Christopher Columbus and Response to Essay pgs. 594-595

Based on this essay, this coming era will change in that cultural interactions will now take place on a more global network, meaning that now the western hemisphere and Oceania will be more involved with the eastern hemisphere than before. Also, there will be much more contact between these areas in comparison to previous eras. In addition, Europe will be play a more dominant role in this period, looking to increase settlements in the east and west while their competitors, such as China and the Islamic states, limit outside influence. During this era, people will still interact commercially, culturally, and biologically through the spread of disease. They will also continue to establish trade routes to link the different parts of the globe. In addition, African slaves will remain as a source of labor, specifically for the Europeans who wish to send the slaves to the western hemisphere. Despite Europe's advances, they will not be as powerful as the other significant societies, such as China and India, since Europe will not appear as a threat to them.

There is a myth about Christopher Columbus in order to enhance his character. It is used to hide the fact that he mistreated and killed the tribes of the islands he discovered. He also appears more heroic through the myth since it draws out sympathy towards him. Based upon this fictitious story, we perceive him as being unappreciated and poor after presenting his findings. As a result, we feel sorry for Columbus because what he found was important and he deserved credit for it. However, in truth, the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, did provide rewards for Columbus's discoveries. He also was very wealthy after he finished voyaging. Even without the myth, Columbus can still be seen as a hero, but just as a hero with flaws. Every person has their faults, but it does not take away from the point that Columbus was the first to publicly display his discoveries of a "New World", which would in turn lead to other explorers to search the region as well. The myth's primary purpose is to hide the morally and politically corrupt actions of Columbus in order to make him appear more laudable.

We have a holiday for Columbus because even though he did not land on the North American continent, his venture into the west and discovery of the Caribbean islands and Central America led to other explorers to do the same. As a result of Columbus, explorers sailed into the western hemisphere and discovered South and North America. His well-documented and publicized accounts of his journey opened the doors for continued travel by other Europeans. In addition, we celebrate his courage in pursuing his notion of a westerly trade route to Asian markets. We also commend the fact that because he publicly presented his travels, he discovered the beginnings of a new continent for peoples of the eastern hemisphere. Additionally, we observe his bravery in publicly venturing into an area where he and other Europeans did not have much information on.