Christopher Columbus Reading Worksheetwhat Type of Document

On August 3, 1492, Columbus set canvas from Kingdom of spain to observe an all-water route to Asia. On October 12, more than two months later, Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas that he called San Salvador; the natives called information technology Guanahani.

For nearly 5 months, Columbus explored the Caribbean, specially the islands of Juana (Republic of cuba) and Hispaniola (Santo Domingo), before returning to Spain. He left 30-nine men to build a settlement called La Navidad in nowadays-solar day Haiti. He besides kidnapped several Native Americans (between x and xx-five) to take dorsum to Spain—only eight survived. Columbus brought back small amounts of gold besides as native birds and plants to prove the richness of the continent he believed to exist Asia.

When Columbus arrived back in Spain on March xv, 1493, he immediately wrote a letter of the alphabet announcing his discoveries to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who had helped finance his trip. The letter of the alphabet was written in Spanish and sent to Rome, where information technology was printed in Latin by Stephan Plannck. Plannck mistakenly left Queen Isabella's name out of the pamphlet'due south introduction but quickly realized his fault and reprinted the pamphlet a few days later. The copy shown here is the second, corrected edition of the pamphlet.

The Latin press of this letter announced the existence of the American continent throughout Europe. "I discovered many islands inhabited by numerous people. I took possession of all of them for our virtually fortunate King by making public proclamation and unfurling his standard, no ane making whatever resistance," Columbus wrote.

In add-on to announcing his momentous discovery, Columbus's letter also provides observations of the native people'southward culture and lack of weapons, noting that "they are destitute of arms, which are entirely unknown to them, and for which they are not adapted; not on account of any bodily deformity, for they are well fabricated, but because they are timid and full of terror." Writing that the natives are "fearful and timid . . . guileless and honest," Columbus declares that the state could easily be conquered by Spain, and the natives "might become Christians and inclined to love our King and Queen and Princes and all the people of Spain."

An English translation of this document is available.

Excerpt

I have determined to write you this letter of the alphabet to inform you of everything that has been done and discovered in this voyage of mine.

On the 30-third day after leaving Cadiz I came into the Indian Body of water, where I discovered many islands inhabited by numerous people. I took possession of all of them for our most fortunate King past making public proclamation and unfurling his standard, no one making any resistance. The isle called Juana, as well every bit the others in its neighborhood, is exceedingly fertile. It has numerous harbors on all sides, very prophylactic and broad, in a higher place comparing with whatsoever I accept ever seen. Through information technology catamenia many very broad and health-giving rivers; and there are in it numerous very lofty mountains. All these isle are very beautiful, and of quite unlike shapes; easy to exist traversed, and full of the greatest variety of trees reaching to the stars. . . .

In the island, which I have said before was called Hispana, in that location are very lofty and beautiful mountains, great farms, groves and fields, most fertile both for tillage and for pasturage, and well adapted for constructing buildings. The convenience of the harbors in this isle, and the excellence of the rivers, in book and salubrity, surpass homo conventionalities, unless on should encounter them. In it the trees, pasture-lands and fruits unlike much from those of Juana. Too, this Hispana abounds in various kinds of species, gold and metals. The inhabitants . . . are all, equally I said before, unprovided with any sort of iron, and they are destitute of arms, which are entirely unknown to them, and for which they are not adapted; non on account of whatsoever actual deformity, for they are well made, but because they are timid and full of terror. . . . But when they see that they are safe, and all fear is banished, they are very guileless and honest, and very liberal of all they have. No one refuses the asker annihilation that he possesses; on the contrary they themselves invite united states of america to ask for it. They manifest the greatest amore towards all of us, exchanging valuable things for trifles, content with the very least thing or nothing at all. . . . I gave them many beautiful and pleasing things, which I had brought with me, for no return whatsoever, in club to win their amore, and that they might become Christians and inclined to beloved our King and Queen and Princes and all the people of Kingdom of spain; and that they might be eager to search for and gather and requite to us what they abound in and we greatly need.

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Source: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/columbus-reports-his-first-voyage-1493

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