Geography, Exploration, and Encounter in the 15 th Century

The World of Columbus

1. Extremely well-known yet his import is frequently misunderstood:

a. “he discovered America”b. “he proved the Earth was round”c. “he sailed on the Mayflower”

2. Appealing story a good way to introduce larger issues:

a. Columbian Exchangeb. Environment and historyc. New knowledge

3. Leaves behind rich set of texts for analysis

Why Columbus?

Cristobal Colón“But this illustrious man, renouncing the name established by custom, chose to be called Colón, restoring the ancient form less for this reason (that it was the ancient name) than it would seem, because he was moved by the divine will which had elected him to achieve what his surname and given name signified … [T]he Philosopher [Aristotle] says in chapter IV of his Metaphysics, ‘Names should accord with the qualities and uses if things.’ This is why he was called Cristobal, which is to say Christum Ferens, which means the bearer of the Christ, and it was thus that he often signed his name; for in truth he was the first to open the gates of the Ocean Sea, in order to bear our Savior Jesus Christ over the waves to those remote lands and those realms hitherto unknown … His surname was Colón, which means repopulator, a name befitting the man whose enterprise brought about the discovery of these peoples … who, thanks to the preaching of the Gospel … have proceeded and will every day proceed to repopulate the glorious city of Heaven. It also befits this man, in that he was the first to bring the people of Spain to found colonies, or new populations … amid the original inhabitants”-- Bartolomé de las Casas, Historia de las Indias

1. The Earth was spherical, fixed in place, and sat at the center of the universe.

2. Symmetry governed the placement of land and water:

Land on one side water on the otherTwo northern continents and two southernTwo eastern continents and two western

3. The circumference of the Earth at the equator was roughly 25,000 miles.

Geographical and Astronomical Assumptions

The “Old World”

Recreation of Ptolemaic world map, ≈ 150 C.E.

Hereford Mappa Mundi, 1285 CE

World Map of Al-Idrisi for Roger II of Siciliy, 1154 C.E. (modern reproduction)

World map from 1482 edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia

Henricus Martellus’ Map, 1489

Why go west?

“Conquest held a special place for the Spanish.”

Iberian Peninsula, 1491

Caravel

The Ships

Crew of the Santa Maria1. Cristobal Colon captain-

general2. Juan de la Cosa owner &

master3. Diego de Arana master-at-

arms4. Pedro de Gutierrez royal

steward5. Rodrigo de Escobedo secretary6. Rodrigo Sanchez

comptroller 7. Diego de Salcedo servant 8. Luis de Torres interpreter 9. Antonio de Cuellar carpenter10. Bartolome Garcia boatswain11. Chachu boatswain12. Cristobal Caro goldsmith13. Diego Perez painter14. Domingo Vizcaino cooper 15. Juan Sanchez physician 16. Pedro de Terreros cabin boy17. Pero Nino pilot18. Rodrigo Gallego servant

19. Rodrigo de Jerez 20. Alonso Chocero21. Alonso Clavijo 22. Andres de Yruenes23. Bartolome Biues24. Bartolome de Torres25. Diego Bermudez26. Domingo de Lequeitio27. Gonzalo Franco 28. Jacomel Rico29. Juan, servant 30. Juan de Jerez 31. Juan de la Placa32. Juan Martines de Acoque33. Juan de Medina34. Juan de Moguer 35. Juan Ruiz de la Pena 36. Lope, joiner37. Maestre Juan38. Marin de Urtubia 39. Pedro Yzquierdo40. Pedro de Lepe

Crew of the Pinta (13 men from Palos)1. Martin Alonso Pinzon captain 2. Francisco Martin Pinzon master3. Cristobal Garcia Xalmiento pilot4. Cristobal Quintero ship's

owner5. Garcia Hernandez steward6. Maestre Diego surgeon 7. Bernal servant8. Pedro Tegero9. Sancho de Rama 10. Francisco Garcia Vallejo11. Gomez Rascon12. Anton Calabres13. Juan Bermudez

14. Juan Quintero15. Juan Rodriquez Bermejo 16. Pedro de Arcos17. Alonso de Palos18. Alvaro Perez 19. Diego Martin Pinzon20. Fernando Mendes 21. Francisco Mendes22. Gil Perez 23. Juan Quadrado24. Juan Reynal25. Juan Verde de Triana 26. Juan Vecano

1. Vincente Yanez Pinzon captain2. Juan Nino owner and master3. Francisco Nino4. Bartolome Roldan appre. pilot5. Alonso de Morales carpenter6. Andres de Huelva 7. Bartolome Garcia boatswain8. Diego Lorenzo 9. Fernando de Triana 10. Garcia Alonso11. Juan Arias cabin boy12. Juan Arraes13. Juan Romero 14. Maestre Alonso physician15. Miguel de Soria servant 16. Pedro de Soria17. Pero Arraes 18. Pero Sanches19. Rodrigo Monge 20. Sancho Ruiz

Crew of the Niña

The Route of Columbus, 1492-1493

Claiming the New World

“At two hours after midnight the land was sighted at a distance of two leagues. They shortened sail, and lay by under the mainsail without the bonnets. The vessels were hove to, waiting for daylight; and on Friday they arrived at a small island of the Lucayos, called, in the language of the Indians, Guanahani. Presently they saw naked people. The Admiral [Columbus] went on shore in the armed boat, and Martin Alonso Pinzon, and Vicente Yañez, his brother, who was captain of the Niña. The Admiral took the royal standard, and the captains went with two banners of the green cross, which the Admiral took in all the ships as a sign, with an F and a Y and a crown over each letter, one on one side of the cross and the other on the other. Having landed, they saw trees very green, and much water, and fruits of divers kinds. The Admiral called to the two captains, and to the others who leaped on shore, and to Rodrigo Escovedo, secretary of the whole fleet, and to Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, and said that they should bear faithful testimony that he, in presence of all, had taken, as he now took, possession of the said island for the king and for the queen, his Lords, making the declarations that are required, as is more largely set forth in the testimonies which were then made in writing.”

A page from Travels of Sir John Mandeville

Columbus’ SourcesA page from The Travels of Marco Polo

European ideas of DifferenceMonopod Panotti

Cynocephali Blemmyae

Illustration accompanying one of the first published editions of Columbus’ letter to Ferdinand and Isabela

Cantino Planisphere, 1502