Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator who is credited with discovering America. In 1492, Columbus set sail from Spain with the support of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, with the goal of reaching the East Indies by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean.
On October 12, 1492, Columbus and his crew landed on an island in the Bahamas, which he called San Salvador. He believed he had reached the East Indies, but he had actually landed on a new continent that would later be called the Americas.
Upon his return to Spain in 1493, Columbus wrote a letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, describing his journey and the new land he had discovered. This letter, known as the "Letter of Columbus," became an important piece of literature and helped to spread news of the New World throughout Europe.
In the letter, Columbus wrote about the people he had encountered on the islands, whom he called "Indians." He described them as friendly and hospitable, and wrote that they were "as good and gentle people as there are in the world, without knowledge of what is evil." He also wrote about the natural resources he had found, including gold, pearls, and spices.
Columbus was optimistic about the potential for trade with the East Indies and the possibility of converting the natives to Christianity. He wrote, "I assure Your Highnesses that there is no better land and no better people, and these people are the most ready in the world to become Christians, and the people who could most easily be made so."
However, Columbus's letter also contained a number of false or exaggerated claims about the New World. For example, he wrote about a sea of milk and honey, which was likely a reference to the abundance of natural resources he had found. He also claimed to have found the Garden of Eden, which was not supported by any evidence.
Despite these exaggerations, Columbus's letter was widely read and played a significant role in the European exploration and colonization of the Americas. It helped to spark the Age of Exploration, which would lead to the discovery of many new lands and the spread of European culture and influence throughout the world.
Today, Columbus's legacy is controversial, as he and other European explorers brought with them diseases that decimated the indigenous populations and engaged in mistreatment and exploitation of the native peoples. However, his letter to the King and Queen of Spain remains an important piece of history and an interesting glimpse into the mind of one of the most famous explorers in history.
Columbus’s Letter to the King and Queen of Spain
Again, this is a class discussion-and-negotiation process. That next day Columbus and his crew had spotted land and all of the crew members were anxious to set foot and discover what they have found eyewitnesstohistory. Since this letter is coming from Christopher Columbus, he makes the voyage seem very successful, but if this voyage was told from the perspective of one of the crew members there could be a totally different How Should We Celebrate Columbus Day 598 Words 3 Pages Columbus, who was brave and admiring, had a different route to Asia led the journey west came upon the new yet to be explored American continents. That in the said island there shall be a treasurer, with a clerk to assist him, who shall receive all the gold belonging to your Highnesses, and the alcaldes and notaries of the towns shall each keep a record of what they deliver to the said treasurer. Most High and Mighty Sovereigns, In obedience to your Highnesses' commands, and with submission to superior judgment, I will say whatever occurs to me in reference to the colonization and commerce of the Island of Espanola , and of the other islands, both those already discovered and those that may be discovered hereafter. It showed how miserable he felt because of the things that occurred to him.
Christopher Columbus Letter To Spain Analysis
This should give the students a way to state what the general purpose or purposes of the letter were. These words are usually nouns or verbs. These descriptions have once again shown what is important to the authors to Columbus it is the funding that he thinks he should receive, and to Equiano it is help for him and his enslaved Why Is Christopher Columbus Considered A Hero 498 Words 2 Pages Before Columbus found the new land people did not know there was other land. He continued to explore the Caribbean, taking possession of the islands in the name of Spain, God and his sponsors, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Ultimately having the support of the crown worked in his favor to exploit the land and its people. For example, "I discovered islands with many people on them, took possession of the islands without resistance, and then renamed the islands. As, in the eagerness to get gold, every one will wish, naturally, to engage in its search in preference to any other employment, it seems to me that the privilege of going to look for gold ought to be withheld during some portion of each year, that there may be opportunity to have the other business necessary for the island performed.
