> Was there any practical value in Columbus discovering America? Why, yes, of course - even in the immediate short term the ships returned from expeditions wit

> Was there any practical value in Columbus discovering America? Why, yes, of course - even in the immediate short term the ships returned from expeditions with gold and slaves; and from the very start the exploration voyages were planned and funded solely as a practical endeavor for trade and looting, not as an intellectual curiosity.