Columbus underestimated the circumference of the earth by one-fourth and he believed him and his men could reach Japan by sailing 2,400 miles west from the Canary Islands. Until his death in 1506, he insisted that he had reached Asia. But he quickly recognized that the new lands could be a source of wealth from precious minerals and sugar cane. The 15th and 16th century voyages of discovery brought Europe, Africa, and the Americas into direct contact producing an exchange of foods, animals, and diseases that scholars call “The Columbian Exchange.”
Evidence suggests that Europeans may have made it over to the Americans in the early 15th century (which is to say nothing of Leif Eriksson’s journey in the 11th century). Gavin Menzies, in his book, 1421: The Year the Chinese Discovered America, argues-albeit imperfectly-that the Chinese made their way to America 72 years before Columbus. Although the evidence isn’t conclusive (understandably), it is at least as strong as it is weak, and historians ought to know better than to stake such ground on such shaky data. The truth of the matter is that we don’t know who discovered America, and we should resist the temptation of historical certainty, and exchange opt for the truth by conveying the evidence of other discoverers that we do have, and what conclusions we can, or cannot, draw from that evidence. What makes
The theory that the earth was flat and that it was therefore possible to sail off the edge of it was common in the middle ages, but had been discredited by Columbus' time. His first New World journey did help fix one common mistake, however: it proved that the earth was much larger than people had previously thought. Columbus, basing his calculations on incorrect assumptions about the size of the earth, assumed that it would be possible to reach the rich markets of eastern Asia by sailing west. Had he succeeded in finding a new trade route, it would have made him a very wealthy man. Instead he found the Caribbean, then inhabited by cultures with little in the way of gold, silver or trade goods.
What many of us didn’t realize is that there is another side to this story and it is not a pretty one. Since Christopher Columbus is a famous figure in American history, his story should be taught without omitting everything he did. Even though Christopher Columbus had great navigational skills he must also be held accountable for his lack of leadership and his cruelty towards the Arawak people, therefore he should not be praised and he deserves condemnation. Christopher Columbus was known to have great navigational skills. “He had studied the wind patterns of the Atlantic…Therefore he could sail west with the trades and home with the westerlies, with the winds fair both ways.
This is the start of a new world, but it is also a start for a series of genocides and tragic! Many people may think that Columbus is a hero, however, I my opinion, I think Christopher Columbus is not a hero but a villain. It is widely accepted that Christopher Columbus “discovered” America, however, during 1492, millions of Native Americans already live on that giant lands. If America had been discovered by Columbus, how is that possible that there are people living on it? Moreover, it is also widely accepted that Columbus is the “first” one discover the New World.
Henry Hudson Although Henry Hudson's explorations in search of a Northern sea passage to Asia ultimately yielded no such route, his four journeys inadvertently drew European attention to North America and its vast resources, as well as territory north of England. Very little is known about this English navigators personal life, apart from his campaigns, but his travels in search of trade and commerce in Asia ended with similar results in the New World. Henry Hudson was a relatively unknown explorer from England, who sailed under both English and Dutch flags, and he would have remained so had is "blunders" not brought him to the bay and river which now bear his name. As previously stated, details of Hudson's early life remain relatively
According to Zinn Columbus is portrayed as a herioc adventure and no one was killed in most kids books they leave out the part where he brought slaves back with him. They just tell about his ambitious goal to get to China but end up coming to the Americas 4. Why does Zinn dispute Henry Kissinger’s statement: "History is the memory of states?" He disputes Kissinger's statement because according to Zinn, Kissinger ignored the millions who suffered from the statesmen's policies. 5.
1. Should Columbus Day be celebrated in the U.S.? Why or why not? -After taking a quiz, now I kind a doubt and feel shame on why we celebrate Columbus Day but before I make up my mind let’s explore this topic little bit more. Even though Christopher Columbus found this great land which lead all of us to have freedom and liberty with the sea of opportunities in this country but to gain all this, we have done something that would be considered unethical from every point of view as well inhumanity.
However, Christopher Columbus was not a humble man at all; he just wanted all the glory, fame, and fortune he would receive after his voyages. According to research, his assumption of the westward distance from Europe to Asia was different from the view accepted by scholars in his day. Columbus' ideas in this regard were based on three factors: his low estimate of the size of the Earth, his high estimate of the size of the Eurasian landmass, and his belief that Japan and other inhabited islands lay far to the east
Such as the Freedom of Speech, and Emancipation, the 1st and the 17th amendments are the best laws that the United States have ever come up with. The fact that people used to, not be able to practice their Religion or write about what they want to in the city newspaper, or it is illegal are mind boggling concepts. Also something that changed the United States even more is the 17th amendment, Emancipation, meaning that slavery is abolished. When Abraham Lincoln pronounced the Emancipation Proclamation, when he stated that slavery was not a part of the everyday part of the United States, the slave owners did not know what to do with the work that needed to be done on their farms. They had been getting free labor for their whole life.