Myth: Columbus DID NOT believe the Earth was flat!

The myth that Christopher Columbus believed in a flat Earth is a widespread fallacy. It erroneously suggests that during Columbus's era, people held the belief that the Earth was a flat, disc-like structure, and Columbus embarked on his journey to disprove this notion by sailing westward, ultimately discovering the Americas. However, this representation is misleading and misrepresents the knowledge and beliefs of the time.

During the 15th century, when Columbus lived, the idea of a flat Earth had already been widely discredited among the educated elite, including scholars and navigators. The notion of a spherical Earth had been firmly established since ancient times by esteemed Greek philosophers like Pythagoras, and it was subsequently affirmed by notable scholars such as Aristotle and Eratosthenes. The concept of a spherical Earth continued to prevail throughout the Middle Ages and enjoyed widespread acceptance among European intellectuals.

Columbus himself was well aware of the Earth's spherical shape and had studied various authoritative sources, including classical texts, medieval maps, and contemporary navigational techniques. He made calculations of the Earth's circumference, albeit with a significant underestimation of its actual value. This miscalculation led him to believe that a westward voyage from Europe to Asia would be a viable and shorter alternative to the traditional eastward route.

Nonetheless, the challenges Columbus encountered in securing sponsorship for his expedition were not due to his belief in a flat Earth. Rather, his proposal was met with skepticism because the estimated distance required to reach Asia via a westward voyage far exceeded his initial projections. Most experts correctly surmised that such a journey would be unfeasible given the limited resources available at the time.

The myth of Columbus and the flat Earth gained prominence in the 19th century, fueled by fictional narratives and popular literature. It was employed as a metaphorical tool to illustrate the progress of human knowledge and to depict Columbus as a heroic figure challenging the prevailing ignorance of his era. However, this portrayal is historically inaccurate and fails to acknowledge the widespread understanding of a spherical Earth among educated individuals during Columbus's time.