Draft
The butterfly effect refers to the possibility that if a butterfly flaps its wings in China, this may cause a thunderstorm in Brazil an year later. Three computational mistakes led Columbus to a misplaced optimism that he could circle the globe to reach India, creating a new trade route bypassing Islamic Lands. The effects of this mistake continue to reverberate through the centuries. For many reasons, the full impact of the discovery of the Americas has not been fully appreciated. It is essential to understand these as these event continue to live with us.