The discovery of America was the occasion of greatest outburst and reckless greed known in history.

–Jospeh Conrad

 Today, in 1442, the famous Christopher Columbus found Cuba and ‘claimed’ it for Spain. He was now one step closer to the discovery of the new world. He was backed by the naval forces of the Spanish armada. This was a royal mission. America at this time in history was more than a promised land- it presented an opportunity for the ever-expanding European powers to extend their mercantilist projects beyond the ocean. It represented a future of unadulterated wealth and unprecedented growth. Ironically, history remembers this man as a gentle explorer and not as the flag-bearer of brutal colonization.