Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies - Essay Example

This paper summarizes the lecture and class readings to show that trade, religious conquest, and geographical colonization were some of the desired outcomes of the voyage.          The desire for trade and conquest is demonstrated by the explorer’s quest for gold and precious stones, as well as the exchange of commodities (e.g., cotton and parrots) between the parties (Symcox and Sullivan 66-69). Lecture Summary The lecture not only introduces the image of Columbus from the natives’ perspective but also shows evidence of the explorer’s desire to trade with the new lands and conquer the natives through Christianity.

Columbus was viewed as a villain by natives who understood this mission.      Reflection Based on these summaries, it is evident that a good exploration of world history cannot be complete without understanding the contributions made by Columbus in discovering the Americas. The summaries provide readers with an insightful understanding of how America was discovered and the motivating factors to the discovery.    It is interesting to know that, although the discovery was unintentional, it nevertheless set the stage for the commencement of centuries of trans-Atlantic trade, conquest, and colonization.

The reading compliments the lecture by providing accurate accounts of the exploration by date and location. Additionally, the reading adds new information about the religious aspects of the voyage and the desire to convert the natives. The personal learning outcome is that, unlike popular historical perspectives that paint Columbus as only interested in exploration, it is evident that trade, as well as geographic and religious conquest, were the main motivators.