This Week in History

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CWA # 1430, 3 August 2024
This Week in History
Columbus sets sail for the first time, kickstarting a new era

  L S Hareesh

On 3 August 1492, Christopher Columbus embarked on a historic journey, sailing from Palos, Spain, marking the beginning of a new era. 

With three small ships and a crew of 90 men, Columbus dared to seek a new sea route to Asia. Little did he know, his voyage would lead to the discovery of the Americas, revolutionizing the world forever.

The Search for a Sea Route
The search for new sea route stemmed from the passionate rivalry, primarily Portugal and Spain, as to which country would be the master of the seas. The loss of Constantinople in 1453 had a severe impact on the traditional trade system. 

Columbus, an Italian explorer, had been very keen on persuading European rulers for a long time to fund him on his journey, to Asia by navigating west of the Atlantic. He eventually convinced King Ferdinand and the Queen Isabella of Spain. They agreed to the Capitulations of Santa Fe,  an agreement that enabled Columbus to get several titles and privileges together with a proportion of the profits for service delivery. 

Columbus's strategies were based on the writings of the ancient Greeks, Ptolemy and Strabo, and the famous traveller Marco Polo who had been to Asia through the Silk Road. He also used his own life experiences being a merchant as well as an explorer in the Mediterranean. Columbus got three small ships, the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Niña as well as about 90 men as the crew. 

The perilous journeys across the Atlantic
The voyage across the Atlantic was torturous and filled with uncertainties to both Columbus and the crew’s determination. They faced mutinies, storms, and wrong navigation. On 12 October 1492 the crew sighted the land that Columbus thought to be part of East Indies. But they had only reached the island of Guanahani in the Bahamas, which Columbus renamed to San Salvador. 

This historical event was significant.  Columbus encountered the Lucayan people, an indigenous tribe in the Bahamas. In the next few months, Columbus sailed around the Caribbean, visiting islands, and interacting with the locals. He was rich in expression about the beautiful vegetation, strange animals, and new opportunities for wealth in the New World. His relationships with the native people were quite ambivalent and usually manifested in fierce confrontation, producing centuries of enmity and oppression. 

Columbus returned to Spain in 1493 along with a few natives and riches that they had collected from the New World. On the way back, the Santa Maria sank off the coast of Haiti on 25 December 1492. He was celebrated as a hero and as someone who envisioned a great possibility. The success of his voyage was attributed to Europeans’ technical know-how and hard work. 

Christopher Columbus' subsequent voyages (1493-1494, 1498-1500, and 1502-1504) expanded European presence in the Americas. Voyage 2 established the first Spanish colony, La Isabela, in Hispaniola. Voyage 3 explored South America's coast, while Voyage 4 searched for a Pacific passage in Central America. However, Columbus faced opposition from Spanish colonists and indigenous populations, leading to his arrest and eventual return to Spain. These voyages had profound consequences, including the displacement and exploitation of native populations, and the establishment of European colonies. Columbus' expeditions paved the way for widespread colonization, reshaping the Americas' cultural and geographical landscape.

The good and bad of Columbus' discovery 
Discovery of new sea routes and new lands had many complex effects and consequences. On the one hand, the discovery of America led to new trade routes and the transatlantic movement of people, goods, and ideas, which had a decisive influence on the civilization of the modern world. In the so-called Columbian Exchange, European crops, livestock, gold, and technologies were brought to the Americas, while New World crops, including corn, tobacco, and potatoes, were brought to Europe.

But there is also the other side of the story. Despite the heroes who ushered in the new era, Columbus was also associated with controversy and tragedy. Columbus himself enslaved Native Americans. The discovery introduced deadly diseases such as smallpox and influenza and destroyed the Native American way of life. Scholars estimate that by the end of the centuries following Columbus' arrival, Native Americans had lost 90 per cent of their population, mainly due to disease, warfare, and slavery.

In recent years, the figure of Columbus and the tragedy he inflicted on Native Americans has been increasingly criticized by various leaders who want to reconsider the hero’s status accorded to him. Columbus Day has been accompanied by much controversy, and the subsequent assassination of Columbus has been replaced by Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which is celebrated in various cities and states across the United States on the second Monday in October. This movement is an attempt to confront and re-evaluate the complex and often clearly questionable history of colonialism and exploration.

There is also an understanding of the importance of preserving and developing Native American languages while eradicating colonial and racist prejudices. This includes supporting Indigenous language recovery campaigns, promoting Indigenous cultural heritage, and promoting the inclusion and equality of First Nation people in educational institutions and media departments. This case implies that engaging with the complicated and reprehensible history of Columbus’ voyage is intended to engage potential scholars in achieving a more just and liberal future for all.

About the author
L Shareesh is a PhD Scholar, Department of History, Loyola College, Chennai

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