“Tell me, what do you see?” asked Columbus, shooting a glance out of a window. Sánchez pausing to look then answered, “I see rooftops, I see palaces, I see towers, I see spires that reach... to the sky! I see civilisation!” Many people largely believe that Christopher Columbus was the first to discover the Americas in 1492. However, from a Eurocentric point of view, a white race of Europeans known as the Vikings or the Norsemen which means ‘people of the north’ discovered the Americas in 1000 AD long before Columbus in 1492. Furthermore, considering world civilisation defined as a global linkage of countries through knowledge, trade, discovery, interaction and culture. An analysis of the Vikings versus Christopher Columbus discovering the Americas reveals that the Caribbean region was formerly part of world civilisation before 1492.
To begin with, the last Moorish province in Spain, Granada dramatically yielded to the conquering forces of Ferdinand and Isabella on January 2nd, 1492. This marked the end of 800 years of Moorish enlightenment and the beginning of the Columbian era. Nine months later on October 12th, 1492, Christopher Columbus Italian ‘Admiral of the ocean seas’ had some ineffectual occasions persuading King John II of Portugal to finance his plan of sailing west to reach the riches of the east, and to Christianized the unbelieving inhabitants in those strange lands, but had failed in his many attempts. In fact, the Portuguese Bishop of Ceuta argued that there could be no inhabitants on the other side of the world because the Bible said so. But back in Spain, Columbus cleverly presented his argument to Ferdinand and Isabella and was successful in his attempt. Hence they authorized his plan. So in early August 1...
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Available from http://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CX5032-Columbus.htm (October 14, 2011)
Brian L. Moore, B. W. Higman, Carl Campbell, and Patrick Bryan,
Slavery, freedom and gender: the dynamics of Caribbean Society, pg. 285-286,
(October 16, 2011)
The First Canadians, Who discovered North America? Part 2 Explorers of Canada - A. Early
Exploration, Available from http://www.odawa.org/CFPJr/index.php/A._Early_Exploration, (October 19, 2011)
Early Atlantic Explorers, the Viking Age: 793 – 1066 AD,
Available from http://www3.gettysburg.edu/~tshannon/hist106web/site9/Jeff/vikings_homeland_is_scandinavian.htm, (October 19, 2011)
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact,
Available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Columbian_trans-oceanic_contact, (October 19, 2011)
Does this document support Christopher Columbus?YES this document supports him. What evidence do you see to support this? In this Document it tells that Columbus did a lot of stuff to protect his crew and was a really good sailing.
Some explorers were not looking for land to claim, but faster routes. Columbus went exploring trying to find a faster way to Asia/India for spice trading. The reason for this was because his country was receiving Asian Spices from Muslims(Document 3). In order to get the spices from the Muslims, high prices had to be paid since it was exchanged from person to person. Columbus went sailing and found an area that had inhabitants who looked like people he has never seen before which he assumed were Indians. Columbus saw they had foods he never had before and he started trading with them. He brought over foods such as the Irish Potato, Florida Oranges, Colombian Coffee, and French Vanilla Ice cream, for trading purposes(Document 6). All of those
Quinn, David B. North America From Earliest Discovery to First Settlements. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1977.
Religion played a major role in expansion for both the Portuguese and the Spanish due to their extensive anti-Muslim crusade. Due to the over zealous religious fervor of the Christian Iberians, Christianity and thus the Iberians expanded into parts of western Europe during the crusades as Christians tried to convert the Muslims who were occupying this area. The Iberians did not stop with the European mainland; they were also expanding overseas. They were interested in the fertile land of the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde. These islands would also prove to be strategic acquisitions for the Iberians, as they would eventually provide the Iberians with bases and ports to be used for commerce. Throughout the 15th century the Spanish and Portuguese had been exploring lands throughout the Atlantic which drove Queen Isabella of Spain to commission Christopher Columbus in 1492 to “Discover and acquire islands and mainland in the ocean sea” (p.340) which eventually led to the discovery of North America.
It is thought by many that Christopher Columbus was a skilled sailor on a mission of greed. Many think that he in fact did it all for the money, honor and the status that comes with an explorer, but this is not the case entirely. Columbus was an adventurer and was enthused by the thrill of the quest of the unknown. “Columbus had a firm religious faith and a scientific curiosity, a zest for life, the felling for beauty and the striving for novelty that we associate with the advancement of learning”. He had heard of the legendary Atlantic voyages and sailors reports of land to the west of Madeira and the Azores. He believed that Japan was about 4,800 km to the west of Portugal. In 1484, Columbus wanted support for an exploratory voyage from King John II of Portugal, but he was refused. In 1485, Columbus took his son Diego and went to Spain to get some help.
Once upon a time, there was a peaceful and resourceful land inhabited by a people called the Arawaks. In these lands were gold, food, and more importantly, tranquility. Although the Arawaks dressed stark naked, they wore gold earrings. They lived on agriculture and livestock. These people lived in the Bahamas Island and behaved very similar to the Indians on the mainland-America. These people could rightly be called Native Americans/Indians. However primitive these people were, they were very organized.
Under the monarchy of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, Spain was provided with many advantages in its conquest of the Western Hemisphere. Spanish monarchs supported several explorers ' expeditions and one of them was Christopher Columbus. In 1492 Columbus was on the look out for a better, cheaper, and faster route to Asia in order to acquire better trade goods, expand Spanish empires, and spread Christianity. It was also his last chance to sail and prove to the Spanish monarchs that he was capable of finding riches for them. Instead, he sailed west where he ran into the Western Hemisphere and discovered new lands and new people, where he thought he found India.
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. However, even after centuries later, little is truly known of the mysterious voyage and findings of the new world.1 By examining “Letter from Columbus to Luis Santangel”, one can further contextualize the events of Columbus' exploration of the New World. The letter uncovers Columbus' subtle hints of his true intentions and exposes his exaggerated tone that catered to his lavish demands with Spain. Likewise, The Columbian Voyage Map read in accordance with the letter helps the reader track Columbus' first, second, third, and fourth voyage to the New World carefully and conveniently. Thus, the letter and map's rarity and description render invaluable insight into Columbus' intentionality of the New World and its indigenous inhabitants.
Although the Americas were not discovered until the late 1400’s, there were many time periods in Europe that resulted in its discovery. The ones that stood out the most were the Crusades, the Renaissance, the rise of absolute monarchs, and the Commercial Revolution. Starting with the Crusades in the 11th century, it took hundreds of years for the age of exploration to begin. As the years went by, the Catholic religion, advances in technology, wealth, and power became important factors in the conquest and colonization of lands in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. European developments led to the discovery of America through religious, social, political, and economic causes.
Although this essay is historically accurate it lacks important details, which might paint a different view of Columbus. Boorstin writes favorable of Columbus and depicts him as a heroic and determined figure who helped shape history, but he neglects to include Columbus’ unethical acts committed in the world that was not supposed to exist, the Americas. When Columbus first discovered the New World, he took care that the royal standard had been brought ashore and he claimed the land for Spain in front of all, including the indigenous population who had been sighted even before Columbus made landfall. According to the medieval concepts of natural law, only those territories that are uninhabited can become the property of the first person to discover them. Clearly this was an unethical act. Thus, the first contact between European and non-European worlds was carried out through a decidedly European prism, which ensured Spanish claim to the islands of the Americas. Faced with a colony in an inhospitable area, the Spanish soon inaugurated the practice of sending regular military parties inland to subdue the increasingly hostile natives. Members of the indigenous population were captured and enslaved to support the fledgling colony. The object of Columbus’ desire changed from exploration and trade to conquest and subjugation.
Christopher Columbus was on track to create history and did so in revealing the “New World.” As he went through his voyage he approached an island occupied by an uncivilized group of people. Columbus writes to Spain describing the people ultimately as savages. They do not dress, they do not know how to utilize weapons, and they would leave their children. (5) As he went about his voyage he claimed all these islands occupied by people as Spain’s land, Columbus added, “I found very many islands filled with people without number, and of them all have I taken possession for their Highn...
Canadian history has shaped Canada's future for centuries now. Without the great explorers of their time, and maybe even our time, provinces and territories, gulfs, bays, rivers and land would be lost and undiscovered for many years. Our great country can thank many brave and brilliant explorers and their crew, for founding our name, and creating such an amazing land. Jacques Cartier, John Cabot and Henry Hudson, all managed to explore much of Canada. Through discovering the islands of Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island to locating the Hudson Bay, these 3 explores endure Canada's harsh winters, famine, scurvy and much more, to begin the great discover of all of Canada.
In our personal lives we consider our past forgotten, however in our history everyone affects how they see themselves. "history repeats itself " is gradually long time we know manipulated and deceived us the wrong information, books, learning in school, the "biased" report before the newspaper, radio and television. Let us move on and we just solemn pray for that will prosper in our country. I noticed that there have been distortions in our history. It’s sad because it seems like we have forgotten the sacrifices of those who died during the time of dictatorship. This tragedy cannot continue. We should stand up for someone’s rights today. Times have changed. More sooner than later, they will take power into their hands by all and whatever
Colonization of the Americas was done by both the Spanish and English in the late 1400s to late 1500s respectively. They had quite a few similarities such as the hardships they encountered in their homelands that embarked them on their journeys to explore and even, in some ways, their rule over the new land had some likeness as well. The differences between them lie in the specifics of their exploration and their relationship with the Indian groups who already inhabited the space they took over. Even though each group had different motives and goals for their expedition, it is evident that both groups had their share of major conflicts with the native peoples and defining characteristics of their societies.
The history of Canada lies till the period of Paleo-Indians thousands of years back to this day. Canada has been a good place to live for many years by different groups of Aboriginal peoples, with separate trade networks, mystical beliefs, and social ladders. Some of the civilizations that was living in Canada at that time was running down because of the reason when the first European arrival’s and discoveries through archaeological research. Several contracts and laws have been approved between European colonizers and the Aboriginal inhabitants. However the first Europeans which came and discovered Canada were The Vikings. With this in mind this essay will illustrate the reason why Vikings came and left Canada. More than thousand years before, Vikings from Norway start out the journey that would finally result in their being the first Europeans to discover the North America. In periods they recognized settlements in the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and lastly Newfoundland and Labrador (Vancouver Sun). However at that time when Vikings discovered Newfoundland the king was Leif Ericson which was the son of Eric the red. Vinland was the name given to North America by Norse Vikings which was given by Ericson.