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The Moral Characters Of Christopher Columbus

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Christopher Columbus accepted the only offer he received to start his journey across the ocean to prove his round-earth theory. Columbus, determined to find a new route to India, set sail in 1492. However, instead of India, Columbus landed in a “New World” that he claimed for the country of Spain. The crew aboard Columbus’ ship, and Columbus himself, set out to explore and learn more about their newly claimed lands. After uncovering the island had inhabitants, Columbus and his crew interacted with the natives of the land. During the time that Columbus spent on the island, he recorded, in a journal, his thoughts on the land. Many people believe that he elaborated when describing the area, the natives, and the resources it offers. This led to the questioning of Columbus’ moral character. Inspecting three different sources--Columbus’s Journal, Walt Whitman’s “Prayer of Columbus,” and Joaqin Miller’s “Columbus”-- Columbus’s moral character gets scrutinized. On October 21, 1492, Columbus made landfall in the “New World” and exploration of the new land commenced. Throughout the journey, Columbus kept a journal full of his thoughts and impressions on this new land. After examining the journal entries, many people can see how Columbus seemed motivated to exaggerate when he described the “New World”. With a promise of wealth, Columbus strived to prove of the new land’s worthiness: “It was a great affliction to me to be ignorant of their natures, for I am very certain they are all

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