The Discovery of Christopher Columbus

“In 1492 he sailed the ocean blue..” we’ve all heard this saying. Christopher Columbus has always received credit for the founding of America, but does he deserve it? Before Columbus even thought about discovering the “new world” there were already people here so why does he get the credit. America was already home to over a million natives. Although Columbus does deserve credit for bringing some things to the new world he did not discover America!

Does he deserve it? Well to start Columbus was actually looking for a new route to Asia, he thought if he went west he could reach it because he assumed the circumference of the earth was much smaller. When he sailed west instead of finding a new route to Asia he “discovered america”, that’s what you think Columbus actually discovered what we now call the Bahamas. Did you know Columbus never actually stepped foot on North America? But there was a viking explorer who did years before.

Leif Ericson, ever heard of him? Well his dad Erik the Red actually founded Greenland which is located in Canada. He actually stepped foot on North American soil and made settlement. Columbus didn't even step foot on North American soil and even if Columbus actually did he still did not deserve the credit because Erik actually saw American. Almost 500 years before Columbus Leif Ericson began settlement in America. Leif Ericson settled in a region he called Vinland which is now present day Greenland. Not only did Ericson settle, but he actually began to grow and use some of our main resources today. Ericson was later forced to leave due to war with the natives, which is why Columbus thought he discovered America.

So yes Columbus did discover some American islands but let's talk about the troubles he brought along with him. Nearly 90% of Native Americans were killed by diseases such as smallpox, measles, and the flu because they were not immune. Not only were the diseases killing these people he later forced the natives to work on plantations, search for gold, and not to mention that he also sent many natives to be “servants” and sold in Spain. Many of those natives died on the trip to Spain. And to give credit where credits is due Columbus did start one huge trade system in which bought many great but bad things to the New World. Many crops and animals were introduced, but slavery was also started which had a very negative affect that continued many years later.

As you can see there is a lot of controversy about the foundings of America. But one thing is for sure Columbus definetly did not discover America. We may not know exactly who found America and when, but many explorers were here before. Erik the Red and Leif Ericson his son touched the mainland at least 500 years before. Columbus did start a trading system that benefited and bought America down in many ways.He may have also seen some islands in which people were already there. Although Columbus does deserve credit for bringing some things to the new world he did not discover America!