Colombus Day

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Kaiser, I'm pretty sure that even if Columbus wasn't given money for his voyage, some other explorer would con a monarch into supporting them. Wasn't there some English explorer at about the same time? http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/cabot.html

Cabot was born in Genoa. Another great Italian.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Just something for you to note Kaiser: he enslaved 1600 natives in direct violation of orders from the Spanish monarchs, and then sent them 550. They sent them back and punished him for it. Who knows what would have happened if he didn't start that trend? Though I agree it is likely that they would have been abused anyway it does not make that sort of behaviour permissible IMHO.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Just something for you to note Kaiser: he enslaved 1600 natives in direct violation of orders from the Spanish monarchs, and then sent them 550. They sent them back and punished him for it. Who knows what would have happened if he didn't start that trend? Though I agree it is likely that they would have been abused anyway it does not make that sort of behaviour permissible IMHO.

The Turks started the slave trade way before Columbus. Just by finding America, it would have been extended and the natives enslaved.

[AntiochusIII]

That's no excuse, Kaiser. Columbus was an important historical figure, whose successful voyage opened the New World to the grasp of the aspiring Spanish empire. If that is a good thing or not it is up to personal opinion. He did commit atrocities, you can't deny that. I do not slander him or consider him an evil creature some extremists do, but he is, shall we say, overrated.

After all, many of the deeds attributed to him belongs to others. Even the "discovery of America" by Columbus, the old misconception, is false, yet still a "common knowledge" in the unlearned folks.