Quote Originally Posted by Don Corleone
1) Columbus didn't 'discover' America, St. Brendan did.
Columbus discovered a land to the west of Europe of the size of a continent, a guy named Americo Vespuci gave the land his name. The term discovered also must have some reciprocity on the information and noticing of it's existence. Yes the vikings discovered it previously, but Europe didn't give it much importance, the one that had some effects was the one of Columbus
2) He didn't establish the first colony in North America, Leif Ericsson did.
So...
3) Columbus, in an effort to find a shorter trade route to India, proved to the Europeans that there were lands here ready for colonization & exploitation. What has happened in the 513 years since his voyage really depends upon what side of history upon which you happened to land.
No what happened is out there written, if you want to analize it from your own subjective point of view is another problem, but it doesn't depends on that. I'm really amazed in how people see some "killers" (to say it in some manner) like Julius Gaius Caesar or Alexander the Great like real heros or people worthy of celebration, and others that did basically the same as vile and demonized.
Said this I ask again, maybe someone can give me an answer: Why is that this discussion surrounds the figure of Columbus and penetrates it, when in reallity the Columbus Day is the celebration of ethnical differences...