History: October 2024 Archives

The Idyllic Culture Columbus Ended

"Even if we take the leftists accusations seriously, they are senseless. Did the Spanish practice slavery? Yes: so did the natives. Did the Spanish murder their enemies? Yes: and many of the natives killed their own people as well. Did the Spanish raid and conquer? The natives did little else.

"Thus the question becomes whether one group did anything more praiseworthy than the other. And of course one did: one ended most of the other's barbarity. And one expanded the bounds of human civilization forever.

"Columbus had little to do with the former, but everything to do with the latter: it was his vision and his personal courage that ended the Middle Ages and created the modern world. Any 'indigenous people' who enjoys human rights, modern medicine, a regular food supply and indoor plumbing should thank him daily."

The Transatlantic Tracks of Columbus by Keith A. Pickering

Using a model of magnetic variation circa 1500, based on dating and magnetic alignment of lake sediments, hearthstones, and lava flows, combined with an analysis of Columbus's inter-island track, Pickering has concluded that Plana Cays is where Christopher Columbus first made landfall in the New World. Pickering confirmed the model by applying it to Columbus's first return voyage and second voyage, where endpoints are known.