History: Truth, Fiction, or what?

Some people take history at face value as literal truth. Some believe it is a tool of propaganda to influence a culture's beliefs. From one stance you can understand the path without error and its implication on modern thought. Or, you can't believe anything about history as true but can deduce from its narrative the intended influence on belief and the underlying effect on culture. I believe individual works of history are a compilation of experience, and sources, into a narrative told from a biased position. It is the sampling of multiple sources and works, comprehending them and then pulling the shared common threads out to try and piece together a representation of fact that produces a better picture of what happened.  I don't now if 100% accuracy is possible pre-modern technology and even with modern tech I think it's only theoretically possible to approach 100% accuracy.

The majority know the Story of Christopher Columbus as taught in schools and tradition, and most accept it as true at face value.

Here is one account written in 1828, that supports the traditionally accepted story. History of the life and voyages of Christopher Columbus by Washington Irving. It's of significance to note many academics have classified this work in the style of romantic history or historical fiction, containing elements of both history and fiction. By the way, Washington Irving was the author of the fiction books "Legend of Sleepy Hollow", and "Rip Van Winkle" Who's, in my opinion, biography and writing career reads more like some one more suitably labeled in the category of satirical fiction and political commentary (like today's Cracked, and the Onion) than as an academic minded historian.

Here is a contradictory account written in 1874. A History of The Character and Achievements of the So-Called Christopher Columbus by Aaron Goodrich.

Once you realize the history lessons taught by tradition and many schools may be just one view of many regarding possible historical narrative you have to decide if you care to know more about the topic from different views. If you are interested in history and wish to use it as a source of knowledge to back up your arguments you need to expand your comprehension of the different perspectives and hypotheses in the academic field of history.  Here is the book I recommend for getting a start on understanding the process while exploring American History from what may most likely be a new perspective. Barron's E-Z American History.