The landing of Christopher Columbus in the densely populated Taino Kingdom in 1492 initiates a series of catastrophic global events. It also ends a 10,000 year period of isolation of one half of the planet's population from the other.
We've read excerpts from Columbus's writings. Based upon these brief pieces answer this question in the comment section below:
What can we predict about the future of the relationship between the Taino people and the Europeans from these writings by Columbus?
(give a complete response and use quotes with your analysis)
The diary entries of Columbus give us an insight into the would be relationship between the Taino's people and the Europeans as being one of conquest and assimilation. Columbus, in his diary entries, describes the people as needing guidance and being easily conquered as they are timid people. He states, “ They have no arms, and are without warlike instincts; they all go naked and are so timid that a thousand would not stand before three of our men. So that they are good to be ordered about, to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs.” From this we could draw the conclusion that they want to assimilate the Taino people and make them work for them as part of Spain. Columbus also states, “the monarchs of Spain may (now) believe that this island [Hispaniola}, and all the others, are as much (theirs) as Castile (is in Spain)... For I, with the force I have under me, which is not large, could march over all these islands without opposition.” This shows Columbus had the intention and power to conquer the Taino people for the monarchs of Spain.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your reasoning, and how you explained the pieces of evidence you provided. Both of your quotes perfectly encapsulated Columbus' primary thoughts of conquering, which definitely answered the question of the future of their relationship.
DeleteI agree and I like the evidence you gave. They really point out the real intention of the Europeans.
DeleteAgreed. His journal entries tell the reader he wants to exploit the Taino people and sees them as nothing more than his soon-to-be slaves.
DeleteThis is agreeable on because this really shows the big picture of Columbus wanting to use these people and take advantage of their shyness. There also is the really good point of subjugating the Taino people to the monarchs of Spain.
DeleteI agree. Almost immediately it feels like Columbus wants to change and assimilate the Taino people.
DeleteI agree that Columbus wanted to enslave the Taino people, because he constantly refers to them as inferior and strange, and talks about how he will change them to fit the societal standards that he is used to.
DeleteI agree with you, and I really like your pieces of evidence and explanations.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through the excerpts from Columbus' journal, I came to the conclusion that the Europeans and Taino people will have a harmful relationship. By this I mean that the Europeans will likely subjugate and enslave the natives, rather than build healthy relations with them. Proof of this comes from the October 14th entry in Columbus' journal that reads : "these people are very simple as regards the use of arms, as will see from the seven that I caused to be taken, to bring home and learn our language and return; unless... they be kept as captives on the same island; for with fifty men they can all be subjugated and made to do what is required of them" In this quote, Columbus notes the native people's lack of weapons, mentioning that some of them could be taken back to his home country of Spain and introduced to its culture and language before returning and spreading this information to the other natives. However, Columbus shows his opposing thoughts of subjugating these people, foreshadowing what is to become of their relationship. Another example of this foreshadowing comes from the December 16th entry in Columbus' journal, which reads : "For I, with the force I have under me, which is not large, could march over all these
ReplyDeleteislands without opposition." and also "So that they are good to
be ordered about, to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs." Both of these quotes show clear signs of Columbus' internal hunt for conquest, with the second quote even mentioning ordering the natives to build and farm for them.
I agree with this, because there is the mention of Columbus's thirst for conquest, which I also put on my response. This also shows the potential assimilation into Spanish culture, so it brings up the points of what Columbus wants.
DeleteI agree, particularly with your mention of foreshadowing, there are definitely clear moments of this in his diary.
DeleteI agree and I really like the way you structured your response.
DeleteBased on these writings by Columbus, I can predict that the relationship between the Taino people and the Europeans will not be a positive one. His entires mention how weak the Taino people appear to be and how they are not capable of using weapons because they are "wondrously timid." Columbus describes how they "know neither sect (organized religion) nor idolatry, with the exception that all believe that the source of all power and goodness in the sky", which indicates that the Europeans think low of them because they personally have a religion while the Taino people don't. Columbus eventually writes about his plans on enslaving the Taino people to "be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs." This shows that they are taking advantage of the Taino people and controlling them in this relationship.
ReplyDeleteI agree. His writings show that he did not think very highly of the Taino people and was there only to exploit them.
DeleteI agree. Columbus will use their fear of him to his advantage and probably force them to obey him using that fear.
DeleteI agree, it was clear from the reading that he thought himself better than all these people, just because of some cultural differences.
DeleteI agree, especially with what you said about looking down on them for their religion, he definitely thought he was better because of his religion.
DeleteWe can predict that there will be tension and Columbus will try to force his European ways onto the Natives. He writes, "So that they are good to be ordered about, to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should
ReplyDeletebe taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs." In other words, he believed that the Natives were not worthwhile or useful and wanted to forcibly "teach" them how to behave like people from his own culture.
Yes, I agree. I think that Columbus will take advantage of how kind they are and make the Taino people work under him.
DeleteI agree, and it seems from his writing he saw the Tainos as a 'project' for Europeans rather than merely a different culture. He wants to use the Taino peoples' predisposition to being kind and open to his advantage.
DeleteI agree! It really bothers me the way he assumes the Taino people to be objects, inhuman because of their different culture. He fails to consider that they are equally advanced in their own right, and he is enslaving people equal to himself.
DeleteI agree, they appear to be looking down on the Taino people and taking advantage of them by overpowering them.
ReplyDeleteFrom the letters that Columbus wrote, I predict that his relationship with the Taino people will be manipulative. He will take advantage of them and make them work under him. He mention how they are "timid beyond cure" and with that, he can take advantage of their fear to use it against them. He also says "they never say no" they "show as much love as they were giving their hearts". Columbus will take advantage of their kindness and try to control them to be his slaves. Columbus mentions "they should be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs". I predict that Columbus will try to force their religion and culture on to the Taino people. All in all, Columbus will be a dictator of some sort towards the Taino people.
ReplyDeleteI agree and like the word manipulative I can see how that word really grabs all of Columbus goals.
DeleteI feel like the word “manipulative” is a really good word to use in this situation. He saw the Taino People as a lesser group of human beings, and tried to completely eliminate their culture and origins. He described himself as someone worthy of praise and some sort of philanthropist for “helping” the natives, while in reality he was doing exactly the opposite—manipulative is a word that perfectly describes Columbus.
DeleteThe contact between these two worlds doesn't seem to result in a good relationship, because Columbus describes them as people who are so timid and shy, and also weak compared to him. Columbus says here in his October 14th entry of 1492 "... as (people) will see from the seven that I caused to be taken, to bring home and learn our language and return; unless... they be kept as captives on the same island; for fifty men can all be subjugated and made to do what is required of them..." He is basically saying here that these people need to become a part of Spain or at least be subjugated, because he believes that their culture is seen as impure. Because Columbus sees them as scared and impure, he wants to claim these lands and subjugate the people for Spain. Here, he says what he wants to do with the island of Hispaniola, "...the monarchs of Spain may (now) believe that this island [Hispaniola}, and all the others, are as much (theirs) as Castile (is in Spain)." This is only a couple days after he comes to the island, and he already wants to conquer these people, and bring them to Spain as slaves potentially.
ReplyDeleteI really like the quotes you used from the texts—Columbus wrote about his feelings of superiority regarding the natives. These views Columbus held ultimately resulted in the deaths and eradication of thousands of Taino Natives and their culture.
DeleteFrom his writings it can be assumed that their relationship with be neither equal nor positive. It is clear how much he looks down on the Taino, referring to them as simple, timid, and easy to order around. In his diaries he repeatedly refers to how easy it will be to force them into slavery and into the adoption of Columbus' customs, and we can tell that he intends to take advantage of their generosity and peaceful nature. He thinks of himself as far superior, and equates them to animals or property to be owned, thus there can be nothing kind or just in his intentions.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree and I think it is pretty awful how he basically uses the fact that he thinks they are inferior to justify his ideas and actions. In no universe is his thinking justified, and he's not even correct in his excuses.
DeleteWe can predict from Columbus's writings that Europeans will approach the Taino people as animals that need to be studied, as opposed to humans to form relationships with. The way Columbus describes these people makes them seem otherworldly and primitive, such as when he describes their weaponry. "They have no other arms than the arms of canes, {cut} when they are in seed time, to the end of which they fix a sharp little stick." Columbus seems to see these people as an opportunity to conquer and assert control rather than to form any sort of meaningful relationship. Even when he does talk to them, the way he writes about his interactions is condescending and speaks about the Taino people as if they are foolish. "they are so artless and so free with all they possess, that no one would believe it without having seen it."
ReplyDeleteI agree. The way he describes the Taino people is incredibly condescending. By saying these things about them, it is easier for him to justify the subjugating of the Taino.
DeleteI agree! I really like how you say "animals that need to be studied." That is definitely the perspective Columbus has in his entries
DeleteThe relationship between the two groups will be incredibly harmful for the Taino people. Based on the description of the Taino people by Christopher Columbus, it is clear that he thinks they are easy to manipulate and exploit. He does not think of them as equal to him and his people, and looks down on the Taino in his descriptions. Columbus plans to subjugate them, saying that "they are good to be ordered about, to work and sow". There will be little to no respect toward the natives from the Europeans. Instead of building good relations, they just plan on enslaving the Taino and erasing their culture.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this. Columbus views the Taino people almost as though they are animals.
DeleteI agree because since he describes them as ignorant and good to be ordered suggest that he has ideas as to what to do with them in a way that would benefit him and his men.
DeleteI agree. Columbus's first instinct was immediately subjugating them.
ReplyDeleteI predict that there was a bad relationship between the two because of the way Columbus described the Natives. He described them as weak and was explaining how he would take advantage of them as stated "...to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs." He wants to make the Natives the slaves of the Europeans and we can predict that they had a terrible bond by the way it seems Columbus wants to take advantage of the Native people.
ReplyDeleteI agree because the way Columbus describes the Taino's suggest that he doesn't really see them as equal to him.
DeleteI agree, the ominous tone combined with his fantasies for the Taino only seem to go down a grim path.
DeleteI predict that there was a bad relationship between the two because of the way Columbus described the Natives. He described them as weak and was explaining how he would take advantage of them as stated "...to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs." He wants to make the Natives the slaves of the Europeans and we can predict that they had a terrible bond by the way it seems Columbus wants to take advantage of the Native people.
ReplyDeleteI agree, he certainly does not have the best in mind for them. He is too focused on how he will use their kindness for his own benefit, rather than establishing a strong bond with the people who call this place their home.
DeleteI agree that Columbus continuously describing how he sees the Taino people as weak shows how he plans to take advantage of them, because he doesn't really think of them as a civilization and a people, just a group of uncivilized humans that need to learn to conform to his societal norms.
DeleteWhat we can predict is that Columbus men will probably try to exploit the Taino people as he describes them as less than his people with the way he explains how the Taino's dress and how they look and describes them as ignorant.
ReplyDeleteI agree, he is very quick to assume that these people are dumber than he is. Although they might not be as technologically advanced, they may share similar wisdom.
DeleteI can predict that although the Taino people have the best in mind for Christopher Columbus, he does not. He understands that these people are extremely kind and selfless. They will give him anything that he asks for. Since he continuously repeats this fact, I have a feeling that he will exploit their kindness.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I like the idea of the Taino people's point of view versus Columbus' point of view.
DeleteI completely agree since at the end he starts saying how the Taino people are lower than him as people.
DeleteI can only agree, he seems hungry to exploit and keen to engage in war, perhaps rather simply overpowering, murdering, and enslaving the kind, helpless Taino people.
Delete-Langston
We can expect Columbus to be ready and willing to use these people and their lands as if they were his own, and that he believes them under him and other Europeans, however rich in silk they may be. The Taino want peace and Columbus wants to extort them of their resources.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, he also thinks they're honest but that they're lower than him.
DeleteWhat we can predict about the Columbus and Taino relationship is that Columbus will take advantage of them. At the end of the page he states that the Taino's are timid, and he sees them as lower then him. However he still thinks they're honest, and he'll use that to his advantage.
ReplyDeleteWe can predict the relationship between Columbus and the Taino people is going to be tense because he seems to think of them as savages. He also thinks they are good people but he will take advantage of them.
ReplyDeleteIt is reasonable to assume that the Europeans and Taino people will face conflict between themselves. Columbus described the Taino People as a group of people in need of guidance and leadership. He critiques their way of living and implies that they are primitive creatures that are lesser than man. The Taino People deeply valued their culture and customs, but they weren’t the customs that Columbus was familiar with. Columbus wanted to conquer, which threatened the existence of the Taino People.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I thought. Columbus and the Taino people will have contrasting agendas, and so they will have bloody conflicts.
DeleteColumbus continuously writes about the Taino's kindness and generosity, allowing him to exploit their goodness. He views them as dumb, easy to manipulate, even though they are advanced like the Europeans, just in different ways. He writes that under his rule, they are "to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs." This suggests that Columbus, believing he's superior, will enslave them.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Columbus thinks that he can take advantage of the Taino people because of their cultural norms, and intends to enslave them.
DeleteI don’t think that the future of the relationship between the Taino people and the Europeans is a good one. I believe that this relationship will consist mostly of conflict and the Europeans winning. One reason why I think this is because Columbus describes them as “naked...as their mothers bore them” and having “no other arms than the arms of canes”. Because of these observations and Columbus’s personal societal biases, he assumes that they are a unintelligent people that he could do whatever to. Columbus believes that he “could march over all these islands without opposition.” This is because he sees The Taino people as uncivilized, when in reality they have full fledged civilizations, and they will attempt to fight back against Columbus and his men. It is true, however, that they do not have as advanced weapons as the Europeans, so they won’t win the fight. Therefore, I believe that the relationship between the Taino people and the Europeans will consist of a lot of conflict and the Europeans will end up winning.
ReplyDeleteI can infer that the relationship Columbus is bound to create will not be a positive one, based not only on the content of his writings but on the tone of which he writes in. In the early parts of the letter, he is focused only on weaponry and tools, stating that they sport "sharp little sticks" and lack iron and steel. He follows this up by writing that they are "wondrously timid". Considering his main focus lies on arms and weapons as well as their attitude towards combat, one can infer that Christopher Columbus is keen on attacking and overpowering the native population, obviously cementing a negative relationship with them.
ReplyDelete-Langston
I thought the tone was an important part too. Sometimes he is not overly rude, but his tone betrays his disdain.
DeleteI totally agree! The emphasis Coumbus puts on their inferiority foreshadows a slanted relationship.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The amount of writing which he says they are like savages means he won't treat them as equals.
ReplyDeleteBased on the picture, what I can infer is that the relationship between Columbus and the Taino people will not be good at all. I can see bloodshed, inequality so on and so forth
ReplyDelete...Considering how the seem to be like seen like a l="lower class", I believe that in due time conflicts will rise up...
DeleteFrom the writings of Columbus, it can be inferred that the relationship between Columbus and the Taino will have a large power imbalance. This is due to the fact that Columbus sees the native people as weak and easy to take advantage of. For example, he states that the Taino are "wondrously timid", demonstrating that he plans to use this to his benefit.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I also think that he will take advantage of their weakness.
DeleteI think that Columbus is going to take advantage of the Taino people. He describes them as barbaric and weak. He says that they don't have weapons and that they can't even use weapons. He also says that they are very generous and willing to give away their stuff. This gives me the idea that later, he will start to take from them. This includes land and valuables.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think he will definitely take from them because of their generosity.
DeleteYeah, he does not view them as kind people, but rather someone he can use for his own benefit.
DeleteColumbus's relationship with the Taino people seems like it will become hostile. Columbus is certainly disdainful to the Taino. He calls them cowardly and not capable of using iron tools. He says they are honest, but he says it in a disdainful way. More naive and easily appeased the honest. I think the Taino will turn that fear into anger at what Columbus does to them and Columbus will have a battle on his hands.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. I do believe that Columbus will eventually get himself into trouble caused by the Taino people or by him.
DeleteI agree and also want to point out that Columbus seems to feel he is superior to the Taino, meaning he would have no problem justifying killing them.
DeleteColumbus is probably not set out to have a good and fair relationship with the Taino people. He writes "So that they are good to be ordered about, to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should
ReplyDeletebe taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs". Not only does this show that he thinks he is better than them and they are only fit for slave labor, but it shows he does not recognize their culture. By making them adopt European customs he would be destroying and forgetting their own. Overall he feels superior to them, meaning he does not value their lives and probably would not have remorse for killing them.