Who Discovered South America?

Christopher Columbus is considered to be the first person who discovered South America.

Christopher Columbus was an Italian-Spanish explorer, navigator, and infamous pirate, responsible for the deaths of many people.

The first time, when he reached here, he landed on a piece of land, called the Paria Peninsula. Present-day, this land is known as Venezuela.

But first, did he know that the piece of land, he discovered was South America?

Of course, in one word ‘No’.

Christopher Columbus did not know that the piece of land he discovered was South America (or New World).

At first, he thought it was India.

But later, Amerigo Vespucci, who was also an explorer navigator, and merchant, made people understand that it was not India; but something else.

Later, the whole land area, including north and south were given Amerigo Vespucci’s name ‘America’.

However, in general, America’s actual history began with the discovery of Christopher Columbus.

But How  Did Christopher Columbus Discover South America?

Strange to believe but Columbus made this big discovery by mistake.

Yes, by mistake.

The story begins in the 1492 century when this navigator sailed for searching a sea route, from Europe to India (or Asia).

He thought that the earth is round and that if he journeys in the western direction, he would be able to reach India soon.

Traveling through, he reached some Sea Islands near today’s South America. Columbus thought that he reached very near India.

There, he saw and met some aboriginals. Those natives looked like little red-colored. And therefore he named them ‘Red Indians’.

Arrived back in Europe, he declared that he discovered Asia. However, still, the truth had not been revealed.

All mystery was revealed after Amerigo Vespucci traveled the piece of land.

Why Europeans Were Searching For A Sea Route To India?  

This was all about trade and making new colonies.

From the beginning of the 15th century, the demands for cotton, silk, and spices highly increased in Europe.

India and other Asian countries were the hubs of all these raw materials. On the other hand, the price was also very cheap there.

At the same time, the rise of the Islamic Empire in the middle-east caused problems in trade through lands. Because they charged heavy taxes. 

Therefore, Europeans were always in a search of a sea route to trade with India and other Asian countries.

This was the reason, why Christopher Columbus also sailed for searching a seaway to India.

Who Helped Columbus In The Discovery of America?

For the expedition, first Columbus asked for help from Portuguese rulers. Although, they denied his request.

Therefore Columbus went to Spain to request King Ferdinand and Queen Isabela.

They promised the explorer that they would provide him with all the necessary help for the expedition.

A Short Introduction To Christopher Columbus

In 1451, on 31st October, Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Republic of Genoa.

His father’s name was Domenico Colombo and his mother’s name was Susanna Fontanarossa.

Along with Christopher, they had 4 more children.

From very early in his childhood, he always felt a fascination with oceans and that’s why he started his sea journey at an early age.

However, in the starting days, he worked as an employee of another navigator. While working for the navigator, once even they were attacked by a group of pirates.

The attack was so dangerous that many people lost their lives; Columbus saved his life somehow.

After the horrifying incident, next, he decided that he would do his own journey in the future, and with this purpose, he started studying (He was self-educated) Geometry, Navigation, Geography, Astronomy, and History.

In 1479, Columbus married a Portuguese noblewoman Filipa Moniz Perestrelo.

After marriage, the couple birth a child. The child’s name was Diego Columbus.

Columbus had another son from his second wife, Beatriz Enríquez de Arana. His name was Ferdinand Columbus.

In the year 1506 on 20th May, Columbus died at Valladolid, Castile.

Columbus As A Tyrant – Who Discovered South America?

People, especially European settlers of both Americas remember Columbus for his great discovery.

But do you know what? He was not a good man.

This is not our saying, but historical events prove it. Actually, when Columbus went to the new world, he found many of its aboriginals.

Those aboriginals lived a very simple and peaceful life on the continents.

But Columbus and other Europeans started destroying the peaceful lives of those people.

Just a few examples of Columbus’ tyrannies on natives:

• He captured many of the natives and took them to Europe for selling (As slaves).
• Throughout the journey of the Atlantic, for some reason, he ordered his crewmen to throw some native people into the ocean.
• He captured native women and little girls of 8 to 10 years old for sexual slavery.
• Once, Columbus even cut off a native man’s tongue and nose for just stealing some sugar and wheat.
• Once he caught a local woman and handed her to one of his friends for rape.
• Under his leadership, his men executed the killings of many natives.

Want to know about Columbus’s persecution? Read this article: Link