Is Christopher Columbus a Hero or VIllian?

Christopher Columbus today is recognized as one of the important voyagers or explorers we know about historically. To most he is seen as a hero or the person who founded North America and South America. When Columbus found these unidentified lands that have never been discovered he brought this news back to Europe and eventually the entire world began to know about the Americas and how it can be used for colonization. But the true question is Columbus actually a Hero or a Villain? 

On October 12th, 1492 Christopher Columbus came across and discovered which later becomes the Bahamas, was the island of the Lucayan tribe. As Columbus and his men approached them, the Lucayans greeted them warmly, offering food and water, and they asked Columbus and his men have they come from Heaven.

Columbus took advantage of their kindliness by subjugating them and making them do whatever he wanted. Kidnapping them, making them his slaves and putting them on ships, taking them back to Spain to be sold, killing anyone who retaliated. The Lucayan did not know in less than 30 years, their Island would be empty from this genocide to come. 

30 years later, Columbus encountered Hispaniola, and there he came across the Lucayans cousins, the Taino's. They were larger branch of the Lucayans who's estimated population ranges up to 8 million. They were also welcoming and giving so Columbus took advantage of the. Building a fort there, where he left a few dozen of his men to control the slaves he held there hostage. 

Columbus sailed back to Spain with the hostages to sell to the king and queen of Spain for gold. After doing so Columbus returned to Hispaniola with 17 ships and 1,200 men. When Columbus and his got their they searched for gold this time, but came up short. Therefore they filled their ships up with 500 strong taino people. 200 of the 500 died on the voyage and a lot of them died after being sold into slavery. 

So Columbus tried again for gold but this time he ordered all taino people 14 and older to deliver a certain amount of gold within three months and if they didn't their hands would be cut off. To add on, Columbus and his men also continued to sexually abuse taino women and girls. Nevertheless because of these evil actions taking place, just 50 years after Columbus arrival to the Caribbean the Lucayans were swept out and the taino were down to a devastating 200 people.

In today's time some people may know, but a majority depict Columbus as a hero. It is true that he came across lands that other groups of people have not discovered yet and made it available for colonization, but the things he did to make these places available for  colonization for outright evil and wrong. Columbus actions were gruesome and him and his men's actions cannot be overlooked and be glorified, and we cannot forget about what wrongly happened to those who were living in those Islands. 

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/the-lucayan-the-indigenous-people-christopher-columbus-could-not-annihilate