Was columbus good or bad

His contract with the monarchs, called The Capitulations of Santa Fe, named Columbus the admiral, viceroy, and governor of any land he discovered. Columbus may indeed have had noble intentions when he sailed west, but his agreement with Spain suggests his intentions were far from selfless. When Columbus first set foot on Hispaniola, he encountered a population of Indigenous peoples called the Taino.

A friendly group, they willingly traded jewelry, animals, and supplies with the sailors. They should be good servants. In , the Spanish monarchs got wind of the mistreatment of Spanish colonists in Hispaniola, including the flogging and executions without trial. Columbus, who was governor of the territory, was arrested, chained up, and brought back to Spain.

Although some of the charges may have been manufactured by his political enemies, Columbus admitted to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella that many of the accusations were true. Columbus was stripped of his title as governor. For nearly a decade, Columbus lobbied European monarchs to bankroll his expensive quest to discover a western sea route to Asia.

In he tried unsuccessfully to get support from King John II of Portugal, whose experts believed Columbus had underestimated how far he would need to sail. He was even rejected initially by Spain in , but the Spanish monarchs changed their mind and eventually agreed to fund his trip. Once the Europeans were able to reach nearly all parts of the globe, a new modern age would begin, transforming the world forever.

The famed explorer was always searching for new places, but his lasting legacy has people searching for his true nationality. And yet, while Columbus might have had some admirable qualities as an explorer, most popular accounts of him today fail to highlight the significance of his crimes against Indigenous peoples. Columbus did not have an abundance of admirers during his time.

Many of his contemporaries despised these actions. As governor of Santo Domingo in Hispaniola, he was a despot who kept all profits for himself and his brothers and was loathed by the colonists whose lives he controlled.

Attempts were made on his life and he was actually sent back to Spain in chains at one point after his third voyage. During his fourth voyage , he and his men were stranded in Jamaica for a year when his ships rotted.

No one wanted to travel there from Hispaniola to save him. He was also dishonest and selfish. Those who voice disdain for anti-Columbus historians may feel like the explorer's legacy is shouldering the weight of crimes that not only he committed. It is true that he was not the only person who enslaved or killed Indigenous peoples, and perhaps written histories should more explicitly acknowledge this fact.

In this way, Columbus might then be more widely seen as one of several major explorers who collectively contributed to the decimation of Indigenous civilizations in the New World. Straus, Jacob R. Marr, John S. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads.

Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Table of Contents Expand. The Myth of Christopher Columbus.

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain? Additional References. Christopher Minster. In recent years, there have been calls to unmask the false celebrity of Columbus. Indeed, some cities have denounced the holiday in favor of celebrating the contributions and sacrifices of indigenous peoples. Many tribal Indian governments remain open on Columbus Day as a form of protest.

But in all honesty, I am not sure how we should deal with the memory of Columbus. I believe we should remember the horrific truth about the man and his contributions to opening the doors to colonization. This country remains in deep denial about its origins. I constantly hear from non-natives that we Indians need to just get over the past.