Christopher Columbus DBQ Essay
Christopher Columbus sailed the sea for miles. The year was 1492 when Columbus and his crew set sail towards East Asia to find a new trade route with the west indies. After many years of finding a country to fund his voyage finally the Spanish government agreed to fund his trip. Months later Columbus landed on what he thought was East Asia but then discovered that he landed in the Bahamas. After this grand discovery Christopher Columbus was named a hero by many but a hero must be a courageous person that demonsted good deeds and inspired others, but Christopher Columbus was not a hero but instead a villain that claimed he started a new civilization. He instead changed the culture that had existed for thousands of years. Columbus also
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Columbus does not deserve the credit of being called a hero because he did not start a new civilization. In fact, “American Indian people have been on this continent at least 10,000 years, and scientists have proven that numerous other explorers had arrived on this continent from other parts of the world long before Columbus.” (Document 3). Instead of forming a new civilization with the American Indians instead he invaded their land, changed their culture and how they lived he indeed did not start a new civilization.
Additionally, Christopher Columbus enslaved and mistreated the natives. Not only did Christopher Columbus change the culture of the natives but actually tortured them. Columbus used the natives for his own use. “Throughout his years in the Americas, Columbus forced natives to work for the sake of profits. Later, he sent thousands of Taino “Indians” to Spain to be sold, and many of them died during the journey.” (Document 8) Christopher Columbus didn't just enslave the natives, but he also killed many. Columbus also had taken actions against his fellow crewmates for which he was