Christopher Columbus Public Opinion Essay

Public opinion is, in many ways, like science. A scientist will hear about or notice something and form an opinion. Good scientists will then continue to look into it to prove or disprove their original opinion, while less determined scientists will stick with what they originally found. Public opinion follows a very similar path. From the early years of school, people are taught that Christopher Columbus is a hero to the people of America. Many accept this notion as it is taught and move on; some, however, will push the envelope and dig deeper, and, in doing this, they discover the dark side of Columbus, and how terrible he was to the native people. Because of his motive for his voyages, his treatment of the native people, and the reasoning for him being stripped of his title of governor, Christopher Columbus was, in every sense of the word, a villain. The reasoning most often given for Columbus’ voyages is that he was an adventurer, interested in bettering society and discovering new things. In reality, the driving force behind his journey was the extremely profitable deal he made with the Spanish Monarchy. Part of him may have wanted to help the rest of the world with his journey, but the person he was most interested in helping was himself. The terms of the deal …show more content…
In countless children’s stories and movies, heroes are people who do things for the greater good, while villains are usually trying to exploit people to profit and become rich. Elementary school children are taught that Columbus set sail due to his adventurous nature and desire to help others, but that is a widely spread story to cover up his greed. Columbus, like the villains seen on television and in movies every day, was in it for the money and the fame. He wished to set up himself and his family financially forever, and in doing so turned into a