Posted on 10/12/2020 10:15:00 AM PDT by PoliticallyShort
It used to be possible to assume that any person who had graduated from high school (even grade school) would be familiar with at least a few real facts about what happened in 1492. That this is no longer the case reflects failing educational institutions, to be sure, but also, it needs to be said, an anti-American—even an anti-Western and often anti-Christian—impulse within the West itself. You don’t need to believe that, say, the French or Communist revolutions, for example, benefitted the human race to take the trouble to know dates like 1789 or 1917 and something about what they mean. Yet the year in which a far greater change came into the world—beginning the colossal process by which the various nations and continents truly became one global, interconnected world—is now, for many, something to be ashamed of, even to denounce.
There exists something approaching a taboo about saying anything positive about Columbus or any of the other European explorers. People ready to condemn him for every ill that has occurred on these shores, strangely, would never think of crediting him with the many goods that have been achieved as well. And it would not be stretching things to say that the blanket rejection of Columbus has become something of a poorly informed metaphor for the repudiation of virtually all of Western history.
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It’s interesting that White Democrats who have no trace of Native American blood are the ones who condemn others and then “them” to go back to Europe, but the White Democrats believe that are superior and will remain to “oversee” the United States and that all legal aspects are controlled by them. They are worse than their depiction of Columbus
People miss or hide the reason for his voyage in the first place.
In 1453 Constantinople fell to the Muslim scourge and the trade routes to China and other places were cut for Europe. Just as the Renaissance in Europe was caused by Christian scholars and others fleeing Muslim invaders.
Columbas wasn’t searching for a new land, he was seeking new trade routes to the far East.The ancients onward knew the world was round. They just got the math wrong.
I don’t remember the rest of the poem I learned in grade school, but it started with:
In Fourteen Hundred Ninety-Two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Columbus brought diversity.
Before Columbus, indigenous peoples were killing other indigenous peoples. After Columbus, Europeans were also killing indigenous peoples. That's diversity.
Before Europeans came to the hemisphere there were about 80% more indigenous people.
Small pox is a bitch.
By the time we settled the US, it was practically empty.
It was not Columbus’ fault, per se. As Europeans travelled around the globe infections such as this were inevitable.
Before Europeans came to the hemisphere there were about 80% more indigenous people.
Small pox is a bitch.
By the time we settled the US, it was practically empty.
It was not Columbus’ fault, per se. As Europeans travelled around the globe infections such as this were inevitable.
Celebrate Columbus Day by getting lost, planting a flag and saying:
“I meant to do that!”
Maxine 12 October 2020!
Columbus was quite a guy. His only curse he ever uttered when angry was “God take you.”
When he reached the New World on his last voyage, he became stranded there for a period of time and when the natives declined to give him an his men any food to tide them over, he used the onset of a solar eclipse which he was able to predict due to tables available to Europeans, and the totally awed natives gave them the food he requested.
Also, the native were inclined to be quite friendly to him, as they were frequent victims to the cannabilistic and violent Carib tribe, who were feared by all natives of the area.
Mexico suffered a severe population decline a few decades after the conquest but I read something to the effect that it was caused largely by diseases that were already present before the Spanish arrived.
Small correction—it was a lunar eclipse, not a solar eclipse, that Columbus used to his advantage. I think he was stranded on Jamaica and the governor in Santo Domingo knew he was there but wouldn’t rescue him because he didn’t like him.
I can accept that correction because I didn’t have the text in front of me...:)
I was going to take issue with the governor in Santo Domingo, but I had to recall it was his fourth journey, not his first...
It is amazing I can remember anything these days...:(
I have read, that Columbus was somewhat late on the scene.
In general, boats and ships looking for fish and wood, established temporary camps along the routes from Europe to [eventual] New England. C. Columbus took a different route, landing much further to the south.
These camps did not survive, because of the local hostiles, the weather, disease (to-from - between parties) or lack of supplies desparately needed.
The northern route did not favor establishment.
Disease did not favor either route.
Raw materials and resources were much sought. Good, bad, and no deals, in effect.
I get the impression that, the northern route was known to be the more harsh, because of the cold.
The cold could be tough enough, where one is not wanted.
And after a time, including C. Columbus, the southern route’s promise of gold and silver riches, prevailed.
On a trip to the tip of Cape Cod, I was surprised to learn that the Pilgrims landed there, first; and remained there for a while. During which the cutting down of timber, exposed the land to the forces of the weather.
The somewhat thin layer of exposed ground growth, took a pounding from the elements, thus exposing the underlying sands . . . and ruining the local crop prospects.
The Pilgrims then made their way to the famous rock, etc.
Further to the south, the Delaware, Shawnee, and other tribes, took a pounding from the energetic Iroquois League; and the vanquished removed themselves from the east coast.
I wonder at times, just how “empty” some areas were, and why; perhaps more displacement and/or retreat, in some cases.
Today I spoke with nine people about today being Columbus Day. After a few minutes I told each one that I came across a fun test online this morning. (Didn’t really, I made it up.) One of the questions: name a year in the 15th century when something big happened. Nobody could. So I said, just take a wild guess...
All nine people guessed 15-something. :(
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