Historical Sources: The Columbus Letter

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The Columbus Letter, written by Christopher Columbus in 1493 is one of the most extraordinary, and important historical sources ever written. The Columbus Letter was written to inform King Ferdinand, and Queen Isabella about the unbelievable discoveries Christopher found in the Islands he had explored, which Columbus portrayed that they “exceed belief, unless one has seen them.” [Documents Collection, 3]. The Columbus Letter is a very important historical source because it provides a very vivid image of the islands were like, and in a very detailed manner the letter also addresses how Christopher felt about the people who lived in those islands. If this letter had not been written with such great detail, or if it had not been written at all, …show more content…
He talks abut their Canoes, and the way they trade form island to island using them. “They steer only by oars. Some of these boats are large, some small, some of medium size. Yet they row many of the larger row-boats with eighteen cross-benches, with which they cross to all those islands, which are innumerable, and with these boats they perform their trading, and carry on commerce among them. I saw some of these row- boats or canoes which were carrying seventy and eighty rowers.” [Documents Collection, 5]. Columbus also provides information about the weapons the people from the islands used, he said in his letter that “They carry for weapons, however, reeds baked in the sun, on the lower ends of which they fasten some shafts of dried wood rubbed down to a point” [Documents Collection, 4]. Without the detail Columbus provide in his letter non of these things would have been reported, and history would lack this information, which is what makes the Columbian letter so useful, and important to history.
In the Columbus Letter, Christopher Columbus does a extraordinary job providing very detailed information about the people, and the islands he found in his exploration. From describing the Juana, and Hispana Islands, to describing the people who lived there, and their technology. There were many important descriptions the Columbus Letter that give history, and people interested in history knowledge, and detail so vivid that the it can almost be felt what it was like to discover the new world with Christopher
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