Columbus wasn't out to prove the World was round

[erisi236]

You know something, for some reason I hate the "Columbus/round Earth" myth, I meen HATE it! I really want to know why people still insist on claiming that at the time of Columbus people thought the Earth was flat and that he'd sail off the edge of the World.

For those unaware of it read this and expand you mind.

I don't know why but I have a bee in my bonnet about that myth, sorry ;D

[Hulkshi Tanahashi]

Everybody thinks Christopher Columbus was this great man. Please! All he did was sail across the Atlantic Ocean and found North America. Sure, he discovered America; but he thought it was India. The guy thought he could sail around the world and hit India; which is why we call Native Americans "Indians." Well, he could; but he had no idea that North and South America was inbetween. So all he did was make a big mistake and because of it, a whole race of people was nearly wipe off the earth and that same race is referred to as "Indians" when they aren't from India.

[The"threadicidal"bristolspapa]

hulk6785 said:

Everybody thinks Christopher Columbus was this great man. Please! All he did was sail across the Atlantic Ocean and found North America. Sure, he discovered America; but he thought it was India. The guy thought he could sail around the world and hit India; which is why we call Native Americans "Indians." Well, he could; but he had no idea that North and South America was inbetween. So all he did was make a big mistake and because of it, a whole race of people was nearly wipe off the earth and that same race is referred to as "Indians" when they aren't from India.

He discovered it as far as Spain was concerned. Others had been there before, but there was no Internet to instantaneously report everything. You had a series of cultures that lived within their own frame of mind, and saw the world in those terms. History, or at least our perception of history, is written by the winners (credit Dan Brown I guess for that line). The Spanish initially conquered the continent, thus allowing their view to mold our view of North America, until time has at least allowed us to realize otherwise.

[2 time pro bowler Fred Dryer]

hulk6785 said:

Everybody thinks Christopher Columbus was this great man. Please! All he did was sail across the Atlantic Ocean and found North America. Sure, he discovered America; but he thought it was India. The guy thought he could sail around the world and hit India; which is why we call Native Americans "Indians." Well, he could; but he had no idea that North and South America was inbetween. So all he did was make a big mistake and because of it, a whole race of people was nearly wipe off the earth and that same race is referred to as "Indians" when they aren't from India.

That's another myth that irritates me. Columbus didn't call the people he encountered when he reached North America "Indians' because he thought he was in India. India wasn't even called India then, it was Hindustan. He referred to the natives as, "A people in God" In some of his writings, and "in God" translates into spanish as "En Dios" which became Indians.

[Z-A Sandbaggin' Son of a b!%@h]

I hate history, I"m more of a math kinda guy.

[Bobafett]

actualy the Vikings found America before good ole Chris (they landed in Canada)

[Dr. T is an alien]

erisi236 said:

You know something, for some reason I hate the "Columbus/round Earth" myth, I meen HATE it! I really want to know why people still insist on claiming that at the time of Columbus people thought the Earth was flat and that he'd sail off the edge of the World.

For those unaware of it read this and expand you mind.

I don't know why but I have a bee in my bonnet about that myth, sorry ;D

One thing that article neglected to mention is that Arab scholars not only knew that the Earth was a sphere before the time of Jesus, they had a pretty accurate grip on it's dimensions!

[Deleted]

I'm pretty sure it was Columbo who proved the earth was round

[Dr. T is an alien]

cyclonechyno said:

I'm pretty sure it was Columbo who proved the earth was round

He only proved it to the Europeans. A large portion of the world had already figured it out by then. The Europeans just refused to accept their reasoning.

[Matt Rogers]

cyclonechyno said:

I'm pretty sure it was Columbo who proved the earth was round

And he did it all in an hour on an afternoon cop show.

[Dr. T is an alien]

mattrogers said:

cyclonechyno said:

I'm pretty sure it was Columbo who proved the earth was round

And he did it all in an hour on an afternoon cop show.

Ha! I didn't notice that was what he said! Here I thought he was being serious. Sorry Chyno!

[Deleted]

drtompki said:

mattrogers said:

And he did it all in an hour on an afternoon cop show.

Ha! I didn't notice that was what he said! Here I thought he was being serious. Sorry Chyno!

Not a problem

I onyl made that quip cause that's how I read the title of thread first time round. Though it was going to be a thread on the show and Columbo's "Just one last question" ;D

[erisi236]

drtompki said:

cyclonechyno said:

I'm pretty sure it was Columbo who proved the earth was round

He only proved it to the Europeans. A large portion of the world had already figured it out by then. The Europeans just refused to accept their reasoning.

Argh, no no No NO!!!!

Besides the point that he's talking about "Columbo" not "Columbus" Europeans of the time knew full well the Earth was round, thats the point of this thread! Columbus wasn't out to prove the World was round to Europe, Washington Irvin just made that up, it's a myth!

and did you read the full text, it mentions people getting he Earths dimentions before the time of Jesus

[whothoughtofthis]

columbus never made it to america, he made it to what has been known as the west indies.
if i remember it was americo vas pucci(sp?)

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

Meh.....Leif Erikson was the REAL first European that discovered North America........>_> Though....the Native Americans found it before ANY Europeans did.....

[Cranjis McBasketball]

vnas411 said:

hulk6785 said:

Everybody thinks Christopher Columbus was this great man. Please! All he did was sail across the Atlantic Ocean and found North America. Sure, he discovered America; but he thought it was India. The guy thought he could sail around the world and hit India; which is why we call Native Americans "Indians." Well, he could; but he had no idea that North and South America was inbetween. So all he did was make a big mistake and because of it, a whole race of people was nearly wipe off the earth and that same race is referred to as "Indians" when they aren't from India.

That's another myth that irritates me. Columbus didn't call the people he encountered when he reached North America "Indians' because he thought he was in India. India wasn't even called India then, it was Hindustan. He referred to the natives as, "A people in God" In some of his writings, and "in God" translates into spanish as "En Dios" which became Indians.

You read Braindroppings too, huh?


Anyway, not only were the Vikings in Newfoundland before Columbus, but the Chinese had been here before too. In 1421. Also, Columbus never set foot on the mainland.

Columbus was following known trade routes, he knew where he was going.

[The OP]

Yeah, it's sort of annoying that some people are still being taught that, but I think more and more people are starting to learn more accurate history.