Colombus Blog #8

Should Christopher Columbus be considered a hero or villain?

Although Columbus was given credit for many marvelous things that changed out world, he is not the hero he is put out to being. He is both a hero and a villain, yet he is more of a villain due to the credit he takes and actions he takes toward others. When Columbus and his crew set out for America, it was said that the first man to spot land would be awarded a yearly pension of 10,000 maravedis for life. But Columbus took this award from another man by the name of Rodrigo whom actually spotted the land while Columbus claimed he saw it and took credit for it. But there is more that Columbus did that showed his bad side. For when he arrived in the Americas, he immediately treated the natives like they were nothing. He just used them for information and his benefit. He took advantage of how open and willing to help and be there for these new "gods" the natives were to him and his people. He used these people for their gold, slaves, and took whatever he wanted from them. But this area was not filled with gold like was hoped so many of these natives were killed by the Spanish since they could not provide the Spanish the amount of gold they wanted. In two years, half the population of the native Indians on Haiti were dead. But even killing and taking advantage of them was not enough. When these Spanish people got tired they would make an Indian carry them to where they wanted to go, they would kill the Indians for fun and games. Then new families would not be created because husbands and wives would be separated for months at a time and when they were together they would be so tired from the work the Spanish made them do that they would not have more children, and the lack of necessities also made it so  that the kids that were born, were not as strong as most. Although people may see Columbus as a great seaman, or the one who discovered America, in the end, he was just one man obsessed with gold and money and would do whatever he could to get this and make his life happier and easier. Because of the glory he got, the deaths and awful ways he put the Indians through get over looked but not to people who truly know. Columbus is not necessarily the man told to be.