more explanation in the comments

Myth 1: He "Discovered" America
The Reality: Columbus never actually set foot on mainland North America; his voyages took him to the Caribbean islands and parts of Central and South America. Furthermore, you cannot "discover" a land that was already populated by tens of millions of Indigenous people with highly developed societies, cultures, and trade networks.

Myth 2: He Proved the Earth Was Round
The Reality: Educated Europeans already knew the Earth was round. Ancient Greek mathematicians had proven it centuries prior. Columbus's actual mistake was a mathematical miscalculation: he believed the Earth was much smaller than it is, leading him to think he could easily sail west to Asia.

Myth 3: He Made Friendly, Equal Trade with the Natives
The Reality: While early curriculum often depicted peaceful trading of beads and trinkets, Columbus's journals reveal he immediately viewed the Taíno people as subjects for exploitation. He wrote on his very first day of contact that they would make "good servants" and noted how easily they could be conquered with force.

Myth 4: The Decline of Native Populations Was Just an Unfortunate Accident of Disease
The Reality: While European diseases (like smallpox) did decimate populations, traditional textbooks long ignored the active role Columbus's administration played in the destruction. Enslavement, warfare, systemic starvation caused by disrupted agriculture, and brutal executions caused immediate, massive population collapses before diseases even fully spread.