Christopher Columbus - the discoverer of America

INTRODUCTION

Christopher Columbus is widely known as the man who “discovered” America in 1492. His name is associated with exploration, bravery, and a turning point in world history. For centuries, Columbus was celebrated as a national hero, especially in Europe and the United States, where his voyages were seen as the beginning of a new era. Statues were erected in his honor, and a national holiday was created in the U.S. to commemorate his landing in the New World.
However, modern scholarship and public discourse have raised critical questions about Columbus’s legacy. Did he truly “discover” a continent already inhabited by millions of indigenous peoples? Should he be remembered as a pioneering explorer or as a symbol of colonization and oppression? The narrative of Columbus as a heroic figure often ignores the violent consequences of his expeditions—enslavement, exploitation, and the spread of deadly diseases among native populations. These contrasting perspectives have sparked debates in education, politics, and public memory.
Analyzing the story of Christopher Columbus is crucial for understanding not only the historical facts of the Age of Exploration but also the lasting impact of colonialism. This topic encourages critical thinking about how history is written, who it includes, and how national myths are constructed. In the context of country and linguistic studies, examining Columbus’s legacy reveals the deep cultural and ideological divisions that shape historical memory and identity across different societies.
The goal of this study is to examine the historical role and legacy of Christopher Columbus by analyzing both traditional and modern interpretations of his voyages, assessing their impact on world history, and exploring how different sources reflect changing views about his significance and the consequences of European colonization for indigenous peoples.
To achieve this goal there assigned the following tasks:
- To study the historical background and motivations behind Christopher Columbus’s voyages.
- To examine the details and outcomes of each of his four voyages to the New World.
- To explore the controversies and modern reassessment of Columbus’s legacy.
- To analyze literature reflecting various perspectives on Columbus.
- To draw conclusions about the historical significance and modern interpretation of his role as the “discoverer” of America. 
1. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS - THE DISCOVERER OF AMERICA.
1.1 Historical Background and Motivations

Christopher Columbus, born in Genoa (modern-day Italy) around 1451, was driven by a mix of personal ambition, economic interests, and a desire to spread Christianity. At the time, Europe was deeply involved in global trade and exploration, but many parts of the world, particularly Asia, remained largely unknown to Europeans. The desire to find new trade routes to Asia—especially to access valuable spices and silks—was a central motivation for Columbus's journey.
In the late 15th century, European powers like Spain and Portugal were expanding their influence, seeking alternative routes to Asia after the overland Silk Road became increasingly unsafe due to Turkish expansion. Columbus, who was familiar with maps and navigation, proposed a radical solution: rather than sailing around Africa, as the Portuguese had done, he suggested reaching Asia by sailing westward across the Atlantic Ocean. His theory was based on the miscalculation of the Earth’s size and the distance to Asia, which would later prove to be a crucial mistake.[5]
In 1492, Columbus gained the support of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II of Spain. They had recently completed the Reconquista, which was the military campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule. With their national agenda focused on unity and expansion, the monarchs were eager to fund Columbus’s expedition, hoping it would bring riches and influence to Spain, and also allow them to compete with Portugal, which had already established maritime routes around Africa.
Columbus’s goal was also fueled by religious motives. The Age of Exploration coincided with the rise of Christianity in Europe, and many explorers saw their missions as a form of spreading the Christian faith. Columbus himself believed that his voyages were divinely inspired and that his discoveries were part of a greater plan for the spread of Christianity in the East. In fact, he often referred to his mission as a "holy war" against non-Christian nations.
Columbus set sail on August 3, 1492, with three ships—the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María—across the Atlantic. He believed that Asia was just a short distance away, but after more than two months of sailing, he reached land on October 12, 1492, in the Bahamas, believing it was an island off the coast of Asia. His voyages would eventually lead to the opening of the Americas to European exploration and colonization, though Columbus himself did not realize he had discovered a new continent.[3]
While Columbus's motivations were driven by a blend of economic, political, and religious factors, the consequences of his actions—both positive and negative—would forever shape the world, marking the beginning of European imperialism in the Americas.