Columbus and the Discovery of America essays

Columbus and the Discovery of America essays Columbus discovery of America and that of his travel to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope, are the two most unpleasant and significant events that have impacted modern civilization as we know it. By Columbus discovering America, he conquered, enslaved other cultures, destroyed lands, introduced disease and caused extinction, alteration of species and the destruction of the environment. Columbus is above all a villain of the modern age. Columbus alone was responsible for the enslavement and genocide of the people he had encountered in the new world that he had discovered. Upon his arrival in the Cape of Hope, he kidnapped twelve of the Arawaks and brought them back to Spain to learn Spanish. Exactly one year later, Columbus returned with the captives to the Cape of Hope and enslaved its first nations people in order to acquire its silver and gold. As Columbus demanded a quotient of gold for every day, those who refused or committed criminal offenses had their ears and noses severed off. As this continued to happen, the Arawaks became enraged and resisted. Columbus fought back by releasing his attack dogs that viciously tore apart and slaughtered the Arawak tribe. He then captured 1,500 natives and took them to Spain. Five hundred died on the voyage. While in Spain, it was demanded of the remaining captured tribe members to pay respects to the Queen Isabella and those who refused had their hands hacked off. The Ki ng later stated that the Arawaks had chosen their own fate and many women committed suicide and murdered their own children. Columbus and his crew brought disease over to the new land. Within the next fifty years, over 3,000,000 Arawaks died because they did not have the same immunities to these diseases as the Spaniards (ex. the common cold, small pox). Before the disease that the Spaniards exposed to the natives, the Arawaks had particularly good health. Specific diseases that were s...