Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford Series in History and Culture)

For example, in just the first 8 pages, this brief history provides more breadth and depth than all of the history courses that I experienced on this specific topic. The density of information presented in succinct exquisiteness, outdoes any history book I have yet to read as a history major. The writing is true to the primary sources and elegant in it's brevity. I highly recommend this masterpiece of historical writing by renowned UCLA Professor Symcox.

Required for my class and even though we never used it, it appears alright.

Very interesting book, and well put together. This book takes into account the important documents and different views that gives his reader a picture of what happened in Columbus's voyages. Yet, we realize through this book, the lack of true facts leaves the world in the dark for what truly happened.

Interesting read. Informative of what contemporaries thought of Columbus.

Great condition

It is said that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. At least that is what all elementary school children were always taught: "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." Of course, Columbus never did "discover" North America, and the regions he did explore were already inhabited. Nova investigated the history and authenticity of the Vinland Map, a document believed by some to be the first to depict America, and to date to 1440, half a century before Columbus' famous voyage. There are accounts the Vinland Sagas, 13th-century chronicles that relate Leif Erikson's discovery of Vinland.He only discovered them from the viewpoint of the Europeans. Yet his first voyage did prove one thing for sure, that the earth was not only round, but that it was bigger than he had thought, Eratosthenes notwithstanding. In Washington state, the 9,000-year-old Kennewick Man was a rare find. Only a handful of skeletons this old had ever been found in North America.One of the first known celebrations marking the discovery of the "New World" by Christopher Columbus was in 1792, when a ceremony organized by the Colombian Order was held in New York City honoring Columbus and the 300th anniversary of his landing in the Bahamas. The Bahamas, a group of 700 islands, dot the Atlantic Ocean from Florida almost to Haiti. Only 30 of the islands are inhabited. When Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492, the Arawak Indians were the only inhabitants there.On October 12, 1866 the Italian population of New York organized the first celebration of the discovery of America. Three years later, in 1869 Italians in San Francisco celebrated October 12 calling it C-Day. How did Christopher Columbus find his way to the "New World"? He used maps, of course. There was just one problem. His maps were wrong!The year is 1492. In three frail boats, Christopher Columbus heads west across the Atlantic Ocean. Half a world away, on the South China Sea, another ship embarked on a very different kind of journey. In its hold lay the riches of the Far East: intricately embroidered silks and the finest vessels of delicately painted porcelain. These were the treasures that Columbus could only dream of and only China could create.Between the 13th and the 16th century, China was the greatest industrial power. Not only in Asia, but I would think in the world. The quality of what China was producing during that period was simply staggering to the vast majority of the consumers in the known world at the time.On August 2, 1492, Columbus set sail in search of the East Indies. The voyage was financed by Ferdinand and Isabella by making the city of Palos pay back a debt to the crown by providing two of the ships, and by getting Italian financial backing for part of the expenses. The crown had to put up very little money from the treasury.Columbus and 90 crewmen boarded the three ships that were to make the first voyage to the New World, the Niña, Pinta, and the flagship, Santa Maria. On October 12, 1492, Columbus first saw the islands of the new world, landing in the Bahamas. Later in the month, he would sail to Cuba, and to Hispaniola (now Haiti). He thought he had reached the East Indies, the islands off Southeast Asia.All educated individuals in the 15th century, and especially sailors, already knew that the earth was round. What was not realized by Columbus, however, was just how big a globe it was. Columbus seriously underestimated the size of the planet.On Christmas Day, 1492, the Santa Maria sank off Haiti. Columbus departed for Spain on January 16, 1493 on the Niña, arriving there on March 4. Columbus made three additional voyages to the New World. The second voyage set sail in September, 1493, with 17 ships. During his expeditions, he helped to colonize Hispaniola, and discovered the South American mainland.He did not, however, see mainland North America during any of his voyages. He returned to Spain for the last time on November 7, 1504. He died at Valladolid, Spain on May 20, 1506, at the age of 55.Much controversy exists over Columbus' expeditions and whether or not one can "discover" an already-inhabited land. The natives of the Bahamas and other islands on his journey were peaceful and friendly. Yet many of them were later enslaved by the Spanish. Also, it is known that the Vikings explored the North American coast 500 years before Columbus.To mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage, in 1892, President Benjamin Harrison made a commemorative proclamation. But it was Colorado, in 1905, that became the first state to observe a Columbus Day. Since 1920 the day has been celebrated annually, and in 1937 President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed every October 12 as Columbus Day. That's where it remained until 1971 when Congress declared it a federal public holiday on the second Monday in October.

Good introduction followed by a number of contemporary texts offering a well-rounded view of early European entry into the Caribbean.

Cet opuscule ne devrait échapper à aucun chercheur sur le second voyage de Colomb en direction des Antilles. Il est indispensable