Chapter 1 Summary:

While the explorers did commit many sins, their actions and motive are often
painted out to be much worse than they really were, usually as an attack on the
Christian foundations of Western Civilization
Chapter 2: Explorers Before Columbus: For Odin or For Christ?
1. The Native Americans (not Indians) were the first to discover America, not
the Norse or Columbus
2. Evidence for possible successful Roman, Chinese, and Irish (St. Brendan
the Bold) expeditions, but only Viking is accepted as fact
3. Norse settlement around A.D. 1000
4. After being converted by warrior-priest Thangbrand, Olaf Tryggvason (and
son Olaf Haraldson/St. Olaf) converted Vikings in Greenland and Iceland
from Norse religion to Christianity (sometimes by preaching, sometimes by
force)
5. Hungry Vikings found a whale, and some pagans declared it a gift from
Thor. The Christians refused to eat the meat (which made all who ate it ill)
and subjected themselves to Gods mercy. Shortly after, the skies cleared
and they began to fish. They pulled in enough food to keep provisions
stocked for the rest of their voyage.
6. In 1492, Pope Alexander VI wrote that he believed that many
Greenlanders had abandoned their Faith, but they actually were very
devout
Chapter 3: The European Mindset 1492: The Crescent or the Cross?
1. Communism is to 90s America as Islam was to 1492 Spain
2. Christendom: A country in which not all were Christian but Christians were
able to worship in freely.
3. Koran basically commands to slay all those who will not convert
4. Muslims took over most of Spain, Christianity (the Franks) prevailed in
Battle of Tours
5. Islam and Christianity influenced each other from 700-1200 (Islam was a
leading world power)
6. The Crusades began to try to vindicate a right of religion under foreign
jurisdiction
7. Made up of sinful men on holy missions, committing acts of nobility and
courage, treachery, and savagery.
8. Initial success, but overall failure
9. Battles were destructive bloodbaths
10. Henry the Navigators mission was to spread Christianity throughout the
world
11. Columbus followed suit but wanted to sail West to reach the East
12. Non-Muslims were persecuted
13. Next came El Cid, Inquisition, Expulsion of the Jews

14. On January 2, 1492, Isabel and Fernando marched into Granada to

celebrate the victory of the Reconquista. Columbus was with them
Chapter 4: Christopher Columbus: Conquistador or Cross-Bearer?
1.