[Truth Teller]

(10-12-2015 11:09 PM)Lucky Wrote:  

I'm taking a class on Western history and what led Europe to dominate the globe. The short answer is that geography (terrain dividing European states), decentralization (European states constantly at war with one another), and rapid adoption of new technologies (or else they'd be conquered) all played a role.

The European powers weren't suddenly handed immense wealth, advanced technology, and disciplined militaries. It was a painful, gradual process of development that led to the Age of Exploration and Columbus's journey.

One thing I know for sure is that if any other group of people developed the means first, they would have just as easily gone to Europe and done the same shit.

There's also the factor of luck. The Europeans happen to be lucky enough to develop advanced technology (for the time) far earlier than anyone else.

Also, just a minor correction to an earlier post: Columbus knew he had found a continent. His journal entries make it clear.

[Hades]

I'm really not sure what started this big smear campaign against Christopher Columbus when many other historical characters (Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Alexander the Great) racked up impressively huge body counts and probably spent weeks after a successful war raid raping the native women silly, probably butchering kids for sport, and getting drunk and fat off their larders.

Maybe the slavery aspect is what turns them off from Columbus the most, even though the majority of those old warlords (not to mention the preponderance of colonial dictators contemporary to Columbus and after) were no strangers to slavery.