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Luis de Torres, was Columbus' interpreter, and the first person from the Old World to step on to the New World.
The only known Jew (there were other Jews, but like Columbus, they hid their identities) on Columbus' voyage was Luis de Torres, though he had to be baptized shortly before sailing. Torres knew Hebrew, Aramaic and some Arabic.
Simon Wiesenthal speculates in "Sails of Hope" that "after the landfall in America, the first words addressed to the natives were Hebrew."
What is known for sure is that Torres was the first European settler in the New World. He set up his own small empire in Cuba, after leading an expedition into its interior and winning the friendship of the Indian ruler.
As an independent ruler of Spanish territory, Torres received an annual allowance from the Spanish royal family.
Im not sure Columbus deserves a day. Not because of political correcness, how the Spanish treated the Indians or anything like that. I dont think he deserves a day in his honor simply because he was wrong, and he was not really the first European explorer in the Americas. Lief Ericson is the first, that is a solid historical fact. He beat Columbus by 400 years. The viking settlement in Labrador is solid concrete proof of this fact. More importantly Columbus NEVER realized he had found an unknown continent. Even after the 4th voyage he STILL though Japan and India were right over the next wave. The fact that we call the native tribs of the Americas "Indians" is part of Colubuses blunder. He thought they were Indians, from India. Columbus deserves some credit for having the nerve to make the voyage, and for his navigation skills. This is tempered however by the fact that his stubborn nature never allowed him to see the facts clearly, and never to realize he was thousands of miles from Asia. Had the Vikings made thier stay permanent, we would be celebrating Lief Ericson day instead. He at least knew where he was going and what he was looking for.
Im not sure Columbus deserves a day. Not because of political correcness, how the Spanish treated the Indians or anything like that. I dont think he deserves a day in his honor simply because he was wrong, and he was not really the first European explorer in the Americas. Lief Ericson is the first, that is a solid historical fact. He beat Columbus by 400 years. The viking settlement in Labrador is solid concrete proof of this fact. More importantly Columbus NEVER realized he had found an unknown continent. Even after the 4th voyage he STILL though Japan and India were right over the next wave. The fact that we call the native tribs of the Americas "Indians" is part of Colubuses blunder. He thought they were Indians, from India. Columbus deserves some credit for having the nerve to make the voyage, and for his navigation skills. This is tempered however by the fact that his stubborn nature never allowed him to see the facts clearly, and never to realize he was thousands of miles from Asia. Had the Vikings made thier stay permanent, we would be celebrating Lief Ericson day instead. He at least knew where he was going and what he was looking for.
Actually, Kennewick Man beat Lief by thousands of years.
Nothing came of the abortive Norse settements whereas the efforts of Columbus had world changing effect. That's why Columbus is famous and Ericson less so.
Im not sure Columbus deserves a day. Not because of political correcness, how the Spanish treated the Indians or anything like that. I dont think he deserves a day in his honor simply because he was wrong, and he was not really the first European explorer in the Americas. Lief Ericson is the first, that is a solid historical fact. He beat Columbus by 400 years. The viking settlement in Labrador is solid concrete proof of this fact. More importantly Columbus NEVER realized he had found an unknown continent. Even after the 4th voyage he STILL though Japan and India were right over the next wave. The fact that we call the native tribs of the Americas "Indians" is part of Colubuses blunder. He thought they were Indians, from India. Columbus deserves some credit for having the nerve to make the voyage, and for his navigation skills. This is tempered however by the fact that his stubborn nature never allowed him to see the facts clearly, and never to realize he was thousands of miles from Asia. Had the Vikings made thier stay permanent, we would be celebrating Lief Ericson day instead. He at least knew where he was going and what he was looking for.
It's kind of a pointless argument. The entire world changed because of Columbus's discovery, whether or not he recognized the magnitude of his accomplishment. Meanwhile the Vikings did nothing with their discoveries.
Blame that on "Climate Change" -- the Little Ice Age, beginning in 1300 -- that forced the Norse to abandon their settlements, first in North America, and later in Greenland.
It's kind of a pointless argument. The entire world changed because of Columbus's discovery, whether or not he recognized the magnitude of his accomplishment. Meanwhile the Vikings did nothing with their discoveries.
That's true, but then again, the Vikings weren't making voyages for the same reason as Columbus. When they did set up their colony in Greenland (which survived for four centuries), it was purely for purposes of colonization, not for the greater glory of a particular king, queen or church.
Columbus, while he didn't realize where he was, certainly did recognize something of the magnitude of his accomplishment. He asked for, and was granted, the title of Lord Admiral of the Ocean Sea because of it!
@Manolon - Despite your obvious hatred for everything Viking, what exactly were they "plundering" in their North American settlements? It seems like outside of raising livestock and farming they weren't doing much else and certainly weren't raiding anyone for S&G's.
Columbus is an interesting character to me. His myth has far exceeded the man himself. His "discovery" changed the world, but he himself had little to do with it. His calculations were all wrong regarding the size of the Earth and distance to the Far East. If America hadn't been in the way, Columbus would have just been another man who went looking and never came back. He died believing that he had reached Asia, never accepting that this was a new land. Also, the tales of his personal actions while governor of the "New World" show him to be cruel and tyrannical.
I'm not against honoring the moment, but I don't agree with honoring the man.
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