Christopher Columbus: Culture Intruder
Lijing Zhang
English 1110.01, TR 15:55 – 17:15
Professor: Dr. Cathy Ryan
Assignment: Annotated Bibliography
1) Christopher Minster, The Truth about Christopher Columbus. “Was Columbus a Hero or a Villain?”. Sep 08, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-truth-about-christopher-columbus-2136697
Note: “On the positive side, Columbus was a very talented sailor, navigator and ship captain. He bravely went west without a map, trusting his instincts and calculations. He was very loyal to his patrons, the King and Queen of Spain, and they rewarded him by sending him to the New World a total of four times. While he took slaves from those tribes that fought him and his men, he seems to have dealt relatively fairly with those tribes that he befriended, such as that of Chief Guacanagari.”
Abstract: One thing we cannot deny is that Columbus was truly a brave man who was not afraid of breaking the social norm, because he believed that earth is round, but not plat. Also, because of his great talent in sailing, he could finish the four voyages, which might even be hard for people nowadays with the navigational technology at that time.
2) “What are facts about Christopher Columbus?”, http://biography.yourdictionary.com/articles/some-facts-about-christopher-columbus.html
Note: “Part of the bargain he struck with the Spanish court was:
If he discovered any islands or lands, he would be richly rewarded when he returned.
He would be given the rank of Admiral of the Ocean Sea.
He would be made Viceroy and Governor of all the new lands.
He would receive 10% of any revenues the lands produced.
If any industries were established, he would be allowed to purchase a 1/8 interest and receive 1/8 of the profit.”
Abstract: From these facts, we can know that Columbus’s primary purpose of getting finance from royal family and heading to east was not finding new land at all, but we can see his ambition of getting more money and power from the land he discovered. This is the reason why he was so enthusiastic of those four voyages.
3) “What are facts about Christopher Columbus?”, http://biography.yourdictionary.com/articles/some-facts-about-christopher-columbus.html
Note: “In 1495, Columbus enslaved 560 people against the wishes of the King and Queen. He shipped them to Spain. Around 200 died on the trip and half of the rest were ill. They arrived in Spain in 1496. This was the beginning of slavery for the Spanish in the New World.” “Columbus had harsh methods – When he arrived, he started to control all of the land. He wanted to shape the Americas into a European society, and he did not want to necessarily integrate many of the Native American practices into his new society. In fact, he would kill – or have his men – kill the Natives if he felt that they were being too unruly.”
Abstract: This is what he did after his second voyage, and his cruel and slavery personality started to show up. Because he split those happy families, and force them to go to a totally strange place. Also, he started to refuse the willingness of the King and Queen.
4) “What are facts about Christopher Columbus?”, http://biography.yourdictionary.com/articles/some-facts-about-christopher-columbus.html
Note: “Columbus was not the first European to reach the American continent – Norse Vikings had traveled throughout northern Africa, eastern Europe, and the Middle East in the 900s. In 986, Bjarni Herjolfsson was sailing from Norway to Iceland and then on to Greenland. On the way, a storm blew him off track and he saw a land with hills and forests. Word of the new land spread, so in the year 1000, Leif Eriksson set out with 35 men to sail to this new land.”
Abstract: For now, we think that Columbus’s biggest contribution is finding the “New World”, but the truth is someone had arrived at the American continent before Columbus. Also, we should notice that this discovery even cannot be called as a “discovery”. Because so many people had already existed there, and what Columbus found was just the natives’ home. We can say that it is just a place where no one knew before.
