Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain

Christopher Columbus:

Hero Or Villain

By: Martin Boykin

Christopher Columbus can in no way, shape, or form be considered a hero. A hero is someone who performs good deeds for the sake of others and not for their own benefit. Christopher Columbus did not do a single good deed in any of his four voyages in the late 1400’s. Christopher Columbus was not the founder of the Americas we live in today because he did not set a single foot on these grounds, even if he did there were already the natives who inhabited the land. When he first sited land it was further down south in the Caribbean Islands. Christopher Columbus can be considered the enforcer of slavery. Slavery was already going on when he left Spain. However, the natives could be used for trade with other goods, this was known as the slave trade. He and his crew basically enslaved a whole race of men, women, and children. When Christopher Columbus discovered what he thought to be the “New World”, he had no idea that he would find a whole race of people. His intensions were to go out and find gold and spices to bring back to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in Spain.

Christopher Columbus made a total of four voyages in the span of twelve years, from 1492 to 1504. His voyage was not an easy one. He asked the king and queen several times for their finances to make the trip. Christopher Columbus eventually convinced them to allow him and his crew to go because he told them that he would discover a "back door" route to the riches of Asia, India and the “spice islands” - by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean instead of east. Christopher Columbus bought King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella gold, parrots, and spices to prove that he had actually found land. He also brought back with him the natives. While sailing back to Spain hundreds of natives died on Columbus’ three ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. The king and queen granted him more money for his next voyage.

Christopher Columbus was a very courageous and determined man, that he was, but his greed for money and gold is what drove him over the edge. It was said that the natives showed great hospitality to Columbus when he first arrived to the Caribbean Islands. They were thought to be very friendly people. Christopher Columbus made them into slaves anyway.