Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Colonial America
Christopher Columbus' first voyage raised eyebrows in the world of the monarchs of European countries despite the booming of discoveries of new lands up for grabs of colonizing countries. One of the countries he approached, Spain, was beset with wars and religious instability due to the staunch belief of Queen Isabella that Spain is for Catholics. He was previously rejected by other European countries, as well as Spain, but his strong belief that he would discover new lands made some monarchs reconsider, particularly Spain.
Spain was ruled by the House of Aragon, King Ferdinand and his wife, Queen Isabella, known as Isabella the Catholic, for her great role in the implementation of Spanish Inquisition and her great support for Catholicism. She is hailed as one of the intelligent and strong women in European history. Queen Isabella was at first skeptic of Christopher Columbus and his proposal of an unknown expedition, and exaggerated demands. But Spain was in a race for new discoveries and Queen Isabella wanted so much to overcome Portugal in its quest for colonization, that she was convinced by her husband and Columbus to finance his expedition. Thus, Columbus was granted three ships, and King and Queen of Spain became Columbus' patrons in this voyage.
Queen Isabella was a smart woman, having decided side by side with Ferdinand in different matters about Spain, concerning internal affairs and inter-European countries negotiations. This established the strong position, and not just the supporting role she played to her husband. Even with doubts and little knowledge about Columbus, she stood by her word and commitment to Columbus.
Perhaps because of her belief, and maybe her intuition proved her right, Columbus was able to come back and show the evidences of rich new lands he was able to discover, despite the navigational errors he committed. The faith she had is enough to guide Columbus in his journey way home.
Bibliography
About Isabella I of Spain. About.com. 19 December 2006. http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/medrenqueens/p/p_isabella_i.htm
Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Empire. European Voyages of Exploration. 19 December 2006. http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/columbus.html
Epidemics and Smallpox in Colonial America In 1992, the Smithsonian Museum held an exhibit on the process of exchanges between the Old World and the New World that resulted from the explorations of Christopher Columbus. The exhibit, entitled Seeds of Change, focused on five catalysts or "seeds" which had the most far-reaching consequences for both Europe and the new colonies in the Americas. These catalysts were the horse, sugar, the potato, corn
legend of Christopher Columbus has lasted for five decades and he still remains a very controversial and mysterious figure who has been described severally as one of the world's greatest mariners of all times, a mystic, a visionary genius, an inexperienced entrepreneur, an unsuccessful administrator, and a wicked and selfish imperialist[footnoteRef:1]. He was a master admiral and navigator of Italian origin whose four main transatlantic voyages of 1492-1493, 1493-1496,
Columbus's Description of the Discovery of America (1492) When Christopher Columbus embarked upon his famous voyage of 1492, he was in search of a faster route to India and China, and instead became one of the first European explorers to have an encounter with the native peoples of the Americas. Columbus regarded these individuals as innately inferior both because of their pagan status and because of what to him seemed like
Inquisitions have played a major role in the Catholic Church since early in the Church's history.[footnoteRef:1]. They are considered one of the most shameful part of the history of the Catholic Church and part of the darkest periods in Jewish history. One of the great Catholic theologians, St. Augustine, offered support for the Inquisition process by citing from the Book of Luke, 14:23. Then the master told his servant, "Go
I know that the case you cite, of Dr. Drake, has been a common one. The religion-builders have so distorted and deformed the doctrines of Jesus, so muffled them in mysticisms, fancies and falsehoods, have caricatured them into forms so monstrous and inconceivable, as to shock reasonable thinkers, to revolt them against the whole, and drive them rashly to pronounce its Founder an impostor. Had there never been a
Introduction For decades, school children have been taught the misinformation that Christopher Columbus “discovered” America. As consciousness develops and society becomes more aware of the realities of history, it becomes less and less acceptable to celebrate false heroes like corrupt politicians, confederate generals and cruel explorers. Christopher Columbus fits the last category. A close examination of history demonstrates that he brought much despair and horrors to indigenous people near the Americas.