Christopher Columbus American Hero Or Portuguese Idiot

Essay, Research Paper

As the vessel bounces lazily across the waves, a man sitting amidships on the crow’s nest cries out. “Land, Ho!” he says in a state of dumbfounded excitement. After almost a year at sea, their fateful voyage was reaching a conclusion. A stately man walks out of the cabin and surveys the situation. He is Christopher Columbus, Portuguese explorer. Some say he was one of the greatest men that ever lived. He discovered the “New World” and brought riches back to his lieges in Spain. These people are wrong. He was an idiot.

Chris Columbus was an idiot for many reasons. Most of them include his sheer stupidity. How could one come to a land, lands that had never been seen before, and say it was one that was well known? To come to the Americas and declare them to be the Indies is just stupid. Observe the terrain and it is obviously not India. The lush coastline with its coniferous forests and date palms, trees that do not exist in India. Further study of the vegetation would have revieled that the fruits, vegetables, and herbs present did not come close to resembling those found in India. The Indian region was well known for it’s unique spices. These spices were not to be found in the Americas.

Perhaps that mental error could be overlooked when studying Columbus’ persona. Others may not be so easy. He got off his boats and started to explore. He encountered natives of these new lands. He figures since this is India, these must be Indians. These so called “Indians” were not Indians at all. They were Native Americans. People belonging to local tribes of Iroquois, Cheyenne, Aztec, and Mayans. They resembled Indians in no way at all. Their facial structures are different, they speak a different language, and they worship a different religion.

Okay, so Columbus didn’t no the Indian people that well, a situation which is completely understandable. Proceed farther into this expedition in idiocy and one finds more evidence of not being in India. Observe the climate. The climate of India is dry, hot, and arid. The lands are parched. The climate in the Americas, on the other hand, is mild, breezy, moist, and very moderate. Quite different from the climate found in the Indian region of the world. The weather patterns were also immensely different. India usually suffers from drought conditions for most of the year. When it does rain, it is during monsoon season. The storms are harsh and brutal. Flooding is not uncommon. The weather in the Americas is moist and lush. Rainstorms happen at least once every two weeks, and they are usually just a light, easy rain.

Upon review, it is easily determinable that Columbus was not a bright man. Give him credit for discovering the New World. Give him credit for proving the world was not flat, and that circumnavigation was quite possible. He was a great man. But the fact remains. Only an idiot would ignore all the identifying factors, the overwhelming evidence and call the Americas India. Give credit where credit is due, and place a blame of stupidity where deserved.