Doesn't everyone know that in the 15th century people thought the Earth was flat? And that brave Christopher Columbus sailed westward from Spain to get to Asia to show that the Earth was round? Once I'd have answered “Yes†to both of these questions, but it turns out that they are myths.
Columbus and the Flat Earth Myth Hero? Great navigator? No! and No!
Nope, not in mine either Mona. The cartoon sums up the situation perfectly.
I even learnt at school, 100 years ago :D, that he didn't even discover what became the USA. Don't know how true that is.
No, Francine, he didn't discover any part of what's now the USA. He made it to some Caribbean islands that he insisted, to his dying day, were in Asia. Meanwhile many of the inhabitants of these islands found their dying days arriving prematurely at the hands of Columbus and his crews. And others could only wish for death with the treatment they were given.
An
Irish website stands up for great Italians, but is adamant that Columbus was definitely not one of them.
Yes even back then we were taught that he was horrendously, unspeakably, cruel. Some of the tortures we were told about, bearing in mind as Brits we had colonies and a not an unblemished record, which we were also told about endlessly, made us as kids feel physically sick.
These were a gentle peaceful people he terrorized, not some natives hell bent on fighting for their rights and home, by whatever means...which of course was the excuse our forefathers made for their behavior. As disgusting as that was, it could not compete with the brutal atrocities of Columbus and his followers.
If all this was known when I was a kid, then it is hard to imagine why he is still considered any type of hero.
Forgot to say that that is a brilliant article Mona, thanks for posting the link.
Am happy that the truth is getting out there at last.