Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

History 1500

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

First Voyage of Christopher Columbus. 15132836 On the 7th of January 1792 Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain under instruction from the King and Queen to find a westerly sea crossing direct to Asia. Of this journey there were several items of literature written to which made account of the journey that still remain today. After reading two different pieces which offer different accounts from different men, a diary written by Las Casas a crewmen on the voyage, which was composed after the expedition, and a letter, to the King and Queen of Spain written by Columbus himself at the time of the voyage. These two items allow for a great insight the initial reactions between the two cultures, and also an insight into the Spanish mind on that fateful day in October 1492. First it must be noticed that there are many strengths and weaknesses to both the items the Letter offers greater credibility, because its a primary source coming directly from Columbus only having been translated from Spanish to English, also the letter was written at the time or shortly after the voyage took place. ...read more.

Middle

Another form of communication between the Indians and the Spanish, was the way the Spanish communicated that they meant no harm to the natives at the time of his first landing. This communication was done not using words but by giving the native presents and leaving them relatively 'unmolested' which lead the Indians to a false sense of trust which would inevitably ended badly -"The people gathered around him and appeared astonished. It seemed to him that we were good people and that the man in the canoe must have wronged us or we would not have carried him off". " I shall carry him to Fernandina and restore all his possessions to him so that he may give a good account of us. Then when, god willing, your Highnesses send others here, we shall be favourably received and the natives may give us all that they possess"8. The readings allow us to brief insight into the past and to what values the Spanish held in high regard along with some of their assumptions and world views at the time. It is made quite clear in both the diaries and the letter that the Spanish were devout Christians and believed in all the basic Christian ideals two of these that were made evident in the readings were of Monogamy and Modesty. ...read more.

Conclusion

This would then appease the royals back in Spain and that the time money and utilities afforded to the voyage would not go unrewarded. To lie also benefits Columbus the most because his job would be at stake if the expedition was deemed a failure "Their highnesses can see that I will give them as much gold s they need, if their Highnesses will render my a very slight assistance".14 It is easy to see after reading the two pieces that in 1492 the world and what the Spanish knew of the world changed forever. In having read both the diaries that were written by Columbus documenting his first accounts with the people of the Caribbean and also the letter that he also wrote to the King and Queen of Spain it is not hard to notice that there are many inconsistencies with many white lies being told. This journey what was meant to be a simple voyage to find a westerly sea crossing to the Asian continent turned out to be a massive boost for the Spanish but signalled the beginning of the end for the natives of Mesoamerica. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our University Degree 1500-1599 section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related University Degree 1500-1599 essays

  1. Assess the impact of the opening of the Atlantic World in the 15th, 16th ...

    and indigo, all of which had a stable economy but experienced failure through the cycle of boom and bust. Sugar in the Caribbean has been a largely discussed topic and is generally the standard of development in the Caribbean region.

  2. How did the perception of Spain as the centre of a mighty European empire ...

    to fund Philip's military spending.11 Thompson points out that 'The decade after 1580 changed not only the size but also the nature of military expenditure.'12 Warfare was moving away from the traditional chivalrous nature, and moving towards a more modern idea of conflict.

  1. Why was it so difficult to decide between true and false visions and apparitions ...

    11 Historian Keith Thomas, suggests that "although men went on seeing ghosts after the Reformation, they were assiduously taught not to take them

  2. Free essay

    What factors drew people away from the British Isles and towards the New World?

    Although the colony was initially beset by troubles in its early years of foundation, such as disease from swamplands and later starvation, by the 1630s, 1640s and 1650s the Virginian region was being steadily settled and in this period would become one of the main tobacco growing regions in the world.

  1. Jasmine's key worker has noticed bruising on Jasmine's legs and bottom. This could have ...

    Kelly should not ask Jasmine leading questions or attempt to investigate what she thinks may be signs of abuse. She should ask Barbara about the bruising just to be on the safe side. Once she has asked Barbara then she can record it in the accident book.

  2. 'The divisions within Northern Ireland society have as much to do with class as ...

    Union and its security forces that led to the downfall of the first Stormont Assembly. They were also incensed by the Church's refusal to excommunicate members of the IRA, as they did during the Civil War between 1922-3, and their willingness to bury IRA dead and hunger strikers in consecrated ground.

  1. The battle of Kinsale was one of the main factors that eventually caused 'the ...

    An old Irish tradition, which stated that one Hugh O'Donnell, who follows another Hugh O'Donnell, is to become high King of all Ireland2. Red Hugh's father was also called Hugh so the superstitious Irish immediately adopted this idea. This did not go unnoticed by the Lord Deputy, Perrott, he saw the traditional and O'Donnell as a threat.

  2. Long day's journey into night, the"Tyronian" tragedy.

    And so, the vicious circle continues. However, if one does not wish to inflict upon one's distinguished teaching assistant a painfully long dissertation of each member's contributions to the tragedy and the results thereof, one ought to maintain, for argument's sake, that the majority of the culpability lies with James

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work