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Columbus had people stationed at La Navidad and La Isabela on Hispaniola so that was his base. The Spanish and Columbus probably were aware of what the Portuguese were up to -- Vasco de Gama reached Calcutta in 1498 by sailing around Africa. Calcutta, Cuba and Hispaniola are almost at the same latitude and Columbus was finding things that made him think he was in the right neighborhood. He was where wanted to be -- he didn't know the Pacific Ocean even existed.
Christopher Columbus, sincerely believed the islands and parts of Central America and Venezuela he discovered were the large Islands off the Eastern shore of Asia (or the East Indies). The rich lands of Asia (ie. China and India) lay just a little farther to the West. But Columbus was wrong. This is why it was left up to an Italian Map maker Amerigo Vespucci who probably never set eyes on this new world to recognize it was not the East Indies but a new continent which he drew on his new map . He chose to call it America for obvious reasons.
It is rather ironic that our nation is named after some map maker hundreds of years ago....
U.S. = "The United Countries of random Italian map maker"
He traveled 4 times from Spain in search for a Western route to Asia yet he keeps hanging out in the same places. Why didn't he sail South after discovering South America (Venezuela) on his 3rd trip?
I would have a lot more respect for him if he completed his original mission.
I have no respect for this man at all.. He raped pillaged and committed genocide all for gold. I can't see how anyone who reads his journals can not be sick to their stomach.... The Carib Indians gave him shelter food and their daughters... He gave them the sword and slavery ..
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You know I believe Columbus was a product of his time especially in beliefs on 'peoples'. We have to remember that he was working on many rigid assumptions of what he could expect on his voyages to the 'Indies' when it came to meeting other 'cultures'. One assumption was that he being 'European' was superior to whatever he would come in contact with.
I have no respect for this man at all.. He raped pillaged and committed genocide all for gold. I can't see how anyone who reads his journals can not be sick to their stomach.... The Carib Indians gave him shelter food and their daughters... He gave them the sword and slavery ..
He did the same things that every "explorer" has done throughout history. The entire history of the human race is a series of one group pillaging another. We're still doing it today.
I have no respect for this man at all.. He raped pillaged and committed genocide all for gold. I can't see how anyone who reads his journals can not be sick to their stomach.... The Carib Indians gave him shelter food and their daughters... He gave them the sword and slavery ..
You have to understand that people today are a thousand times more meek and civilized than even 100 years ago. The idea of invading a foreign land and slaughtering women and children wouldn't even have phased someone in his days, and even today there are groups that still do that. However in our minds we see that such an act is cruel. We read history through the lens of our current viewpoints.
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