Blog #9: Was Columbus a Hero or Villain?

Christopher Columbus was both a hero and a villain, but he was slightly more of a hero than a villain. For one thing, he was a skilled navigator and explorer. He made four separate trips across the Atlantic Ocean, all on dangerous and . He also had advanced knowledge of Atlantic currents and was willing to take incredible risks. Most people believed that attempting to sail to Asia would be suicide, yet Columbus was still willing to lead an expedition. While Columbus was not the first European to discover America, he was the first to actually explore the continent. By becoming the first European in America, Columbus shaped history and directly led to the foundation of the United States. In the long run, Columbus created a bridge between the Americas and Europe, where plants, medicine, culture, wealth, and ideas could be spread across the continents. Christopher Columbus was a hero due to his success in uniting the European and American continents. To a lesser extent, Columbus was also a villain. Columbus was responsible for the genocide of Native Americans, and almost single-handedly decimated the native population of Haiti. However, Columbus' contributions to history barely outweigh these atrocities.

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Christopher Columbus

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Manifest Destiny

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