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Question: I need some ideas for Christopher Columbus and why he is not a hero!?
I'm writing this argumentative paper on why Christopher Columbus is not a hero!. What should be my thesis statements and 3 main arguments!? I've thought of for my arguments stuff like, lead the way to mass genocide, and didn't find the continet on purpose!. but thats about it and i know there is better reasons!. also, what is a good quote or something that would grab a readers attention!.
****Im not asking for a paper, just a couple points i could use to get across my point****Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I think the best way to approach this is by countering the reasons why he is a hero:
1!. He "discovered" America!. How can someone discover a land that is already occupied by other people!? Yet he gave them little credit for already living on this land that the Europeans didn't know about!.
2!. He began the legacy of three great empires (Portuguese, Spanish, British)!. As you said this also lead to mass genocide, but it also began a massive slave trade, destruction of many unique indigenous cultures, and exploitation of two entire continents for hundreds of years!.
3!. He pioneered a new journey!. But he failed to reach his destination!. He meant to find another way to Europeans to reach India, but he just settled for what he could get!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Columbus is also credited as being the lone pioneer who thought the world was round!. Actually, there were few people who believed the world was flat at the time Columbus made his voyage!.
Washington Irving, who wrote a Columbus biography in 1828, deserves a lot of credit for this fable!.
Columbus is further heroified through embellishments like bad weather on the voyage, the ignoring of a Canary islands stop to make the trip seem longer, and the painting of his crew as almost mutinous!.
Essentially, much of history is written to create heroes rather than report the truth!.
Certainly his treatment of the Arawaks qualifies him to be just another man in history, but no hero!.
But does the fictitious or real Columbus have the most impact on our nation's history!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
-His motivation was greed and fame
-He abused the native peoples
-History shows that Lief Ericson and the Vikings found America first
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He isn't a hero as he took from the Aztecs didn't he!?! Www@QuestionHome@Com