Document Interpretation 1

Christopher Columbus Extracts from His Journal - written by his own hand
1. Columbus first landed on an island and traveled along a chain of
islands. Ive always thought that Columbus landed on the mainland.
2. Natives besides the Aztecs were cannibals. I thought that the Aztecs
participating in human sacrifice was bad, but now it seems like its an
uncommon practice.
3. The natives exchanged things for things Columbus considered to be
junk. Even though the natives didnt know what Columbus was giving
them, they were excited to accept whatever he offered.
4. The natives viewed Columbus and his crew as people from the
heavens. Columbus had said to the natives that they didnt come from
the heavens but the natives still believed them.
5. Columbus and his crew had sexual intercourse with the natives. If I
were in Columbus shoes, Im not sure if I would have sex with a people
that I just met.
Columbus Letter to King Ferdinand-First Voyage
6. On an island called Juana, there were many hamlets on the seashore
instead of villages. With the population of a hamlet, it seems that the
natives werent too big on fishing.
7. The natives were quite generous with sharing according to Columbus
description. After the natives were more comfortable with Columbus,
they welcomed him like they were his friend.
8. The islands have an abundance of diversity, quantity, and life.
Columbus describes the islands as if they were gold itself.
9. The winters are cold because of the nearby mountains. The natives
keep themselves warm with spices and an abundance of meat.
10.
The natives had canoes that could carry as many as 80 people in
it. This surprises me as Columbus has also said that the canoes are
made with a single tree log. That canoe must have been gigantic.

11.
The native women worked more than the men. I knew women did
less strenuous work than men, but I didnt realize that they did more
work.
12.
There is an island where there are only native women. A lot of
questions arise such as what is the purpose of having an island of only
women and what kind of social hierarchy takes place?
13.
Native kings of chiefs have multiple women whereas all the other
men have one woman. Is this a law or is this just a social happening?

"The Devastation of the Indies" written by Bartolomea de Las Casas

14.
The natives realized that the Spaniards werent really from
heaven after attacking them. The natives got themselves killed
because they were so engrossed by the new things that Columbus had
to offer.
15.
The Spaniards killed the natives in various manners of cruelty. I
am shocked to see that the Spaniards didnt hold back in the killings of
the natives.
16.
A ship with 3,600 castellanos of gold dust and gold nuggets was
lost at sea. I must assume that 3,600 castellanos is a large weight
measurement. I wonder if anyone has ever found this lost shop and its
gold?
17.
There were female leaders of tribes and kingdoms. It seems that
the natives were very flexible in their ways of thought.
18.
Native slaves died from hunger and working conditions. Not only
were the natives were killed from the Spaniards, but they were also
killed from being slaves.
19.
Queen Isabel took care of the natives and was under her royal
protection until she died. It surprises me that of all the people who
thought that killing the natives were bad, that the Queen was one of
them.

Columbus Contract With Ferdinand and Isabella

20.
Columbus would be named an Admiral, Vice-Roy, and a Governor
for life as well as riches if he could find said islands.

Conclusion
By Columbus words, although the natives seemed like a simple people, its
just that the natives had never encountered things like ships or weapons
before. The natives had canoes, spear weapons, villages, towns, and even
kingdoms. Its not that the natives were a simple people, its just that they
were not advanced in their technology. I will always remember this because
in history books, the natives are always described as simple. Columbus
description of the natives makes me see the natives in a new light that
makes me appreciate the natives more.