The Discovery of the New World
The essence of Columbus as the founder of the ‘New World’ is aligned with the moments that followed the America’s discovery. Although there were other Europeans who had visited the American land, Columbus is honored to have influenced an enduring legacy towards the discovery of the new world. The invention of America’s awareness attributed to a new world based on the aspects that it unfolded the existence of a group of new things and created a substantial base of new possibilities (Christian 49). However, it is debatable that the new world was not significant to everyone rather the beneficiaries of the accompanying opportunities depended on one's cognitive power. The new world did not deride the attributes of the former world since the old world is considered to be the determiner of what is consisted in the new world (Vera 299). For instance, the value of America after 1492 was determined by components of the former and expectations of the explorers.
Columbus like any other learner believed that the Earth was a circle and so, he intended to sail to the East from Europe through the west. However, the landmass that rests on his way hindered him from reaching the East. His perceptions, as a result, made him believe he had landed in India, which he named "West Indies" and the people he got into contact within the land as "Indians." Columbus had excellent thoughts concerning India in regards to what he expected from the Indies. According to his thoughts, the Indies were rich people owing to a variety of resources including gold, spices, pearls, and silver. He considered the stretch between the Arctic and the Indian Ocean as the lead to their wealth. He had expected to find people of faith, people who devalue detrimental values including hatred and greediness. To his realization, the Indians modeled a diverse culture which differed from the European system which shared a common culture (Young 51). The Indians had different cultures, and also their economies differed from one another since activities differed from one culture to another.
Impacts of Columbus Discovery
Europe
Economic turmoil stands as the most significant impact of Columbus discovery upon the Europe. Medieval Europe considered land to be a source of its wealth considering that property owners believed in renting their land in exchange for service and a portion of the produce from the renters. Following the discovery, Europe started receiving various products including silver and gold from the New World, a trend that significantly impacted its economy by influencing price reductions. This favored the natives who had fixed payments while causing a drop of the overall returns among the renters. As a result, the countries which formerly acquired the products, for instance, Portugal started searching for new trading partners to sustain their demands in the new world. Suddenly, England, the Netherlands and France started their manufacturing plants of similar products hence grabbing the industrial power from Europe (Tibor & Ivan 226).
America
Columbus explorations posit a variety of significant impacts to the American land. The discovery was the foundation for a long-term colonization, which exemplifies the contemporary America. The Columbus breakthrough highly influenced the social and cultural structure in America (Levine 180). It is considered to have allowed the entrance of people from different parts of the world, people of various nationalities, languages, and also people with differing religious beliefs (Spielvoge 305). For instance, the Europeans introduced new technology in the American land through different types of equipment such as ships, clothes, and guns which were new to the natives. The introduced technology influenced a lot of social differences that in some circumstances led to the loss of lives among the natives. Guns, for example, encouraged the emergence of civil war developing a lot of social uneasiness. Besides, the discovery impacted some of the cultural believes in religion owing to the introduction of Christianity by the Spanish. Nevertheless, many people from different parts of the world found their way to America during the era which brought about significant social effects. The Europeans, for example, introduced deadly diseases of various natures such as smallpox to America that killed many Americans.
The discovery had considerable environmental effects (Erikson 46). Within the discourse, farms in North America were used by the explorers to grow their crops which bequeathed the disruption of the native ecosystem. Also, the Spanish brought with them some of their domestic animals as well as cattle and goats to America which had close effects to the environment and the food chain. Nevertheless, the discovery led to the social and cultural change in America since natives were forced to adopt the new activities including farming and hunting for survival.
Africa
The slave trade can be underlined as the primary implication that Columbus discovery had upon Africa (Bigelow 24). Slave trade influenced political, societal and economic uneasiness in different parts of Africa, especially within the Western and Central parts. The exchanges between the African splendors and the explorers; the Portuguese, for example, is one of the fueling factors to an increased number of enslaved people among the Africans. The Portuguese and other explorers that followed including the Spanish supplied items such as firearms, cotton, and liquor to Africa in exchange for slaves. As a result, the increased rate of trade left Africa as an unstable continent in regards to wealth, considering that slave trade reduced human capital in the key nations.
The slave trade also led to the wavering of both cultural and social orientations in Africa since it facilitated the emergence of internal rivalry between the African nations (Jackson 444). Significantly, civil wars weakened the social structure in Africa by spreading acts of malice in natives hence destructing the unity that formerly served as a reliable weapon against its enemies. Although there are a few who benefited from the wild activity, slave trade introduced different and unconstructive impacts in the Western and central regions of Africa.
The story about Columbus and his exploration has over long registered differing views among the learners. The variability arises in the opinion that some consider Columbus as a saint while others highlight the brutal acts through the voyages to devalue his heroism. To some extent, Columbus was a monster considering that people, especially in countries that experienced his voyages, acknowledged severe impacts on their wellbeing. For instance, he is blamed for the emergence of awful diseases, slave trade and displacement of people. On the other hand, Columbus had affluent benefits to the population of the regions he settled with his crew. Columbus was a brave man, a man who focused on his intentions throughout his journey despite his opportunistic character. Columbus was not reluctant at remodeling friend relationships between the countries, individuals and even communities he went in conflict with to accomplish the primary intentions for his journey. His faithfulness for his supporters; the Spanish King and Queen develops the basis of his brilliant character. Therefore, Columbus can be exemplified as a hero based on the significant activities that are still pictured in the contemporary world regardless the presumed negative impacts his voyages had for the people. Arguably, some of the stains were beyond his control and many others were contributed by his followers hence the need to consider him as a hero given that he was the lead to the new world that characterizes a sense of practical development.
Work Cited
Bigelow, Bill, and Bob Peterson. Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools, 1998. Print.
Christian, James L. Philosophy: An Introduction to the Art of Wondering. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
Erikson, Kai T, and Christopher Vecsey. American Indian Environments: Ecological Issues in Native American History. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse Univ. Press, 1994. Print.
Jackson, Spielvogel J. Western Civilization: Volume B: 1300 to 1815. Cengage Learning, 1 Jan 2011Levine, Paul, and Charalampos Papasōtēriou. America Since 1945: The American Moment. Basingstoke, Hampshire [England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. Internet resource
Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: A Brief History. Boston: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
Tibor Iván Berend, Ivan Berend. Case Studies on Modern European Economy: Entrepreneurs, Inventions, Institutions. Routledge, 2013.PrintVera, A. Music, Eurocentrism and Identity: The Myth of the Discovery of America in Chilean Music History. Scientific Research Publishing Inc, 2014. Advances in Historical Studies, 3, 298-312
Young, Serenity, Patricia Calvert, Dan Elish, Steven Otfinoski, Steven Otfinoski, and James L. Collier. Great Explorations. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Print.
