Glencoe World History © 2010

The Mission of Columbus

Introduction
The voyages of Columbus led to the "discovery" of new lands and peoples. In a letter Columbus wrote to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, he describes how he believes the Island of Espanola should be administered. In this activity you will read the letter and one of the journal entries from Columbus's voyage. Through these documents, you can learn a great deal about Columbus's time, his worldview, and the motives for his voyages.

Destination Title: Christopher Columbus: Extracts from Journal

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Directions

• Click on "Letter to the Queen" and read Christopher Columbus's letter to the King and Queen of Spain, taking notes as you go.
• Click on "Columbus' Journal". Scroll down and read the entry for Thursday, 11 October.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			What is the main purpose of Columbus's letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella?
2			According to Columbus's letter, how many colonists want to settle on the Island of Espanola?
3			To what resource does Columbus repeatedly refer? Why is this important?
4			How does Columbus envision paying for new churches on the island?
5			On October 11, Columbus's sailors encountered the people of an island in the Lucayos (Bahamas). Read the journal entry. Then, on a separate piece of paper, describe the conclusions of the Admiral (Columbus) about the native people. In your essay, discuss what the Admiral's comments suggest about his worldview.