Christopher Columbus Blog #9
In my opinion, Christopher Columbus should be considered more of a villain than a hero. While exploring as a conquistador, Columbus was searching for 'God, Gold, and Glory' at any cost. This means that the local inhabitants of the land he discovered were usually killed or enslaved. He would force the "Indians" to work on sugar plantations or in the mines. When he himself did not kill or enslave them, he would often trade them or sell them. This behavior can be said to have led to the extinction of native peoples in the new world, because of the fact that many Indians died within a few years of enslavement due to hard conditions. Columbus also exaggerated the amount of 'discovered' gold in order to repay debt for his first voyage. Although many know Christopher Columbus as a hero in discovering the New World, he had a hidden side and was responsible for the mass enslavement and genocide of many people.
