Christopher Columbus landed on an island in what is now the Bahamas on October 12, 1492, after leaving Spain about two months earlier. He continued to explore the Caribbean and conquered the lands in the name of God, Spain and its benefactors, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. During his travels, the Italian explorer discovered new cultures, flora and fauna and enormous economic potential in the “New World”. Columbus and his men discovered that the islanders wore gold jewelry and set out to find gold deposits on the island. By the early sixteenth century, the Spanish had exhausted most of the gold deposits accessible by the mining methods of the time, and the Taino Natives were decimated by disease, forced labor, and murder. In obedience to the orders of Your Highnesses and with submission to a higher judgment, I will say all that happens to me concerning the colonization and trade of the island of Espanola and the other islands, both those that have already been discovered and those that can be discovered later. [13] Regarding the discovery of new countries, I think that all those who want to leave should be allowed and more liberality should be used. reduce the tax fairly so that many are ready to travel. It`s a shame that very few survived, especially since they didn`t even know what they were getting into, but this letter explains that all Christopher wanted to do was bring them peace and love, not only for each other and for Spain, but also for others! It seems that according to the text above the letter, Christopher`s intentions were not accurate. He suggested that peace should be spread over them, but lives were lost and slavery began to create madness/sadness instead of peace.
The diary of his first voyage (AJ-062) shows that he left on 3 August 1492 and returned in April 1493, where he landed in the Caribbean on 12 October 1492. Research conducted by the National Geographic Society in the 1980s concluded that this landing took place on Samana Cay in the Bahaman Islands, which the inhabitants of the Arawak Indians called Guanahani and which Christopher Columbus immediately named San Salvador. From there, he traveled to Fortune Island, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, which he called Espaola, while thinking he was close to Japan. Columbus left about forty men on the island of Espaola or Hispaniola, as it is also called, and left on September 16. In January 1493 he returned home, where he encountered violent storms and the imprisonment of the Portuguese in the Azores at sea. He arrived in Lisbon in March 1493 and immediately sent a letter to his friend and godfather Luis de Santangel (AJ-063) describing his adventure. By the time it reached the Spanish court at the beginning of April, this letter had already been printed and distributed throughout Europe. The Spanish monarchs were delighted and had such high hopes of finding riches that they ordered Columbus to return immediately. The legal documents presented here contain an agreement that if Christopher Columbus or Christbal Colon, as he was called, managed to find a new path to the riches he believed to be in the western European continent, he would be well rewarded. In April 1492, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain agreed to appoint Columbus admiral, to assume responsibility for the newly opened lands and thus to be able to exploit any potential trade. In addition, a tenth of the wealth that Columbus found there could flow into his own pocket. These documents show that Christopher Columbus was not only an explorer, but a man interested in reaping the benefits of trade and exploiting the natural resources of the land he would claim for Spain.
1. Columbus captured the natives in fear because he could tell them to do what he wanted, and they would. 2. I think the first outrage of the Europeans was astonished. They were probably very happy to see the land because they had been sailing the sea for some time. Europeans, who knew it would be their New World, probably thought it was the most amazing place, especially the way Christopher Columbus described it. 3. Among the objects described by Christopher Columbus, the peculiarities of various golds and metals would have been of great interest to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. They would be interested in gold and metals because they are kings and it would always catch their attention. In addition, knowing that there is gold and various metals will give them more fame and royalty.
4. Columbus described the islands and their inhabitants in detail because Europeans never heard or saw anything of what Columbus had described. He gave images of the New World at that time. 5. I believe the term “Colombian exchange” was associated with that time because Christopher Columbus was sent into the ocean to find the world of the northwest, and he did, so he gave people an exchange about what he was doing. On the island, which I have already said is called Hispana, there are very high and beautiful mountains, large farms, groves and fields fertile for cultivation and pastures, and which are well suited for the construction of buildings. The convenience of this island`s ports and the excellence of the rivers in volume and health exceed human belief, unless you see them. In this, the trees, pastures and fruits are very different from those of Juana. In addition, this Hispana is rich in different types of species, gold and metals. Residents.. are all, as I said, supplied with any kind of iron, and they are poor in weapons which are completely unknown to them and for which they are not suitable; Not because of any physical deformity, because they are well made, but because they are shy and full of terror. But when they see that they are safe and that all fear is banished, they are very innocent and honest and very liberal of everything they have.
No one denies the author of the question everything he possesses; On the contrary, they invite us ourselves to ask for it. They show the greatest affection for all of us, exchange precious things for trifles, settle for the least or nothing at all. I gave them many beautiful and joyful things that I had brought with me, in return, to earn their affection, and so that they might become Christians and be inclined to love our king, our queen, our princes and all the people of Spain; and that they might be eager to seek this, to gather us, and to give us what they are in abundance in and what we desperately need. But these considerations in no way diminish the extent of his achievements. When Columbus did not discover America, he found the best routes for Europeans to reach it, and almost all other ships followed him for the next three hundred years. His explorations initiated a lasting contact between the European and American peoples. Columbus focused the attention and capital of European governments and investors on America, which led them to establish colonies throughout the region over the next century. And he was the first European to explore the Caribbean islands and the mainland, from Honduras to Venezuela. When Christopher Columbus` proposal was initially rejected, Queen Isabella convened another meeting of sailors, philosophers, astrologers and others to re-examine the project. Experts considered that the distances calculated by Christopher Columbus between Spain and India were absurd. The monarchs also became dubious, but a group of influential courtiers convinced them that they would lose little if the project failed and would gain a lot if it succeeded.
These advisors included the Archbishop of Toledo Hernando de Talavera, the notary Luis de Santángel and the chamberlain Juan Cabrero. [2] The Royal Secretary Juan II Coloma was ordered to formulate the capitulations […].
