian continent. 84). The popular legend of Columbus indicates that his crew was nearmutiny when they finally sighted land. The Spanish monarchs permitted him to make a fourth voyage inthe year 15 2. 1 7). Therefore, the nakedness of theIndians was seen as being a sign of a lack of culture. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

Many of our Papers can be Downloaded From This Site!

PLEASE READ THIS, IT IS IMPORTANT!

Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). You may place orders for custom research over the phone during office hours. E-mail requests can be made to our graduate and undergraduate department any time, and will be reviewed during office hours. You may also contact customer service any time through e-mail, and we will review your message during business hours. A great many papers can be downloaded right from this site, but not all of them. If you would like to know if a particular paper is downloadable, just look in the description for: "Available for Internet Download: Y" or "Available for Internet Download: N" If you wish to purchase a paper which is NOT available for immediate download, you will need to make other shipping arrangements. Also, please be aware that these orders are processed Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). If you place your order after 4:45pm on Friday, it will not be processed until the following Monday morning. We charge $8 per page for all of our pre-written reports, plus shipping (and tax for California residents). However, the highest cost of any ONE report is $136, or 17 pages. Please, take a moment. Make sure you have chosen the report you want or need BEFORE you complete your order. If you are not sure, allow us to help you. We do not offer refunds or exchanges, so it is important for you to let us answer your questions during office hours. Reports which are e-mailed or downloaded are in Microsoft Word format. We are making more reports available for e-mail delivery faster than we can update our listings. Please call to check on the status of particular reports. There are many other shipping options which are listed on the Checkout page.