Christopher Columbus

When I was young, we celebrated Chrisopher Columbus as the "discoverer" of the Americas, for the most part never considering that, in 1492, the Americas had already been inhabited for thousands of years, and quite possibly, other European (or possibly, African!) explorers had preceded Columbus to the "New World".

Columbus Day is still celebrated as a legal holiday in the United States, although some communities have chosen to call it "Discoverer's Day" instead, or, as here in Berkeley, "Indigenous People's Day."

From this page, you can explore some of the online material concerning Columbus, and the controversy surrounding Columbus Day. You can find links to information about other early explorers, and read writings by Columbus and other early Spanish explorers.

Columbus, the Man and the Myth

A Timeline of Chrisopher Columbus' Life

Columbus Biography

Looks Are Deceiving: The Portraits of Christopher Columbus
Includes a number of representations of Columbus, as well as some discussion of the (modern) controversy surrounding him. Also see A Portrait of Columbus.

Columbus in History
How did Columbus become a "hero and symbol of the first order in America?" How did he fall from grace?

The Columbus Navigation Homepage
Whether or not you approve of his politics, Columbus was certainly a skillful navigator. Just how did he do it?

Columbus' Ships
The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria...

Christopher Columbus: Extracts From Journal
Read what the man himself had to say about his famous voyage.

Letter to the King and Queen of Spain
"Concerning the Islands Recently Discovered in the Indian Sea..."

Who Really Came First?

The Vikings?...1...2

King Abubukari II of Mali?

St. Brendan

"Spirit Caveman"?

The Columbus Controversy

Why AIM Opposes Columbus Day
A proposal to replace the celebration of Columbus Day with "a celebration that is more inclusive and that more accurately reflects the cultural and racial richness of the Americas."

Transform Columbus Day
This FAQ asks the question: "What's wrong with Christopher Columbus?" and then proceeds to tell us.

Columbus Day Banned by PC
This article celebrating Western Civilization the pinnacle of humankind's evolution, originally ran in the Daily Cal. Read it here, along with Mindfield Magazine's ironic response.

Indians Claim Italy by Right of Discovery
Well, why not?

Bartolome de las Casas
"Spanish colonist...priest...scholar, historian and 16th century human rights advocate...Las Casas has been called the Father of anti-imperialism and anti-racism." Read also his Brief Account of the Devastation of the Indies".

Other Resources

Kids Domain
In addition to Columbus reference on the web, this site contains classroom activities, links to clip art, E-cards, etc.

European Voyages of Exploration, 1497 - 1610

Columbus Links
Many references to the four voyages.

Links to Scholarly Articles on Columbus

And, yes, even more links...

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This page prepared by:
Cliff Stevens
English Language Program
UC Berkeley Extension

Last updated on 10/6/01