unites states history

Document Analysis: Directions

Read the two documents that follow. Each document has a set of analysis questions for you to answer. Once you have read the documents & answered the analysis questions, move on to the final writing task.

Primary Source: Translation of the Columbus letter (Basel, 1494)

Analysis Questions

On the thirty-third day after I departed, I came to the Indian sea, where I found many islands inhabited by men…all of which I took possession of for our most fortunate king (King Ferdinand)…

All these people lack, as I said above, every kind of iron; they are also without weapons, which indeed are unknown; nor are they competent to use them, not on account of deformity of body, for they are well-formed, but because they are timid and full of fear… when I sent two or three of my men to some of the villages, that they might speak with the natives, and as soon as they saw our men approaching, they would quickly take flight. And this was not because any hurt or injury had been inflicted on any one of them, for to everyone whom I visited and with whom I was able to converse, I distributed whatever I had, cloth and many other things, no return being made to me…

They show greater love for all others than for themselves; they give valuable things… being satisfied even with a very small return, or with nothing; however, I forbade that things so small and of no value should be given to them, such as pieces of plates, dishes, and glass, likewise keys and shoelace tips although if they were to obtain these, it seemed to them like getting the most beautiful jewels in the world.

It happened, indeed, that a certain sailor obtained in exchange for shoelace tips as much worth of gold as would equal three golden coins; and likewise other things for articles of very little value, especially for new silver coins, and for some gold coins, to obtain which they gave whatever the seller desired, as for instance an ounce and a half and two ounces of gold, or thirty and forty pounds of cotton, with which they were already acquainted. They also traded cotton and gold for pieces of bows, bottles, jugs, and jars, like persons without reason, which I forbade because it was very wrong; and I gave to them many beautiful and pleasing things that I had brought with me, no value being taken in exchange…

…They firmly believe that all strength and power, and in fact all good things are in heaven and that I had come down from thence with these ships and sailors; and in this belief, I was received thereafter they had put aside fear. …..

They are coming with me now, yet always believing that I descended from heaven….

Sourcing: Who wrote this primary source and when was it written?

Christopher Columbus and was written in 1494. This year Christopher Columbus discovered Jamaica on his second voyage

Sourcing: Why might it be important for historians or researchers to notice who wrote this primary source?

It might be important for historians or researchers to notice who wrote this primary source because it gives understanding as if the historian is in the shoes of the writer of the primary source. To try and impute what the experience of the writer was by knowing who wrote it.

Sourcing: Is this source a reliable source for researching the interactions between Christopher Columbus and Indigenous Peoples? Why or why not?

Yes, it is. The reason is that it is a primary source from that time written by Christopher Columbus himself. So it has raw thoughts and words from Columbus about what they were doing and how they were living.

Close Reading: What claim does the author make about the relationship between Columbus, his men, and Native Americans?

Close Reading: Provide two specific examples, from this primary source, as evidence to support the claim you made in response to the question above.

Secondary Source: Your heroes are not our heroes (July 2001)

Analysis Questions

...Columbus ran his flagship, the Santa Maria, aground on the island of Haiti on Christmas Eve in 1492. The Arawak people helped rescue Columbus and his men and helped salvage the shipwreck of Santa Maria. The Arawak people helped Columbus dismantle the wrecked flagship and erect a fort with the salvaged timbers. When Columbus left Haiti he rewarded the Arawak(Taino) people by kidnaping 25 of them, and selling the seven or eight survivors of the return voyage to Spain, into slavery.

...On Columbus's second voyage, he returned with 17 heavily armed ships, 1500 men, cannons, guns, crossbows, and attack dogs. All of which he used to fulfill his wishes of conquest of these Children of God. After his attempts of conquest and enslavement were met with resistance his descriptions of these people became less complementary. The Native people were forced to pay a stipend to the Spanish. This stipend consisted of food, gold, cotton... Failure to produce a tribute to the Spanish brought swift and terrible punishment. Those that did not comply were given an attitude adjustment that consisted of the violent removal of their nose, ear, hand, or foot. Those that actively resisted were burned alive. The Native people were even forced to carry the Spanish, to spare the Spanish the drudgery of walking.

So great were the cruelties and horrible degradations that the Native people suffered at the hands of Columbus and his men, that entire villages would bolt in panic at the sight of a single Spaniard. The whole populations of some villages would, upon the approach of Spanish soldiers, hurl themselves from cliffs, hang themselves, shoot one another with arrows, or take poison to avoid living under the boot of Spanish oppression. Others abandoned their cultivated fields and homes to hide in the forested hills where many thousands starved to death...

After the surrounding Islands of the Caribbean were likewise depopulated, the African slave trade began to replace the now all but extinct Native people. Estimates of the Native population of Haiti in 1492 range up to 8 million people. In 1496, according to the results of a Spanish census, the Native populace had dropped to approximately 3 million. By 1516 only 12,000 remained. In 1542, 200 remained alive. By 1555, nearly all 8 million were gone.

I am often asked by my non-Native friends why many Native Americans resent the celebration of Columbus Day. Above can be found a few of the reasons why.

Sincerely yours,

Mr. Ramon Rivera, Director of Cultural Affairs Office of Taino Tribal Affairs (Tribal Representative)  The Government of The Jatibonicu Taino Tribal Nation

Sourcing: Who wrote this secondary source and when was it written?

Ramon Rivera. It was written in 2001 modern day. So it's very different from when the primary source was written.

Sourcing: Why might it be important for historians or researchers to notice who wrote this secondary source?

It might be important for historians or researchers to notice who wrote this secondary source to understand where they are coming from when they write. To feel how the writer feels or views what they wrote and how.

Sourcing: Is this source a reliable source for researching the interactions between Christopher Columbus and Indigenous Peoples? Why or why not?

I say yes and no because it gives facts of important things that went on during that time but also it feels as if the author's interpretation and opinion is inserted into it as well.

Close Reading: What claim does the author make about the relationship between Columbus, his men, and Native Americans?

Close Reading: Provide two specific examples, from this secondary source, as evidence to support the claim you made in response to the question above.