Yik Huen, Wong ( Tiffany)

History 7A
Professor Felix
2 July 2017

Document Interpretation 1: The Clash of Cultures

Christopher Colombus: Extracts from Journal
1. Christopher Columbus explored a new area on Thursday, October 11, that he had never
seen before in his voyage experience, and he took notes to record the scene.

2. Christopher Columbus found small islands that have Natives inhabited.

3. The people who were occupied the land had recognized Christopher Columbus very
soon. I found out that was interesting in both parties to recognize each other, since they
had never seen people with other skin colors before. It was interesting that the way he
recorded what he seen and what he had experienced in his own perspective.

4. I was interesting about the trades between Christopher Columbus and the natives. Since
the natives received Christophers parrots and javelins, which the native were seems like
exciting to welcome and ready to trade whatever they want.

5. The natives from the island had only weapon spears, which is not powerful enough.
Hence, Christopher showed the blades that his has and the native felt exciting about it.
The native is ignorance to use those new tools.

6. Christopher start his journey to explore a few villages on 14 October. It was exciting to
me, because the way he record how he discover the new place and what he found.

7. Christopher realized that the people in San Salvador and the women shared the same
methods for coverage for the personal privacy.

8. Although there were language barriers, people can still communicates with hand sign and
gestures. I realized that Christopher Columbus and the native communicates a lot, and
they can trade by using hand gesture. It is a face that hand sign and gesture plays a
significant role in the trading process at that time.
Letter to King Ferdinand of Spain, Describing the result of the first Voyage
9. During 1943, Christopher Columbus wrote to the King and the Queen of Spain.
Christopher writes about his journey, which is about the first island that he explored and
named San Salvador.
10. Besides the island San Salvador, Christopher Columbus had also discovered four
islands, and he named, Fernandina, Santa Maria de Concepcion, Isabella, and Juana.
 11. Before Christopher Columbus landed, the Indians never communicates with others. As
Christopher mentioned, when the Indians saw him, they thought that he was come from
the heaven.
12. Similarly, when Christopher Columbus discovered the Indians, they were not dressed up
and looks naked.
13. The natives women covered their body by cotton and held together by the cotton nets. I
realised that the design of nowadays underwear have similar elements to what they have
wear, hence, I think the cotton and the cotton nets were the foundation of nowadays
underwear.
The Devastation of the Indies: A brief Account
14. When Christopher Columbus reach the Americas, and started to communicates with the
Indians, he found out that the Indians were living in a nature environment and having
savage action.
15. The Spaniards were planed to claims the lands and the islands as their own territory.
However, it came up as chaos and no one taking advantages of the chaos.
16. The inhabitants who lived in Hispanoila named the place assix hundred leagues of
circumference, which means it is a huge land. I feels interesting that the way
Christopher Columbus measure the land and how can he compared it with the football
fields.
17. Hispaniola was the first place that destroyed by the Catholic Christians. In my
perspective, Christian should be peaceful and respect others, I was shocked that they
destroyed the place.
18. The Christians killed the Natives with no mercy. The method that they used to kill
people were horrible. I had never think of Christian will do such things, since Catholic
was a religious that spread positives values.
19. Hispaniola was having five kingdoms and having five rulers with command. Magua,
Cibao, Maguana, Xaragua, and Higuey were the name of the five kingdom.
Privileges and Prerogatives Granted by Their Catholic MaJesties to' Christopher Columbus: 1492
20. The and the Queen in Spain had the authority to assign the task for Christopher
Columbus.
Summary
Before I read those article, I had never discovered the story of Christopher Columbus.
Throughout those reading, I have more knowledge about not only Christopher Columbus, but
also the history of the way that America had been discovered. The journey of Christopher
Columbus was interesting and I hope that one day I can have a journey like him. By reading
these articles, I have learnt more about the Indians in the US, and the way that America had been
discovered and the history of being a colony. Also, I admired the spirit of Christopher Columbus
that he were being brave to step out his comfort zone to explore the world. He reminds me an
open secret that travelling is the best way to enrich peoples life.