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Christopher Columbus, A Genoese Explorer

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The European explorers who discovered the new lands of America and Africa were in search of an all-water route to China and India. After establishing reliable routes in this newly discovered land, the motives of the Spanish explorers soon morphed into seeking wealth and fortune. This is also true in the conquering of Africa as well. These types of motives greatly jeopardized the sustainability of the native culture of the area and eventually pushed them close to abolishment.
Christopher Columbus, a Genoese explorer employed by Spain, was the first to sail west in search of this route to China and India. Landing in the Bahamas, he was certain he found what they had set out to. During the exploration of the area he discovered with every turn he took, it seemed he encountered native people native. These people he referred to as “Indians” with the belief that he had reached the territories of India and China (pg. 438-466). Like the Spanish, the Portuguese were also in search for new sea routes to the East. Landing in Africa they quickly established themselves, and soon took control of the markets in gold, salt, and slaves. They too came across native people of the lands, but these people were much different than the Indians that Columbus was introduced to (pg 453).
The new lands provided gold, silver, and salt, which supported the main motive of the Conquistadors and the Europeans. While precious metals were lucrative, slavery was the most profitable. Treated as a

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