Most people are taught at school that Columbus is one of the greatest heroes of western civilization. For a lot of people, he not only discovered America but introduced the arts, law and religion to the primitive tribes of the New World. 1.Which view is more reliable? In the 15th century, the Portuguese were one of the most powerful nations on earth. By the end of the century, they were sailing further and further into the Atlantic, in search of a new route to India. 2. It seemed the most sensible thing to do, but the journey was much further than they thought. No European before had deliberately sailed ships away from land, with no certainty of getting back home safely.
In 1492 Columbus sailed west with three small ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. After three weeks, on October 12, Columbus and his crew arrived at an island in the Bahamas inhabited by the Indians. 3. Columbus wrote in his Diary: “They brought us parrots and balls of cotton, and many other things.”
When the gold Columbus found was not enough, he made the natives into slaves. Columbus thought the Indians were gentler and more intelligent than he had expected. 4. During his later voyages to the Caribbean he imposed terrible punishment on the Indians.
Five hundred years later, Christopher Columbus remains an enigma. He clearly had a strong desire for riches.5. However, his attempt to create a colony was disastrous.