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)
We can predict that the future of the Taino people and the European will be one without understanding. In the last sentence of the final journal entry, Columbus states that they will be taught the European customs and throughout the whole piece, he is judgmental about the way that the Taino act. This is not an effective way to act when entering into someone else's space and world and points to a future of turmoil because of this lack of understanding and empathy.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Columbus doesn't take any time to understand the Taino people's customs or culture, while the Taino people likely don't know what to make of the Europeans. It's going to be very difficult for them to see eye to eye, and based on the letters, Columbus is not about to make that effort.
DeleteI agree with this, because people should never be looked and treated as "tools" by others. Columbus is not looking to establish a kind and understanding relationship between the Taino peoples and the Europeans, and is instead seeking to enslave these people against their wills and use them as mere pawns, to do whatever they so pleased. The lack of empathy that Columbus shows to the Natives highlights how unfortunate this relationship between the two groups will be.
DeleteAgreed. Columbus' behavior is detrimental to any relationship, as when you think of a culture as not "good enough" to learn about.
DeleteI can guess that it will end in conflict because Columbus states that he could march all over the island without much opposition. He says that three of his men could take on people. He also states that the people are timid and they don't have much weapons. Based on context clue I think that Columbus will try take over these people or they will fight and Taino people will lose based on the description Columbus is giving
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. Columbus has intentions to enslave the Taino people and force them to adapt European ways. He claims that the Taino people are already afraid of him so he will be able to control them.
DeleteI also agree. He's very clear about how he views them as weak, and how easy he thinks it would be to conquer them.
DeleteThe Taino people are likely to be exploited by the Europeans. Columbus paints them as very timid, generous, and peaceful, which he also says makes them "good to be ordered about." He emphasizes this to a frightening degree in his letters, and says little about their culture and ways of life. This implies that he views them as tools rather than actual people, and the Europeans will likely us them for their own ends rather than approaching them as an equal nation.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, as the text in Columbus' journal describes the Taino people as "weak-willed," and too "timid," which are recurring phrases that appears over and over again in his words. Viewing the Natives as 'inferior' and 'not as good' as the Europeans will lead to fallout between the two groups, with their relationship souring.
DeleteI agree with this. Columbus repeats that he find the Taino people to be timid and easy to control many times throughout the letters. He views the Taino people as lesser than the Europeans and I think that the Taino people are likely to be exploited.
DeleteI agree, it is quite clear what Columbus thinks of these peoples. Their relationship will not end well.
DeleteIt is also interesting how this connects with Europe's previous history, as they were so conditioned to the idea of violent response through constant warfare, they did not understand how a people could allow them onto their land without violence and assumed they were inferior, and had offered their lands to the Europeans.
DeleteThe futures of the relationship between the Taino peoples and the Europeans seem to be in jeopardy, as Columbus is thinking up of all of these deceitful ways in order to take advantage of these Natives. In Columbus' journal, it talks about how they should take control of them, that they are too timid to fight, and that the Europeans could take advantage of this, ordering the Natives around to "be ordered about, to work and sow, build towns," and be "taught" to follow the lifestyles similar to the Europeans. Since Columbus certainly isn't thinking of them as equals, and believes that the Taino people are inferior to them, this will be a relationship that will not end very well.
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DeleteAgreed. Like you wrote, Columbus' plans "to decei[ve] in order to take advantage of" the Taino, (in his words) "subjegat[ing]" them, will very likely not lead to a healthy relationship between them and the Europeans.
DeleteI agree. There is strong evidence of this conclusion in the journals.
DeleteI agree with your statement. Columbus was copying the behaviors he saw exhibited on the Carary Islands and mistreating the people he meant for no reason. Colombus actively started a hateful relationship between these peoples.
DeleteI think that the future relationship of the Taino people and the Europeans will be violent and there will be a lot of conflict. Columbus already doesn't understand the Taino people and their lifestyles, and he is prepared to change their ways to make the Taino people more European. Columbus wrote in his journal, "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." Columbus is going to take advantage of the Taino people and force them to be more European. He also says, "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." I can predict that there will be violence in the future relationship between these groups of people because Columbus has intentions to take control of the Natives and enslave them.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, this is beyond correct. Columbus appears to see the Taino as a people, as you wrote, whose "...ways [can be] ma[d]e...more European," and, as a people who, as you pointed out Columbus wrote, "...can all be subjugated..."
DeleteThe relationship between the Taino natives and Columbus will be chaotic, to say the least. Columbus obviously thinks himself above these people, and will definitely try to take advantage of or harm them. As a seemingly peaceful people, it is unknown (at this moment) what the Taino will do in retaliation, but it won't end well at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's honestly such a shame that Columbus can't respect them as a culture. Imagine what might have happened if he was curious about their civilization. He might have seen the value that they might have had as allies. They could have opened up trade routes and exchanged cultural ideas. Both civilizations would have benefited, and all of that will be lost because he thought of them as tools rather than people.
DeleteI agree. There is so much a lack of empathy that we can deduct from the journal entries that chaos is sure to ensue.
DeleteI agree with you. I think that the main flaw is how much higher Columbus sees himself as, when he is really just the same as the Tainos. He didn't understand how people could be so different from him, so I think he fealt threatened and took that out on the innocent Tainos.
DeleteI agree. I think that Columbus looked down on the Taino people in general, and for their lack of strong weapons and less violent society. Because of the Europeans readiness for war, this definitely would end in chaos.
DeleteI agree with your statement on how Columbus isn't really accustomed or fully into understanding on how the Taino people live, and unfortunately he won't use this for good but rather take it into his own hands as an advantage on overruling them :(
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ReplyDeleteWhat can be predicted about the future of the relationship between the Taino people and the Europeans from these writings by Columbus that a swift undertaking of colonization and conquering will fall upon the Taino. Columbus assures the Kingdom of Spain that the island he discovered, Hispaniola, "...and all others[] are as much [Spain's] as Castile." He claims that he "...could march over all these islands without opposition." From his perspective, "[the Taino]...are without warlike instincts..." Columbus finishes his entry by writing, "They are good to...do all that mat be necessary...and they should...adopt our customs." These writings, written in Columbus' journal on December 16th, 1492, indicate that Europeans will see the Taino as an uncivilized people, not only in need of re-education, but also easy to exploit and easy to conquer.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! I like the quotes you chose. They clearly demonstrate your point that Columbus had no respect for the Taino and wanted only to colonize.
DeleteBased on the letters from Columbus, his arrival marked a period filled with colonization and potential violence. He describes them originally as a group of people who are timid and peaceful. They're also described as primal and basic in the weapons they possess and the lives they live. However, he continues to criticize them and labels them as easy to conquer and exploit due to their lack of education and civilization by European standards. All those parts of his letters meshed together spell trouble for the Native Americans in the coming years.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Columbus and what we can assume was Europe in general had an understanding of civilization mirroring their own, and as such saw a lack of war and weapons as a lack of civilization, a blank slate that needed to be controlled, exploited, and westernized.
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ReplyDeleteWe can predict that the future relationship will be one of Taino submission to Europeans, as Columbus describes them as "timid beyond cure" and that "they have no iron or steel or weapons", which even if proved false upon more oppressive European action, the initial inspiration and flood of colonial efforts brought on by reports of a people seemingly ready to be conquered without response would overpower this.
ReplyDeleteI agree. After all, the Europeans did come to America seeking conquest, and they will subjugate all who oppose them.
DeleteI agree but I also think this could mean that he plans to transform the Taino as he keeps comparing them to himself, it seems like he wants to "Fix" that.
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ReplyDeleteBased on Columbus's writings, it can be predicted that the relationship between the Taino people and Europeans will be one of control, in which the Europeans hold all the power. Columbus says the Taino are "good to be ordered about," and describes how easy it is to control them. From Columbus's entries, it's easy to tell he has no respect for their land or culture. He says that the Taino "should be taught... to adopt [European] customs." He has clear intentions to conquer and colonize them.
ReplyDeleteI think this is true, and I think your point about the ideas of control and respect are really good.
DeleteI agree it really does seem like Columbus has some plan for the Taino those which don't seem friendly.
DeleteWe can predict that in the future, the Taino will submit to the Europeans. Columbus has said many things about the Taino that suggest that the Taino are inferior and vulnerable. Obviously, Columbus is not the most generous person, so this just feels like it is the time when Columbus takes advantage of the Tainos' vulnerability.
ReplyDeleteAlthough that I do agree the Taino will eventually submit, I don't think they will go without some sort of fight. With the way Columbus described them as strong, it is possible that these strong members of the nation will defend using whatever tools they have, it is hard to imagine they will surrender their whole nation without any fight.
DeleteI agree with this because he speaks of the Taino people as if their customs are “wrong” and “disgusting”. he says that they stand naked and timid. he makes it seem as if there is a big need for their culture to change
DeleteI agree with your statement!! Based on the text, Columbus is relentless on describing the lifestyles the Taino people live in as inferior to the way he and his men live, he can obviously see a class difference but too far to the fact where he wants to overrule these people and take their land.
DeleteFrom these diary entries from Columbus, we can presume that the relations between the himself and the Tainos were not pleasant. Columbus does not see them as equals. He describes them as primitive; for example, he states that they "all go naked" which we learned in class was not really accurate. He also seems to see himself and his men as higher because they have weapons and the Tainos don't. In a later entry he begins to describe these peoples as violent, when in reality, they were doing nothing of the sort.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of your statement, and I do think that Columbus sees himself as higher than the natives because he has weapons. However, this is somewhat understandable, seeing as his main goal on this expedition is to assess if there is a threat being posed to the colonizers, and, in his eyes, if the natives do not have any weapons, then they are simply lesser and not a threat.
DeleteI agree, I think that Columbus has preconceptions of the Tainos, and does not give them a chance. He sees that they look different from him, and don't have the same weapons and clothes as him, and he immediately considers himself superior.
DeleteKisna Pande
DeleteI agree, Columbus seemed to already made up his mind about what he wants to do and nothing will change that.
Based on the writings of Christopher Columbus, it is obvious that the future of the Taino people does not look all too bright. When Columbus uses language like "go naked" and "timid beyond cure" to describe the natives, one does not imagine that Columbus has the best intentions for the natives. Though he does offer a few words of praise, calling the natives "well built people of handsome stature", I think that Columbus is actually writing this description as a threat assessment rather than a compliment. If the writings of Christopher Columbus are anything to go by, the Europeans and the Taino people will probably not have the best relationship.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, as Columbus described the Taino people he seemed to be assessing them rather than getting to know the Taino people or form any alliances, this would make it so that they do not have a good relationship.
DeleteI agree with this response, as Columbus clearly doesn't have a good plan in mind for their future relation ship with the the Tainos and their land.
DeleteI agree, and I think that the quotes you used from the text support your idea really well.
DeleteKisna Pande
DeleteI agree. Columbus seems like he is already thinking of invading and didn't have a positive relationship in the future.
Based on Christopher Columbus's writings, it clear to see that his intentions with the Taino people is to conquer them. From this it is predictable that there will be much suffering as the Taino people, "have no iron or steel weapons," unlike Columbus and his men. If the Taino people were to not immediately surrender and conform to European customs then Columbus may use force and harm them.
ReplyDeleteFrom Christopher’s writings, the future of the relationship of the Taino people and europeans will be detrimental. It is clear that they plan on conquering them because he states that they were timid, implying that he thinks it would be easy to take advantage of them. This will most likely result in a revolution because the Taino would not accept an invader taking over everything the built.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this since Columbus carried on his voyages with the purpose to build overseas empires in mind. Of course, Columbus keeps in mind that they aren't just mindless animals, and puts into account that fact that they might retaliate.
DeleteThis writing shows Cristopher Columbus' fixation on the weapons the Native Americans had. As it said in the text, "They have no arms, and are without warlike instincts," this implies that the Europeans did have "warlike instincts" and were prepared to be violent. The text clearly showed that the Europeans relationship with the Taino people would be horrible, and that the violence would come from the Europeans.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this because Christopher Columbus thinks that Europeans are civilized and perfect while he saw the Natives as people who needed to be put into civilization.
DeleteWe can predict that the Taino people and the Europeans do not see eye to eye, and that it will lead to conflict. In the text, Columbus makes it clear that he does not understand the Taino people, and that he plans to conquer them. He is not open-minded to working with them rather than against them, which is why conflict is inevitable.
ReplyDeletebased on the diary entries of columbus, one can assume that the relationship between the europeans and the Taino people will not end positively. towards the end of the entry, columbus mentions that the Taino people are very timid and would do work for them. this means that he plans on using them as his slaves.
ReplyDeleteI agree. This will likely end with a lot of death and suffering, likely with the native Taino people suffering more than the Europeans.
DeleteEthan Lader
DeleteLooking at Columbus' writings, the Taino people and europeans will not get along. It is clear that they plan on conquering them because he states that they were timid, implying that he thinks it would be easy to take advantage of them. The Taino will also fight back to keep hold of their land and won't let Columbus just conquer with no consequences.
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DeleteWhat we can predict about the future between the Taino people and Europeans is that it will not be one with good or fortune. That is because in Columbus's texts he states, "So that they are good to
ReplyDeletebe 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." Columbus says this, why so? Only when he and his men, the Europeans have this in mind and as a choice to turn to, by taking advantage of these unarmed people who are not as advanced as them. From Columbus's writings, he provides a fixation on comparison on how these people live differently from him, and from the provided sentence it shows how he will take the differentiation as a future advantage on perhaps converting these people into Spanish rule.
I think the relationship will end badly. Columbus does not seem to care for the natives or their customs As Columbus states in the final entry, "They should be taught to about clothes and adopt our customs". Columbus just wants to transform these people and it looks like he is likely to go to extreme methods to do so.
ReplyDeleteI agree because Christopher Columbus illustrates how he wants to change these people to how he thinks all people should act.
DeleteWe can predict that the relationship between the Europeans and the Taino people will not be a positive relationship. Columbus seems to only care about his own discovery and he does not try to understand anyone else. He sees people who should be transformed to his ideology of what perfect is.
ReplyDeleteWe can predict that Columbus will most likely enslave the people or make them in his opinion less than he is.
ReplyDeleteAdding on, we can also tell that he will force his religion on them and there will not be a. positive relationship between them.
DeleteWe can predict that Columbus will be extremely oppressive to the people that he interacts with that are indigenous.
DeleteEthan Lader
DeleteIt is fitting that we predict that the future of the Taino people and the European will be very forceful, with the Taino people grudgingly at best listening to Columbus, and other European settlers as they attempt to colonize. It is extremely hard for people to trust colonizers when they are harmful to native peoples similarly to Columbus and his actions.
ReplyDeleteEthan Ladet