Christopher
Columbus's voyages had a profound impact on Europe. As it became clear that he had discovered a
new continent and as wealth from this continent began pouring into Spain, Spain became more
powerful. Other European countries were thus galvanized to send out their own expeditions to
explore and to start colonies in the New World. This led, of course, to the British and French
establishing colonial outposts in the New World. Europe benefitted from the abundant natural
resources of the new continent, and cultural thought and the European sense of cultural
superiority were impacted by contact with what were considered more primitive cultures.
Exploration of these hitherto unknown cultures and geographies also changed European life by
introducing new products, such as tobacco, corn, potatoes and tomatoes.
It's
important to note, however, the name "Christopher Columbus" can act as a shorthand for
all sorts of currents that were already in play and that it is difficult to tease out particular
contributions that were Columbus's alone: the age of exploration and the quest for faster routes
to Asia had begun before his voyages, and contacts with other civilizations in the East and in
Africa had already inspired the development of racist ideologies in Europe. Columbus's greatest
influence was perhaps to accelerate processes already in play.
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