“My desire was not to pass any island without taking possession, so that, one having been taken, the same may be said of all.”
- August 25th to October 31st, 1451 – May 20th, 1506
- Born in the Republic of Genoa (now Italy)
- Explorer and navigator
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Quote
“My desire was not to pass any island without taking possession, so that, one having been taken, the same may be said of all.”
Explanation
In this quote, Christopher Columbus reveals his explicit intent to claim any island he encountered on behalf of Spain, reflecting the imperial mindset that characterized European exploration during the Age of Discovery. By stating, “My desire was not to pass any island without taking possession,” Columbus underscores the colonial ambition behind his voyage. The phrase “taking possession” indicates his belief that the land he discovered was there for the taking, regardless of the existing indigenous populations. This mindset was common during the period of European expansion, when explorers viewed newly discovered lands as territories to be claimed for their monarchs, often disregarding the rights and sovereignty of the indigenous peoples already living there.
The second part of the quote, “so that, one having been taken, the same may be said of all,” reflects Columbus’s desire to establish a sense of ownership and control over every island he encountered. By claiming one island, he sought to make that claim universal across all the islands he would come across, as if his first act of possession set a precedent for subsequent claims. This demonstrates the entitlement felt by European explorers who believed that their arrival was enough to establish ownership, regardless of the land’s previous inhabitants. Columbus’s approach reflects a broader colonial logic where discovery by a European power was often seen as a legal and moral justification for claiming lands, leading to the exploitation and displacement of indigenous peoples.
In modern terms, this quote speaks to the legacy of colonialism and the ongoing debates about land ownership and the rights of indigenous populations. The phrase “taking possession” resonates with contemporary conversations around land rights, particularly in cases where colonizers or modern states claim authority over territories without regard for the indigenous peoples who have lived there for centuries. The idea of ownership that Columbus articulates reflects the exploitative logic of colonialism, where land and people were viewed as commodities to be controlled. Today, such actions are often recognized as unjust and part of the broader patterns of colonial exploitation that have had lasting effects on indigenous communities worldwide.
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