What do I think about Christopher Columbus's exploration?
Research shows that Christopher Columbus probably wasn't the first European to reach America, and even if he was, the place was already inhabitated,so we cannot credit him for "discovering" America or anything over there. However, his journey is still equally important. Why? Because with the bravery that Christopher Columbus had in sailing the world without a map or any idea at all how big the world was, it started the full scale invasion of the New World by the Old World. Christianity took over tribal practices, Spanish (or other European languages, for example Portugese in Brazil) took over indigious languages, the way of governing changed... this would not be possible if Columbus had determined ideas about how he would be able to sail to east through west (despite he failed). Plant species and other materials were also traded, exchanging between these continents.His personal motives and the motives that his society and the strength that the era (Renaissance) gave him helped him play a huge part in world history. Of course, we can argue that without Columbus, another European would have also got to America anyhow, but Columbus has had pushed the forward by maybe 50 years. Columbus's impacts to South America ( and North America despite he never set foot on it) was tremendous. Even though I have never visited or lived in the places he has explored, I have learnt and heard a lot about these through just listening to the news and being informed by facts and figures. I can clearly see how a young boy's dreams to find the northwest passage and other personal motivations has helped him grow up into someone who has visited somewhere completely unknown to the Europeans to the time (technology was not advanced to that point), ultimately changing it not only by personal descions (e.g. slavery) or even greed (e.g. Mineral wealth), but also arousing the jealousy of other countries to give the same impacts. These impacts do not just develop by day, and we never know what it will bring (i.e. The tribes were intimidated when Columbus hold authority and forced them to work as slaves, there were also many major coinflicts) but nowdays, we credit Columbus for the tremendous impact he has had to South America. We can say perhaps these negatives have also played a huge part in what type of impacts Columbus and the other Europeans have left behind, or even further developing it. (e.g. Slavery, a negative, was how social structure was completely revolutionized and his poor governing impacted the economics and trade of the entire territory as he wanted everything for Europe). No matter what you see as Columbus's voyage discoveries, failure or succeed, him as a barbarian or a honored brave sailor, I have no doubts in saying that he has changed South America, North America and perhaps even in some points, Europe and the world into what we know it has had today. A small spark of hope and desire to travel can enlighten the fumes for ultimate change and revolution in the world. Thus, if Columbus was not born with the bravery to exploration, we would not understand how religions can harmonize a continent, how colonization can bring so many cultural impacts and why governing can be so crucial to a community (e.g. What differences self governing and governing a group as a whole brings. Remember, the tribal groups were split but under the colonies they were governed together.) , and this is why I think that Christopher Columbus was truly an important figure in history and is still honored to modern day. Not only what he has brought has improved America, but what he discovered (as in unknown to the Europeans) in America has helped make European culture much more unique. In short, America and Europe was able to help each other enhance the uniqueness and bring the best out of each other.
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