Origins of the Doctrine of Discovery Analysis -- To understand the Christian principle of discovery’s connection to the current laws of the United States, one must examine a papal document issued forty years before Columbus’ historic voyage. In 1454, the Bull Romanus Pontifex was issued by Pope Nicholas V to King Alfonso V of Portugal, which
Religious Doctrine That “Legalized” Columbus’ Native Genocide Went On To Become US Federal Law
Virtually all American school children are taught about Columbus’ “discovery” as some type of mythical adventure. However, few are aware of the religious doctrine that underpins his taking “possession” of the newly arrived upon land, which has come to be known as the Doctrine of Discovery. Fewer yet are aware that currently – over five hundred years later – the U.S. government still uses this doctrine to uniformly deny Native Americans’ their rights.