Analysis Paper: Columbus’s Description of the Discovery of America (1492
The article selected for analysis is titled Columbus’s Description of the Discovery of America (1492) covers the Spanish exploration and conquest of America. The article is a documentary about the history of Spanish exploration and conquest of the New World. The historical document covers one of the Journeys’ of Christopher Columbus and the thrilling discovery by the crew. The article was initially written by Columbus in his journal and was edited by Bartolomeo de Las Casas that constitutes the content in the document. Columbus was among the famous explorers and Spanish leaders deployed in the conquest of territories across the world, in particular, North America. The editor, Bartolomeo de las Casas was a Spanish colonist who acted as social reformer and historian (Holt, 28). He was appointed as a bishop then protector of Indians at some point in his productive professional life. The author was writing the journal to account for the events and encounters in the adventure into the unknown.
The sources entail primary sources of information on the events that marked the conquest and the enslavement of the locals in the discovered lands. For instance, the reason for European expansion encompasses the search for raw material and resources such as minerals like gold, for a direct route to India Ocean, the spread of criticality, discovering of new land, and enslavement of the colonies. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
The Spanish exploration, discoveries, and conquest of the Americas were rooted in the historical voyages of Christopher Columbus. The Spanish king and queen were interested in discovering new lands, and they sent out explorers and promised gifts to those that found new land, and Columbus ship and crew was among them. The first discovery was the Guanahani island, according to the natives. It was a beautifying island inhabited by indies, and the Admiral took possession of the land for the king and queen of the Spanish empire. The article explores the description of the people that inhabit the island as either black nor white. Columbus recommends the strategy to convert them into Christianity using a friendship approach as the people seemed to have no sect at all.
Further, the document gives an overview of the Indian populations before European contact and their subsequent conquest by Spanish conquistadores. The Indians were the native Americas before the arrival of the European explorers and later conquest. The people were primitive, went naked, and depended on farming, hunting, and gathering for food. The Aztec empire, for instance, was under Montezuma II when the Spanish arrived. The leader sends messengers to report on the strangers that arrived at their coast, and the description of the Spaniards by Montezuma II’s messenger communicates the kind of people they were (Traboulay, 12). The first European contact with Indians was in 1492, the Spanish in the voyage of Columbus. Spanish took possession of every land they discovered to colonize the locals for different reasons. For instance, the Spanish had superior military experience, weaponry, and armour as compared to native Indians using sticks as weapons without any armour. Reasons for conquest encompass the economy, forms of labour, and Spanish relations with Indians.
The Reasons for British interest in North America are diverse. Britain was interested in North America because of its resources encompassing fertile land for agriculture, the raw material for the industrialization, market for manufactured products as well as free labour. The conquest of the colonies to gain economic, political, and social influence on the native Americans. Through colonization, the Europeans were able to spread Christianity as a tool to control the primitive natives by preaching submission, repentance, and promised salvation.
The purpose of the document was to communicate the findings of the exploration and adventures in the unknown world. Columbus used the journals to capture the events and activities in the new lands they found. They were documenting the activities and the background of the native people, their beliefs, economic activities, military, the political, and social life of the natives. The reason for documentation was helping the missionary to understand how to approach the natives in spreading the gospel. The document was also a guideline on how to effectively conquer the native and colonize them either using diplomacy or force. The audience was the Spanish government and the catholic church.
The article relates to course themes the history of early Spanish conquest and colonization of territories in the Americas. The main themes include European conquest of the Americas, European expansion by Spanish and Portugal, the discussion of North America among others. The article is significant because it covers the history of European colonization and the exploration of America and Africa for different reasons. It has little disparity to the topics and themes of the course.
In conclusion, the document covers the detailed guideline on containing the Indian people in San Salvador. It was more of a Columbus diary journal entry, and it could be biased in terms of historical facts. However, many of the information and content of the document reflects a correct account of the Spanish conquest in San Salvador and American territories.
Work Cited
Holt, James Clarke, and James Clarke Holt. Magna Carta. Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Traboulay, David M. Columbus and Las Casas: the conquest and Christianization of America, 1492-1566. University Press of America, 1994.