Traditionally, Christopher Columbus has been
seen as a hero because of his role as an explorer, facing harsh conditions and the unknown as he
made his famous voyage. He wanted to forge a western path to the East Indies so that trade with
those nations could be accomplished much more quickly. It took him some time before his lobbying
paid off with the Spanish king and queen.
One myth claims Columbus was heroic
because he stood his ground against the idea that the earth was flat and that his voyage across
the sea was meant to be a way of illustrating the earth's roundness, but this has since been
debunked.
As of recent years, many have disputed the heroic image of Columbus
due to his harsh treatment of the native Cuban and Hispaniolan peoples, subjecting them to
enslavement, torture, and rape at the hands of his men. He was primarily interested in getting
land and gold for the Spanish Empire, so his goals were not entirely noble.
He also sought to convert the natives to Catholicism, an act which may have been heroic
by the standards of his culture but would be seen in a more negative light now, since this
conversion involved the destruction of native cultures and killing those who refused to
convert.
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