Christopher Columbus is an important figure to United States history. He was an Italian explorer and navigator. He sailed the seven seas and was “credited” for the discovery of the Americas. He was also the first to make a successful round-trip voyage across the Atlantic. Without him we may not be where we are to this day. Christopher Columbus represents a turning point in World History for many reasons, specifically in his actions as an explorer, his influence on the economy, and the Columbian Exchange.
As an explorer, Christopher Columbus did many things that shaped who he was as a person. Columbus’ role as an explorer led to many things like the discovery of the Americas, opening of trade routes, and conquering of the Aztecs. In 1492 he began his first voyage of the many. He led his three ships the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. When they set sail his goal was to get to Asia to seek for Gold, Glory and God. A big thing that has impacted the world at this time was his discovery of the Americas. Columbus was trying to find a direct water route from West Europe to Asia, but he never did. Although he stumbled upon the Americas, it ended up playing a significant role in world history becoming the most prominent continent in the world for many years.
While on each voyage, he learned and memorized the different routes that they had taken on their journeys, opening new trade routes. This southern “trade” eventually fueled the boats that would bring goods to the modern world. The opening of the trade routes led to a significant impact in the Columbian exchange. By discovering these trade routes, the new and old world can now trade within one another and can get people from one place to another. When Columbus failed to gain support from Portugal, he then moved to Spain, while in Spain he succeeded to win the support of the Catholic Monarchs. His voyage of 1492 made his famous across the Europe and earned himself a title “Admiral of the Ocean Sea”.
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This fame helped him gain royal support on the rest of his voyages before he had died in 1506. In 1493, on his second voyage that departed from Cadiz he had sailed 17 ships and they were all filled with soldiers, farmers, craftsman, and priests that were willing to set sail and establish the first colonies in America. This then led to the Spanish having the fight, conquer, and enslave other groups that were settled in the New world, but the most interesting empires with many riches were the Incan and the Aztec empires. The Spanish eventually conquered the Aztecs and gained riches, and treasures with the help of Hernan Cortez.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus was convinced that he had found an Asian island, but instead, he had landed in the Caribbean which was the Bahamas, discovering the new world. This led to one of the most critical events in history called the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange was the trade between the Americas, Western Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th century. This discovery also opened new trade routes that then led to trade for the new and old world. The Columbian exchange was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, crops, culture, and diseases. The ancient world gained many crops that were a staple to their society such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, maize, and cassava.
The new world also gained many staple crops to their society such as sugar and coffee. Although there were many gains to this, there were even more losses. When Columbus founded the New world, he wasn’t alone. When he came, the Europeans had followed him and not it created problems such as the spread of diseases. European contact started from just smallpox all the way to the black death. European brought viruses and diseases like smallpox, measles, typhus, and cholera. Due to all the trading of goods, this had affected the new world as well and caused an epidemic plague. Native Americans had no immunity and caused them to die even faster than they should. The main thing that the Columbian exchange did was increase the world human population.
The trade of both worlds lured people into coming because of the new crops, technology, and most of all culture. Another significant aspect of the Columbian exchange was the spread of culture especially bring new ideas and practices to one another. A multitude of slaves and settlers came to the continent to explore and hope to find a better life. The Columbian Exchange was a remarkable event that was a turning point in World history and was all created just by Columbus and his voyages.
Columbus’ voyages has made a significant influence on the economy like money income for Europeans, extraction of natural resources, and created general awareness for the Americas. When Columbus discovered America, and the Columbian exchange was brought up. This helped the economy financially with the exchange between the new and old worlds. Due to the trading within each other both economies gain goods but even more money. The people of the continent demanded for more and more crops which leaded up to more income for the Europeans. A lot of damage from the extraction of natural resources impacted the indigenous peoples and cultures from the western hemispheres.
One of the first natural resources that were taken from these Americans were gold. Christopher Columbus was getting his resources of gold from a guy named Arawak, eventually they had run out of all the gold, he had turned to themselves as resources and started selling them as slaves. Many “slaves” suffered because abuse and killing in the resource industries and government policies had to support them. For many of the indigenous people they lost their land, and barley had any resources to survive on land. Their land eventually went to waste including all water and natural resources. Columbus also created general awareness for the Americas, by his four voyages across the Atlantic ocean.
Christopher Columbus is glorified all over the world due to his contributions of exploration. Several nations celebrate a holiday called Columbus Day, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas on October 12th, 1492. America, many countries in Latin America, the Bahamas, Spain, and several South American countries celebrate Christopher Columbus’s Achievements. In many cities and states, they didn’t officially celebrate this holiday till the 18th century. This holiday officially became a holiday in 1937. This holiday is a way of both honoring Colombus’ achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage. Colombus day is a big holiday that we celebrate with parades, parties, and just taking the day to remember the person who discovered where we live.
Christopher Columbus represents a significant shift in world history in the past and even to this day. Without him, we might not be where we are today and being able to live where we do. He sailed across the Atlantic and is credited for the discovery of America. Christopher Columbus represents a turning point in World History for many reasons, specifically in his actions as an explorer, his influence on the economy, and the Columbian Exchange. Through this he has made huge impacts to our world. His actions as an explorer went from finding new trade routes all the way to helping take on the Aztecs and conquering them. Columbus had a huge impact on the economy because he had helped with money income, extraction of natural resources, and he created general awareness for the Europeans about the Americas. Lastly, the Columbian exchange took part of more than half of a shift in world history from diseases to trading horses. These things were just some of the things that Christopher Colombus partook in and represents how he shifted world history.
