Was Columbus an explorer or an exploiter?

Answer 1

Definitely plunderer


The reason for setting out on the voyage was to create a trade link with the Asian spice islands, in order to undercut the Portuguese trading dominance.


When he 'bumped into' the Hispaniola, his primary objective was to find rich metals such as gold and silver which Spain lacked. It was this incentive that allowed him the significant funding for his second voyage.


It was only after the Spanish had achieved dominance of the native population that they began to 'instruct' the natives, and even then it was used primarily as a tool for social control, as it was used on the continent.


Columbus may have been pious, but this was the nature of the time period, and he primarily driven by a lust of finding his fortune.

Answer 2

Christopher Columbus was officially an Italian explorerfor Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. However, he was also accused of exploiting his position as governor and viceroy of the Indies and was arrested on behalf of governing tyrannically.