Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus' voyage in 1942 shook the very foundations of culture and life of the Native Americans. There was an invasion of ideas, culture, religion and diseases. Nonetheless, it was still considered the most influential period in history, even up until today. Three voyages of Columbus birthed many more, leading to mass exploitation, genocide and a rise to conquest, not to mention a near loss of an entire native culture. Did these outsiders really think that they could reshape or reform the New World for the better? Or were they really just poking holes in the darkness? Even though we are how we are today because of these series of horrific events, from my standpoint, these outsiders did more damage than good.

Based on Columbus' Diary, Columbus' voyage for Spain started on a quest to look for Asia, for spice trade. However, due to miscalculations, he ended up on an island which he claimed for Spain and named San Salvador, instead of the island of Cipango in Japan. In Columbus' Diary it is also stated that the natives wore pieces of gold on their noses. Knowing that he made a geographical mistake, he made the best of the situation, by looking for gold and other treasures. Besides that, he also tried educating the natives, so they can be held in subjection to do whatever one might wish.

The goals of the English weren't very much different from the Spanish. In 1497 an explorer by the name of John Cabot tried to search for the Northwest Passage, a passage that he believed would lead him to Asia. In 1576, almost 80 years after the voyage of John Cabot, another voyager that was aided by the financial support of the Cathay Company by the name of Martin Frobisher set sail in hopes to find China to establish an open trade. Frobisher was mesmerized by the Spanish example and was sure he found gold, but much to his disappointment, all the 'gold' he hauled back was worthless. From the film Roanoak, we can see that the Spanish and English were very much alike, especially Columbus and John White. John White tried educating the natives in a very polite and humble approach. At the end of their stay, John White even offered to bring Manteo and Wanchese back to England, in hopes to further educate them, with a hidden purpose of acquiring geographical knowledge of Roanoak in order to obtain gold.

When Cortez and his army invaded Mexico, Montezuma and his men thought of them of Ancient Mexican Gods returning to claim their throne, to rule the Mexican empire. Soon after apprehending Montezuma, they interrogated him regarding the whereabouts of the treasure that Montezuma was hiding. A war broke out as the Spaniards killed all the Mexicans who were celebrating the Huitzilopochtli in the Divine Courtyard. Mexican warriors were called forth to fight back to protect their land. At the time the Spanish left, the Mexicans were greatly weakened by a disease called "the great