logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2019
38m 31s

Christopher Columbus Was Such A Jerk Tha...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

For decades in the West, Christopher Columbus was often inaccurately portrayed as a pioneering explorer, his life, times and crimes sanitized in the public record. Schoolchildren learned rhymes about this individual, and in the US he was given an official holiday. However, the activities of the real Christopher Columbus fall far short of the image children were taught growing up. In fact, Columbus was such a dirtbag that, eventually, even the Spanish Crown turned against him.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
CLASSIC: That Time Ohio and Michigan Almost Went To War
In this week's Classic episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how a misunderstanding of the geography of the Great Lakes started a feud, known as the Toledo War, between the state of Ohio and a territory called Michigan. Tune in to Ridiculous History to hear how the conflict between ... Show More
34m 37s
Jul 16
The Ridiculously Inspiring Story of Free Public Restrooms, Part Two: The Rise of CEPTIA
In this week's Classic episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how a misunderstanding of the geography of the Great Lakes started a feud, known as the Toledo War, between the state of Ohio and a territory called Michigan. Tune in to Ridiculous History to hear how the conflict between ... Show More
33m 15s
Jul 15
The Ridiculously Inspiring Story of Free Public Restrooms, Part One: Everyone Has To Poop
Today a great many people in the United States take free toilets for granted. Yet, as Ben, Noel and Max discover in the first part of this two-part episode, there was a long -- and ridiculous -- road from the origin of public toilets to the free facilities we enjoy today. Tune in ... Show More
36m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2019
Christopher Columbus
In the late 15th Century, explorer Christopher set out with on a mission that had never been attempted before: cross the Atlantic Ocean and find an alternate route to Asia. Instead, he landed in the Caribbean, and set himself up to be credited as the "man who discovered America". ... Show More
44m 51s
Feb 2024
Christopher Columbus: life of the week
In the list of famous explorers, the name of Christopher Columbus stands out. Seen for many years as the man who supposedly 'discovered' the Americas, his heroic legacy is now being challenged and critiqued. Speaking to Paul Bloomfield, historian Julia McClure considers the explo ... Show More
43m 25s
May 2023
Episode #178- Columbus? (Part I)
There are few historical figures whose reputation has swung in as many extreme directions as Christopher Columbus. The Genoese mariner once credited with "discovering America" has in recent years been called out as genocidal conqueror and slave trader. In 2020 many statues of Col ... Show More
1h 6m
Mar 2025
Christopher Columbus
The explorer, Christopher Columbus, is famous for reaching the Americas and opening up a new world to European pioneers. But though his determination and skills were second to none, he eventually fell out of favour at home and abroad, and was unwelcome even in the very colonies h ... Show More
51m 43s
Oct 2025
The Real Story of Christopher Columbus | Focal Point with Imam Tom Facchine
<p>Christopher Columbus has long been praised as a symbol of the American immigrant dream. But how did a mass murderer, a genocider, and a barbarian come to be celebrated in such a manner?</p><p>Imam Tom dissects the anti-immigrant sentiment that shaped the future of Columbus’s l ... Show More
20m 59s
Mar 2023
309: Columbus: Villain or Hero? (Part 4)
Christopher Columbus caused debate in his own time, and remains a controversial figure today: some argue he initiated both the Atlantic slave trade and the genocide of the Native Americans, others laud him as one of the great men of History. Join Tom and Dominic as they explore t ... Show More
56 m
Oct 2024
Who Was Christopher Columbus?
<p>Did Columbus really think the Earth was flat? Where did he come from? Where did he get to? To untangle the myths of Columbus and his complicated legacy, Don spoke to Elise Bartosik-Velez.</p><br><p>Elise teaches at Dickinson college about Latin American history and literature, ... Show More
46m 38s
Feb 2023
306: Columbus: The Adventure Begins (Part 1)
A controversial figure both now and in his time, Tom and Dominic discuss Columbus and his drive for discovery, power and status. They look at Columbus’ early life in Genoa, his journey to becoming an accomplished sailor, his obsession with crossing the Atlantic to reach what he t ... Show More
56m 9s
Feb 2023
307: Columbus: A New World? (Part 2)
Having convinced the Catholic Monarchs to fund his journey across the Atlantic, Columbus sets sail with three ships, a crew with dubious loyalties, and a mission to find China or Japan by heading west.  A voyage spanning the Canary Islands, Cuba and Hispaniola, he will encounter ... Show More
49m 46s
Feb 2023
308: Columbus: Death in the Caribbean (Part 3)
Columbus returns to the remnants of his first voyage to the "Indies", having convinced Isabella and Ferdinand to fund a larger second trip. Desperate to make his mission financially fruitful, his search for wealth and capital unleashes horror on the land that he has “discovered”. ... Show More
47m 43s