Christopher Columbus attempt to find a quick route to Asia resulted in a failure of epic proportions: Columbus failed to find Asia and, instead, began one of the longest and most prolific examples of cultural repression in history. Columbus, along with those who followed him to the ‘New World’ brought with them a fundamental belief in cultural superiority that defined the European invasion and infestation. These attitudes had a significant and long-term impact on the native cultures and provided the Europeans with justification for the position of power of which they grabbed hold. The Europeans, however, owe the Native Americans a great debt of gratitude: without the Native Americans, Europeans would have either starved or left for lack of …show more content…
“[New monarchs in Europe] built royal bureaucracies and standing armies and navies. [They] found support among the increasingly wealthy merchants…This alliance between commerce and political power was another important development that prepared the way for European expansion.” (Faragher 28-9) These alliances paved the way for the expeditions of Columbus, etc. French expeditions in the north opened up a fur trade between the Native Americans and the Europeans. “[T]he fur trade was essentially an unequal exchange, with furs selling in Europe for ten or twenty times what Indians received for them. [Further,] European epidemic disease soon followed in the wake of the traders, and violent warfare broke out between tribes over access to hunting grounds…Indians grew dependent upon European suppliers.” (Faragher 39-40) With France engaging the financial benefits of the northern section of the New World and Spanish and Portuguese trading in the central and southern sections, England saw fit to join the fray. “In a state paper written for the queen, the scholar Richard Hakluyt summarized the advantages that would come from the colonies: they would provide bases from which to raid the Spanish in the Caribbean, commercial outposts for the Indian market and English goods, and plantations for growing tropical products, freeing the nation from a reliance on the long-distance trade with
In 1492, Christopher Columbus embarked on his journey to what he thought was India. Little did he know, he would first end up in The Caribbean, and later discover what is now known as the Americas. England, Spain, and France would soon try and conquer the New World and the Native American’s in it. Each of these countries interactions with the Native’s were different, but would affect their culture and way of living in some way. Columbus’ discovery of the Natives forced interaction between Europeans and the indigenous people of the Americas.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed west and found himself on the shores of a new world. His mission was to secure new land for Spain. Other European countries heard of his findings, they too crossed the ocean in hopes of securing new opportunities in this newly discovered land such as fur trading and gold mining. Little did they know that a community of indigenous people had already settled in this land thousands of years before. The Europeans decided to negotiate with the natives in order to set up their own communities in the land but the Native Americans held beliefs about society and religion that were far different from their European peers. Europeans thought the Indians to be “Noble Savages, gentle and friendly, but uncivilized, brutal, and barbaric” (citation). They could not see past their own
When Columbus sailed on August 3rd, 1492, he did not expect to discover a new land, and a new type of civilization that had previously never been known to exist. As shown in the textbook he was expecting to discover a new trade route to Asia. The natives to the Americas
Closely followed by Columbus’ “discovery” of the New World in 1492 were the establishments of European colonies with the French primarily in the north and down the Mississippi, and with the British along the east coast. As a result, the Native Americans’ lives changed drastically. Before 1750, in terms of economically, French responded mutually in terms of economy, culturally befriended them and in terms of religion, responded benignly by encouraging Catholicism through missionaries and on were on the best terms with the Natives; the British by contrast, economically
During the 1400’s, a physical connection was made between Europe and the Native Americans by Christopher Columbus. Today, he is looked upon as a hero for discovering the land that the United States of America currently occupies. Beneath the glorified image of Columbus, there lies something much darker that people often overlook. Although Columbus began the migration of Europeans to America, he did not discover it first. In addition, the new formed connection between the Europeans and the Americas paved way for the genocide of many of the indigenous people.
During the 15th century, the Columbian exchange brought America and Europe new ways to increase their populations. Europeans used these new ways to find opportunities for economic gain in America, which led to the establishment of several colonies in America by the British government. The ambitions and developments of Virginia together with the push for mercantilism in New England, clearly shows that the British colonies were established for economic gain.
More than five hundred years ago, in the year of 1492, the famed Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic to the Bahama Islands and discovered the New World. This expedition required bravery, determination, and an open mind. Although he had these positive traits, he had antagonistic ones as well. Columbus’s character implied what Americans are like today. To begin, Columbus possessed positive and negative traits.
Native Americans played an immensely important part in the history of the United States. Without them, many of the early European settlers would not have been able to survive on their own in the “New World” with the constant famines, diseases, and fighting with one another. The Native Americans, however, had their kindness returned by the plagues and war which led to their near-annihilation. The common view of the matter is that Columbus and the Europeans were wholly responsible for the misfortunes that befell the Natives, and although it is a widely accepted idea, James Axtell presents a different perspective. He says the Native Americans played their own role in carving out the New World and ignoring that fact would result in the reduction of the Natives’ role to just passive victims. Axtell makes several claims about how their own actions contributed towards their end result, contradicting the commonly accepted thought. The evidence presented throughout his essay “Beyond 1492” helps to
The failing Economy of Europe was an important deciding factor for many colonizing the new world. Spanish settlements were primarily for finding precious metals and other resources to send back to Spain, using Indian labor for mining and anything else that needed to be done. Most countries were looking for gold or resources to send back home. Colonies in the West Indies and South Carolina grew sugar, other colonies grew tobacco. Due to that, they needed more labor for their plantations, giving the opportunity to more people to come over. Virginia had lumber, which was used to build ships, which were used to send other goods back to England. America became essential to international trade, and even had trade agreements with the Indians, which was one of the time they did benefit from colonization.
1492 was a momentous year throughout the settled and unsettled world. When Columbus left Spain he was in search of a new route to Asia and India. There was no notion in his mind or any of his fellow Spaniards that he would discover a completely new continent. He landed in what is now known to be the Bahamas. There he met the local natives, which he deemed “Indians.”
Again Columbus was met with another disgraceful defeat. After gaining audience with his home country, Italy, he was again denied. Only subsequent to this failure, was Columbus able to gain an audience with King Ferdinand of Spain and acquire the funding needed to begin his voyage. Not only did Columbus exhibit perseverance here, but also in his actual voyage. For months as he sailed toward an unknown future, the thought nagged him that he could be sailing his crew to their death (Davidson 27). This did not discourage Columbus, but only emboldened him as he thought of his months of campaigning for funding. In the face of a forthcoming time when trials and tribulation are eminent, it is important to acknowledge the lessons Columbus’ legacy teaches. We, as Americans, must persevere through the struggles and keep our foundation in the things we believe in. Columbus demonstrated this key characteristic through all his troubles and failures, which is evident in his chronicle. Following in the paths of Columbus, it is imperative to understand these words: When the world says, "’Give up,” Hope whispers, "’Try it one more time (Khurana 1)”
The first attempt by Christopher Columbus to chart a direct trading route from Spain to India was blocked by land previously unknown to Western Society. Assuming the possibility of sailing due east, rather than around the horn of Africa to reach India, Columbus ran into the West Indies of the Caribbean "discovering" the New World. This accidental initial contact in 1492 would set into motion monumental events in world history. For the next three centuries conquest, slavery, and colonization would create a blending and clashing of Native, European, and African cultures in this area of many islands and coastlines of South America, Central America, and North America. New cultures were created through the mingling of separate cultures due
October 12, 1492 is the day Christopher Columbus discovered America with his boats Niña, Pinta, and Sanata María from Spain through the blue ocean. For long days and nights, he sailed across the sea and when he spotted land; it was America! The End. What a beautiful ending, isn’t it? However, this is not the end, there is another side of the story; a darker, terrifying view that is scarcely taught or told. The story that doesn’t paint Christopher Columbus to be a hero so wonderful and praised, a hero who is brave and selfless, a hero who discovered America. The other perspective is filled with horror and disease, loss and labor, death and enslavement; this is the truth about Columbus’s exploration.
Columbus is a controversial figure. Instead of being seen as a hero for discovering the Americas, he is seen as a villain who invaded brought disease to the peaceful natives. The natives were hurt and nearly wiped out by the invasion and spread of a disease that the Europeans brought. Other people disagreed, saying that it was nonsense that Columbus discovered America. The land was already inhabited by Indians, who come from Asian descent. In the end, many historians see the “age of exploration” as more of a catastrophic invasion.
On one hand Europeans found in the New World the solution for their problems. The abundance of naturals resources such as plants, fruits, vegetable and animals that they never know brought trade and cultural exchanges between Europe, Asia, and Africa. These positive effects increased the power that Europeans need to dominate and control the trade among other countries and colonize the new land. in addition, Europeans not only dominated the items exchange among others countries, but also they supply the need of workforce by slaving people from West Africa. On the other hand, Native American had some advantages