Another achievement that Columbus is awarded is the spread of Christianity, more specifically, the spread of Catholicism. Coming from a religious nation, King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth were in full support of the spread of Catholicism. Many Catholic head figures, including Pope Leo XIII praised Columbus for bringing the truth to the Natives. Although the spread of religion can be seen as a good thing, his actions were harmful towards the Indigenous people. Columbus forced the Natives to convert to Christianity and begin practicing this new religion against their desires. Who’s to say that the Natives wanted to practice Catholicism? In order to advance is personal gains, Columbus disregarded the interest of the Natives and forced them to practice a foreign religion. “By his toil . . . hundreds of thousands of mortals have, from a state of blindness, been raised to the common level of the human race, reclaimed from savagery to gentleness and humanity, and, greatest of all, by the acquisition of those blessings of which Jesus Christ is the Author, they have been recalled from destruction to eternal life.” The idea that Columbus did the Natives a favor by bringing religion to them is what pro-Columbus advocates use to continue the praise of his actions. The Natives are painted as savages that needed to be shown the truth, but this idea gives justification where it cannot be–the actions taken by Columbus cannot be justified.
“The Catholic Venture of Christopher Columbus.” Catholicism.org, 10 Oct 2016,
Catholicism.org/Columbus.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2017.
