Rylee Grant
Dr. Stanek
History 117
27 October 2018
Christopher Columbus’s Voyage
Throughout time, we have celebrated Christopher Columbus “Discovering” America. As far as time goes, children tales were disclosed about heroic acts Columbus set forth. These tales included; the brave entrepreneur exploring the Americas, heroism at its finest, a wayward explorer founding the very land we live today. Utterly, those tall tales had one common ground. It failed to mention vastly important details on his voyage. In realism, those history textbooks and teachers leave out fundamental documented information on Columbus and his men true characteristics. As he arrived upon the Arawaks, the Europeans were ideally barbaric. They took the Arawaks in and treated them disgracefully. As each European stepped onto new soil, superiority grew inside. Additionally, there is a plethora of documentation containing how uncivilized Europeans were coming into contact with the Native Americans and the corrupt actions for power and wealth.
The first evidence of uncivilized contact began from the moment of greeting. As the men set ashore land, Arawaks came bearing great gifts, food, and water. In an article called, Columbus, Indians, and Human Progress said, “Columbus stated, ‘They… brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things… they willingly traded everything the owned..’” (Columbus, Indians, and Human Progress 3). Columbus saw this as a great advantage and collected their makings. In addition to, further capturing ten Arawaks to be sold as slaves in Spain on his first travel, this was just the beginning of a exponentially, horrid, European expansion. What Columbus needed, he got. “At one part of the island, he got into a fight with Indians who refused to trade as many bows and arrows as his men wanted. Two Arawaks were run through with swords and bled to death” ( Columbus, Indians, and Human Progress 5). This was just the many unjust acts done to the Arawaks."Among the Arawaks, mass suicides began, with cassava poison. Infants were killed to save them from the Spaniards" (Pg. 7). Arawaks began killing themselves to protect from the unspeakable acts. Reproduction was stopped out of fear. The life the Arawaks once knew, vanished in the midsts of Columbus.
Besides the brutality, they began to bring animals, plants, and insects. "After 1492 the world's ecosystems collided and mixed as European vessels carried thousands of species to new homes across the oceans." (Mann 7). It caused unsanitary hazards and biological defects. Diseases spread like wildfires. Men migrated from place to place avoiding creatures they came across. Animals trampled over the shrubs and plants, practically stomping to extinction. Food became scarce as resources were minimal. In contrary, Columbus could have worked alongside the Indians by using skills from both sides to create a superior land. The Arawaks obtained different resources that could have been of benefit instead of bringing over all kinds of things to damage the environment.
Ultimately the rise for dominance was not a shocking concept from the Europeans. “Spain was recently unified, one of the new modern nation-states, like France, England, and Portugal” (Columbus, Indians, and Human Progress 4). As new land was found, power was the overall intent. Land and gold was a massive wealth to the European Nations. At the time, the Roman Catholic Church controlled the Europeans and stopped at nothing for the upper hand. Columbus had the full authority to do anything he wanted, the rise for power was on. Soon after, he captured thousands of Arawaks to be slaves to Spain. They were sent back on ships across the Atlantic ocean, majority dead upon arrival, or sent to pan for gold and pick cotton. “In the year 1495, they went on a great slave raid, rounded up fifteen hundred Arawak men, women, and children…” (Columbus, Indians, and Human Progress 6). Greed and wealth can drive a person to do the most barbaric actions. Thousands and thousands of Arawaks were killed, raped, or beaten in the making of expansionism.
As we fast forward to present day, Columbus Day, is a holiday celebrated every year. Schools and jobs are canceled in celebration of Columbus. Thousands of people honor this day with yet a clear understanding of the true “discovery” of America. America is truly uneducated about the history of the manner between the Europeans and Natives. Columbus day should not be rewarded. Instead, a reminder and honor of the people, the Arawaks, who were tortured, died, beaten, and raped. After all, America is based on “we the people”. It is based on the land of the free. Ironically, the land founded by Columbus, treated the people far from free. We continue to celebrate this day for well over four hundred years now.
Uncivilized is defined as, not civilized or cultured; barbarous. Barbarous was just what Columbus and his men were. Corrupted by greed, power, and uncivilized morals, Columbus set voyage with thirty-nine passengers to luckily come across “new land”. Eventually, thirty-nine grew to thousands of passengers with one common goal, captivity. Tales are told throughout American history of a brave hero who founded our land. A monument is placed in his honor. Although Columbus did discover the Americas, the truth is hidden behind what the people want to hear rather then what the people need to hear.