Christopher Columbus Thesis

The journey and colonization of the new world proved to be a monumental task, yet daunting task that presented a new set of challenges for the settlers. In his letter to Ferdinand and Isabella, the king and queen of Spain in the late 15th century and early 16th century, Christopher Columbus describes his colonization of the new world as a massive potential for the seemingly untouched utopia of natural resources. The letter reveals a sense of urgency and uncertainty in Columbus derived from the competition between world powers over the Island of Espanola and the unknown direction the New World would take. Columbus’ purpose in writing the formal letter is to explain to the “Most High and Mighty Sovereigns” what he considers pivotal in the settlement,
For states involved in colonization, such as England, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands, colonies meant prosperity and power through vast riches, mostly gold; an increase in foreign commerce; and new territory to utilize for farming and growth of Christianity. In these purposes there is a clear similarity between the values from the Renaissance and present-day values, in which governmental authority places large importance in the expansion and affluence of its territory.
In the introduction to his points about colonization, Columbus displays a sense of respect and obedience towards Ferdinand and Isabella and requests support through reinforcement of colonists. Columbus misrepresents the new world as a group of islands, unaware of the much larger continents in which he had not yet arrived. In the initial voyage, Columbus lands in the Caribbean thinking he has arrived in Asia, which is why he names the Indians so. Despite his incongruous concepts, Columbus’ voyage proved vital to further colonization of the
The expansion of Christianity was highly important to Ferdinand and Isabella, who considered Christianity crucial to the national unity of the newly united Spanish kingdom in the Reconquista period. Columbus states that the new world will be forcefully Christian and that the “conversion of Indians” shall be performed by “parish priests or friars”. Most of Columbus points refer to the extraction, processing, ownership, and trade of gold, the natural resource which most colonizers obsessed over. Columbus presents concerns such as “no one shall have liberty to collect gold in it except those who have taken out colonists’ papers,” “that all gold shall be smelted immediately,” and “there shall be a treasurer, with a clerk to assist him, who shall receive all gold belonging to your Highnesses.” The motive and obsession over gold is consequential of its use as back-up value in currencies, fancy garments, competitive nature between the major European powers, and other miscellaneous practices. Explorers were motivated to find gold by the “matter of the fifth,” which means that the explorers would be entitled to a certain amount of the riches derived from the land they