History: Christopher Columbus and His Impact

Flashcards covering the objectives of Christopher Columbus's voyage, the impact on indigenous populations, and the controversies surrounding his legacy.

Primary objective of 1492 voyage

Finding a better trade route to India or China for cheap better trade by sailing west around the globe.

European perception of the world's shape

The belief that the Earth was flat, which prevented earlier thoughts of sailing west from Europe to India.

Impact on indigenous populations

Reduced population, forced into reservations, forced assimilation, and extreme violence such as being scalped, speared, or split in two.

Consequence for missing gold quota

Not bringing a quarter teaspoon of gold to the Spanish would cost indigenous people their hands or their life.

Cassava poison

A substance used by some indigenous people to escape torture through death.

Biological warfare in the French and Indian War

The British sent blankets infested with smallpox to tribes who were against being colonized.

Dakota Indians

An indigenous group that suffered near complete depopulation due to European diseases.

Obsidian scalpels

Surgical tools discovered and introduced through interaction with the Americas that are still used in medicine today.

Economic and social alterations

The introduction of new foods and medicines, the exploitation of Natives for labor, and the extraction of minerals and resources like gold.

Columbus Day controversy

The caustic debate regarding the mythologized image of Columbus as a smart hero versus the reality of genocide and mass casualties.