How Columbus Turned the World Upside Down

JimBowie1958

Old Fogey
Sep 25, 2011
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In 1400, Western Europe was the backwater of Eurasia. While The rest of Eurasia was ruled by more advanced governments controlling large areas like the Ming Dynasty, the Timurlane kingdom or the Mamelukes, Western Europe was balkanized into little kingdoms that could barely control its own nobility.

East-Hem_1400ad.jpg


The Europeans were at the tail end of the lucrative spice trade. The spices were from Indonesia, India and China to a lesser degree and to get to Europe they either came by the Silk Road to Constantinople, areas controlled by the Byzantines and the Ottomans, or they got to Egypt, controlled by the Mamelukes, and from north Italian city state merchants, Genoa, Venice and Pisa, would put a heavy mark up on them and sell them in the rest of Europe.

Columbus developed 'Celestial Navigation' and this allowed European ships to bypass the Muslim controlled areas and go directly to the Far East and India to get spices and brought wealth and prosperity to Western Europe surpassing what it had under the Romans.

The diet of the common people (peasants) in the Old World was principly chicken, onions, turnips and radishes and barley. What we call corn or wheat was not known to them yet as these came from the new Western World. There was no carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, yams or beans and the improvement in diet that Columbuses efforts brought no doubt raised the average intelligence of the peasant populations. The net result of that was seen in the 1800s as these populations began to demand equality and freedom.

So we have much to thank Columbus for; better navigation techniques, the rise of Western Europe and the development of egalitarian political policies that were driven by healthy clear thinking peasantry that wanted to improve its condition.

So, I say SALUTE! to Mr Columbus, the man who turned the world upside down!
 
In 1400, Western Europe was the backwater of Eurasia. While The rest of Eurasia was ruled by more advanced governments controlling large areas like the Ming Dynasty, the Timurlane kingdom or the Mamelukes, Western Europe was balkanized into little kingdoms that could barely control its own nobility.

East-Hem_1400ad.jpg


The Europeans were at the tail end of the lucrative spice trade. The spices were from Indonesia, India and China to a lesser degree and to get to Europe they either came by the Silk Road to Constantinople, areas controlled by the Byzantines and the Ottomans, or they got to Egypt, controlled by the Mamelukes, and from north Italian city state merchants, Genoa, Venice and Pisa, would put a heavy mark up on them and sell them in the rest of Europe.

Columbus developed 'Celestial Navigation' and this allowed European ships to bypass the Muslim controlled areas and go directly to the Far East and India to get spices and brought wealth and prosperity to Western Europe surpassing what it had under the Romans.

The diet of the common people (peasants) in the Old World was principly chicken, onions, turnips and radishes and barley. What we call corn or wheat was not known to them yet as these came from the new Western World. There was no carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, yams or beans and the improvement in diet that Columbuses efforts brought no doubt raised the average intelligence of the peasant populations. The net result of that was seen in the 1800s as these populations began to demand equality and freedom.

So we have much to thank Columbus for; better navigation techniques, the rise of Western Europe and the development of egalitarian political policies that were driven by healthy clear thinking peasantry that wanted to improve its condition.

So, I say SALUTE! to Mr Columbus, the man who turned the world upside down!
Although Columbus was primarily a dead reckoning navigator, he did experiment with celestial navigation techniques from time to time. However, these experiments were usually unsuccessful -- and in some cases, actually fraudulent.
Columbus and Celestial Navigation
 
In 1400, Western Europe was the backwater of Eurasia. While The rest of Eurasia was ruled by more advanced governments controlling large areas like the Ming Dynasty, the Timurlane kingdom or the Mamelukes, Western Europe was balkanized into little kingdoms that could barely control its own nobility.

East-Hem_1400ad.jpg


The Europeans were at the tail end of the lucrative spice trade. The spices were from Indonesia, India and China to a lesser degree and to get to Europe they either came by the Silk Road to Constantinople, areas controlled by the Byzantines and the Ottomans, or they got to Egypt, controlled by the Mamelukes, and from north Italian city state merchants, Genoa, Venice and Pisa, would put a heavy mark up on them and sell them in the rest of Europe.

Columbus developed 'Celestial Navigation' and this allowed European ships to bypass the Muslim controlled areas and go directly to the Far East and India to get spices and brought wealth and prosperity to Western Europe surpassing what it had under the Romans.

The diet of the common people (peasants) in the Old World was principly chicken, onions, turnips and radishes and barley. What we call corn or wheat was not known to them yet as these came from the new Western World. There was no carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, yams or beans and the improvement in diet that Columbuses efforts brought no doubt raised the average intelligence of the peasant populations. The net result of that was seen in the 1800s as these populations began to demand equality and freedom.

So we have much to thank Columbus for; better navigation techniques, the rise of Western Europe and the development of egalitarian political policies that were driven by healthy clear thinking peasantry that wanted to improve its condition.

So, I say SALUTE! to Mr Columbus, the man who turned the world upside down!

He didn't develop Celestial Navigation. And he wasn't even very good at it.

And if you are giving Columbus credit for the crops he brought back to the Old World, are you blaming him for the devastating results of the Potato Famine?
 
In 1400, Western Europe was the backwater of Eurasia. While The rest of Eurasia was ruled by more advanced governments controlling large areas like the Ming Dynasty, the Timurlane kingdom or the Mamelukes, Western Europe was balkanized into little kingdoms that could barely control its own nobility.

East-Hem_1400ad.jpg


The Europeans were at the tail end of the lucrative spice trade. The spices were from Indonesia, India and China to a lesser degree and to get to Europe they either came by the Silk Road to Constantinople, areas controlled by the Byzantines and the Ottomans, or they got to Egypt, controlled by the Mamelukes, and from north Italian city state merchants, Genoa, Venice and Pisa, would put a heavy mark up on them and sell them in the rest of Europe.

Columbus developed 'Celestial Navigation' and this allowed European ships to bypass the Muslim controlled areas and go directly to the Far East and India to get spices and brought wealth and prosperity to Western Europe surpassing what it had under the Romans.

The diet of the common people (peasants) in the Old World was principly chicken, onions, turnips and radishes and barley. What we call corn or wheat was not known to them yet as these came from the new Western World. There was no carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, yams or beans and the improvement in diet that Columbuses efforts brought no doubt raised the average intelligence of the peasant populations. The net result of that was seen in the 1800s as these populations began to demand equality and freedom.

So we have much to thank Columbus for; better navigation techniques, the rise of Western Europe and the development of egalitarian political policies that were driven by healthy clear thinking peasantry that wanted to improve its condition.

So, I say SALUTE! to Mr Columbus, the man who turned the world upside down!
But not a word about the amazing agricultural abilities of the peoples that domesticated those plants, the native Americans.
 
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People today erroneously judge historical figures by 21st century values and standards.

During the time Columbus lived, his actions and behavior was considered perfectly rational and normal. ..... :cool:
 
Before Columbus came to the western hemisphere the Natives had not even invented, domesticated livestock, bronze, iron or the wheel yet. They were still in the Paleolithic age. The Europeans greatly improved the corn, tomato and potato crops. ....... so be thankful for Columbus
 
People today erroneously judge historical figures by 21st century values and standards.

During the time Columbus lived, his actions and behavior was considered perfectly rational and normal. ..... :cool:

Actually, no. Even during those times his actions were seen as barbaric.

The King & Queen, who had promised him titles in the New World, had him brought back to Spain and put in prison for his crimes. He didn't stay long, because it all pointed back to the Crown. But his actions were not seen as "normal".
 
Before Columbus came to the western hemisphere the Natives had not even invented, domesticated livestock, bronze, iron or the wheel yet. They were still in the Paleolithic age. The Europeans greatly improved the corn, tomato and potato crops. ....... so be thankful for Columbus
LOL Over the past 600 years. In that amount of time, the native Americans would have done the same. And, yes, they had wheels, just no animals that were usable for pulling a wagon.

122_00_2.jpg
 
The King & Queen, who had promised him titles in the New World, had him brought back to Spain and put in prison for his crimes. He didn't stay long, because it all pointed back to the Crown. But his actions were not seen as "normal".
It was just a flimsy excuse for the Spanish royalty to cheat Columbus out of his riches and land grants. ...... :cool:
 
It all boils down to the looney leftist liberals wanting to eradicate any historical events that do not fit in with their PC version of history.

Much like the way Mao and his radical Red Guards in the 1960's were determined to destroy all traces of China's pre-communist past. ...... :cool:
 
It all boils down to the looney leftist liberals wanting to eradicate any historical events that do not fit in with their PC version of history.

Much like the way Mao and his radical Red Guards in the 1960's were determined to destroy all traces of China's pre-communist past. ...... :cool:

I don't give a damn about whether Columbus has a legacy or not. I object to paying the salaries of all the federal and state employees who get today off. It shouldn't be that much of a holiday.
 

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