Essay on Christopher Columbus - 1614 Words

Christopher Columbus Although nearly every phase of any exploration had its good and bad outcomes the benefits of Columbus discovery of the New World far outweigh the negative results of that enterprise; because his discovery stimulated further development of both Europe and the New World. His voyage was an epochal and magnificent discovery in that it confirmed the roundness of the earth and gave new validity to science, expanded trade and opened new markets and led to the industrialization of Europe, and opening the doors to a new world because the Old World was overcrowded and torn by strife. Columbus did not just discover land and resources rather he discovered the New World. A New World that offered hope, freedom, and a new†¦show more content†¦As an explorer, Columbus not only confirmed the world was round, but he decoded the Atlantic wind system, discovered the magnetic variation in the Western hemisphere and, among other things, contributed to the mapping of the Atlantic and the New Wor ld (Fernà ¡ndez-Armesto, 182). Columbus great skill in navigation paved the way for later explorers to come to the New World. Before he had set out in pursuit of the East Indies, he studied charts, maps, and journals from earlier explorers and was certain that he could reach the Far East by sailing westward. His calculations were beyond correct and he never quite realized the fact that he was nowhere near the Far East, but in reality was on a whole other continent. The task he set for himself Ââ€" to cross the Ocean Sea was literally beyond the capacity of any vessel of his day. The task he performed Ââ€" to cross from Europe to a New World Ââ€" was beyond the conception of many of his contemporaries (Fernà ¡ndez-Armesto, 183). Nobody thought that Columbus could reach the Far East Ââ€" much less anything at all. He achieved the highly impossible and instead of being praised, is put down for his faults. Although Columbus did not find the spices of the East Indies there were still many new things to trade in the New World. Tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, sunflowers, cashews, potatoes, and tobacco were brought to the Old World and sugar,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Christopher Columbus? Or Not Christopher Columbus?1329 Words   |  6 Pages On Columbus Day students across the nation will learn how Columbus discovered the New World and about his fantastic travels to the New World. Children will learn poems, stories, songs and rhymes about his travels and about himself as well on this day. When introduced to Columbus as a young student he is portrayed as a respectful gentleman and as a hero, when in reality he is a selfish man who takes advantage of lesser people and schools should be teaching their students about who Columbus reallyRead MoreThe Christopher Columbus741 Words   |  3 Pages Little may one know about Christopher Columbus, other than the fact that â€Å"Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492†. Even though he was claimed to have discovered the Americas, he was never the first to arrive there because (according to historians) the Vikings were there first. But, his discovery led other people in Europe know about the Americas therefore changing the world. Columbus shaped the world as we know it today. Columbus was born around 1451 in the republic of Genoa (what today wouldRead MoreChristopher Columbus And The Columbus1365 Words   |  6 PagesChristopher Columbus Most people think of Christopher Columbus as the person who discovered the Americas. However, Leif Ericson, a Viking, was the first European to see the Americas. â€Å"Christopher Columbus - born Cristoforo Colombo but was called in Spain Cristobal Colon†(Heat-Moon 4) was born to Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa sometime between August 25 and October 31, 1451 in Italy near Genoa (Heat-Moon 4). â€Å"Christopher Columbus had four other siblings; Bartholomew Columbus, BianchinettaRead MoreChristopher Columbus And The Columbus898 Words   |  4 Pages Christopher Columbus â€Å"In fourteen hundred ninety-two / Columbus sailed the ocean blue.† In grade school, I was taught this rhyme to learn about Christopher Columbus. Most of what I learned about Christopher Columbus then, was that he thought the world was round (and others didn’t); and that he wanted to sail to India, but messed up, and landed in America, calling the natives â€Å"Indians.† As I grew older, I learned a little bit more about Columbus’s trips to the Americas. I was told that ChristopherRead MoreThe Journey Columbus By Christopher Columbus1628 Words   |  7 PagesDeveloped Through the Uncovering of San Salvador in 1492 Christopher Columbus’s adventitious finding of San Salvador led to the initial European â€Å"discovery† of the New World. Columbus, an Italian explorer, attempted to sail west from Spain to India, funded by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile (Christopher Columbus’s Exploration). He sailed west using three boats: the Nià ±a, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria (Christopher Columbus the Italian Explorer). They reached the island of GuanahaniRead MoreChristopher Columbus Essay1097 Words   |  5 PagesChristopher Columbus was born in 1451 at Genoa. Genoa was a seaport that was on the Ligurian sea. His name was Cristoforo Colombo and that was translated into English as Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus had two brothers, which he was older than both. Christopher Columbus had little schooling just like most of the people during that age. Genoa was a busy seaport and Christopher Columbus learned much from the sailors. Christopher Columbusâ €™s father was a poor weaver. Christopher Columbus workedRead MoreThe Voyage of Christopher Columbus1541 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican History I 07/08/05 Christopher Columbus Voyage to North America Spanish exploration first began with a series of revolutions. First, the Commercial Revolution generated economic stability. Second, the Intellectual Revolution generated interest in the Earths composition and the pursuit of exploration. Europe then called for a political revolution to end the disorganized and disorderly rule of its government. This revolution returned order and stability to the government and renewed interestRead MoreChristopher Columbus Is Not A Hero Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesChristopher Columbus is commonly known as the â€Å"discoverer† of the Americas. From a young age students are taught all the wonderful things he did for our land and how well he interacted with the Natives. Although the truth is disregarded and as students grow, they come to learn that Columbus was not a hero in fact. Columbus came close to causing a genocide of the Native Americans, and basically began the â€Å"white power† movement that America is forced to deal with t oday. The truth of what ChristopherRead MoreLegacy of Christopher Columbus2614 Words   |  11 PagesThe Legacy of Christopher Columbus Abstract After many centuries, a lot of controversy still surrounds Christopher Columbus. He remains to be a strange figure in history regarded as a famous explorer and a great mariner who made many discoveries in his days. Other people still regard him as a visionary and a national hero while others chose to remember him as a brutal and greedy person who used the rest of the humanity for his own selfish gains. Despite the fact that there have been protests inRead More Christopher Columbus Essay474 Words   |  2 Pagesin search of a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, Christopher Columbus accidentally discovered the Americas. However, in four separate voyages to the Caribbean from 1492 to 1504, he remained convinced that he had found the lands that Marco Polo reached in his overland travels to China at the end of the 13th century. To Columbus it was only a matter of time before a passage was found through the Caribbean islands to the cities of Asia. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas Vikings