They stand out in European history in terms of helping to fund and prolong the imperialistic war efforts of several nations, helping to kill even more European peasants press ganged into service and ultimately provided a new place for the excess Euro population to run to, to escape persecution, exploitation, poverty and starvation. However, the Conquistadors and the migration brought disease and destruction to existing peoples and cultures, some of which no longer even exist. Objectively, it came at a huge price. For the descendants of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Columbus day is a form of schadenfreude.