Primary Source #2

Columbus

Another primary source video, this one from Christopher Columbus’ diary of his first voyage. This diary was lost, but Bartolomé de Las Casas claimed that his account contained lengthy quotes from Columbus. The account describes the determination of the “Admiral” to justify the trust placed in him by the Spanish monarchs as well as his first impressions of the people he met in the Caribbean. He describes the welcome he received and the gift exchanges that he mistakes for barter. The passage quoted here also includes Columbus’ statement that with fifty men he could dominate the natives, although the language is less aggressively translated than I’ve seen it in other accounts.