Christopher Columbus discovers what will later be called “America”

Historical Context Essay

Robert Clark (The Literary Encyclopedia)

The Literary Encyclopedia. WORLD HISTORY AND IDEAS: A CROSS-CULTURAL VOLUME.

Domains

Colonialism and colonisation
Exploration

Dates

Date of occurrence 1492-10-11

Places

America (Location)
Spain (Involved)

Resources

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Recommended Reading

Christopher Columbus is conventionally regarded as a hero of the Western world, and certainly he deserves fame for his successes as a navigator and tenacity as an expedition leader. However, anyone who reads the

History of the Indies

by Bartholmé de las Casas (1474-1566), or his

Short Account of the Destruction of the Indians

, 1542, must find such admiration conditioned by the horrible consequences of Columbus's discovery. Columbus was bent on finding a Western route from Europe to the East Indies, and the lure for himself and for his backers in Spain, notably King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, was gold and spices. Columbus was to have 10% and be governor of the new found lands. Having landed in the Bahamas, his expedition of three small ships moved on to Cuba, and then to Hispaniola…

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1353 words

Citation: Clark, Robert. "Christopher Columbus discovers what will later be called “America”". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 February 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=281, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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Christopher Columbus discovers what will later be called “America”

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