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Reading Christopher Columbus’s New World Report to Ferdinand and Isabella in Spain

Description

What do we truly mean when we refer to America as the New World? Join Kirk in this episode of Primary Source Close Reads as he explores Christopher Columbus’s letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain after first landing in the Americas. He’ll examine excerpts to understand what “new” meant to both Columbus and the Native Americans that he encountered. What does the language of this letter reveal about Columbus’ thought process when first arriving in the Americas? Why is it important to read and discuss documents to develop historical reasoning skills?

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Columbus’s Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, 1494

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A prerequisite to this activity is the completion of the Columbus's Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, 1494 Primary Source activity, which should immediately precede this lesson. This Lesson should be implemented after students have explored the motivations for European exploration and the consequences of the Columbian Exchange, through resources such as the First Contacts Narrative, the Columbian Exchange Narrative, and the Should We Remember Christopher Columbus as a Conqueror or Explorer? Point-Counterpoint. This Lesson should be followed by the Cortes's Account of Tenochtitlan Primary Source activity, the Las Casas on the Destruction of the Indies Primary Source activity, and/or the Life in the Spanish Colonies Narrative.

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