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There was nothing exceptional in the "Earth is Round" thing - every educated European (and Arab etc.) had known that since Classical times (and the knowledge survived the fall of Rome, so it didn't have to be rediscovered). The roundness of the Earth was discussed and demonstrated in medieval astronomical texts.

Columbus wasn't ridiculed for claiming that the Earth was round, he was ridiculed for claiming that it was smaller than it actually is - he got lucky (and the natives of Cuba very unlucky) that an unsuspected major land mass got in the way on his voyage east.

[QUOTE="Kevin Daly, post: 89172, member: 913"] There was nothing exceptional in the "Earth is Round" thing - every educated European (and Arab etc.) had known that since Classical times (and the knowledge survived the fall of Rome, so it didn't have to be rediscovered). The roundness of the Earth was discussed and demonstrated in medieval astronomical texts. Columbus wasn't ridiculed for claiming that the Earth was round, he was ridiculed for claiming that it was smaller than it actually is - he got lucky (and the natives of Cuba very [I]unlucky[/I]) that an unsuspected major land mass got in the way on his voyage east. [/QUOTE]

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