Canaries to the Caribbean Canaries to the Caribbean (October 7, 1997)(October 7, 1997)

Canaries to the CaribbeanCanaries to the Caribbean1402-1506: Outline 1402-1506: Outline

Maritime expansion: Mediterranean, Maritime expansion: Mediterranean, Africa, and the AtlanticAfrica, and the Atlantic

Arawak, native peoples of the Arawak, native peoples of the Caribbean: Tainos and CaribsCaribbean: Tainos and Caribs

Christopher Columbus (b. ca. 1451, d. Christopher Columbus (b. ca. 1451, d. 1506), Genoese 1506), Genoese

Columbus’s 4 voyagesColumbus’s 4 voyagesDestruction of the IndiesDestruction of the Indies

Norse expansion in the North Atlantic (text and archaeological evidence):

Bjarni Herjolfsson, 985-6 Icelander Torfinnr Karlsefni

Maritime expansion: Maritime expansion: Mediterranean, Africa, and Mediterranean, Africa, and

the Atlanticthe AtlanticMediterraneanMediterranean

ship construction, navigational ship construction, navigational innovations, trade and plantationsinnovations, trade and plantations

AtlanticAtlanticMadeira, Azores, Cape Verde Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde Islands,

Canaries (Castille: 1402, 1478, 1482, 1493)Canaries (Castille: 1402, 1478, 1482, 1493)Africa Portuguese, 1460: 1500 milesAfrica Portuguese, 1460: 1500 miles

““factories”: slaving, trading, gold, ivory, factories”: slaving, trading, gold, ivory, spices: Sao Jorge de Mina (1481, Ghana) spices: Sao Jorge de Mina (1481, Ghana)

Martin Behaim’s world globe, Martin Behaim’s world globe, 14921492

Portuguese expansion: Cape Verde and SãoTome

The Virgin of the The Virgin of the Mariners Mariners protects protects

Mediterranean Mediterranean galleys as well as galleys as well as

the Atlantic the Atlantic caravels that caravels that

gather in Sevillegather in Seville

Arawak, native peoples of Arawak, native peoples of the Caribbean: Tainos and the Caribbean: Tainos and

CaribsCaribsTainos, agriculturalists: Northern Tainos, agriculturalists: Northern

islands, 200 BC -1200 AD. islands, 200 BC -1200 AD. Caribs, Lesser Antilles: foragers and Caribs, Lesser Antilles: foragers and

fishers and fightersfishers and fightersDemographic destructionDemographic destructionLinguistic legacy: Linguistic legacy:

barbacoa (barbecue), batata (sweet barbacoa (barbecue), batata (sweet potato), cacique (chief), canoa, hamaca potato), cacique (chief), canoa, hamaca (hammock), maguey (cactus), maiz, etc.(hammock), maguey (cactus), maiz, etc.

Tainos, agriculturalists: Tainos, agriculturalists: Northern islands, 200 BC -1200 Northern islands, 200 BC -1200

AD.AD.

Caribs, Lesser Antilles: Caribs, Lesser Antilles: foragers and fishers and foragers and fishers and fightersfighters

Linguistic legacy: barbacoa (barbecue), Linguistic legacy: barbacoa (barbecue), batata (sweet potato), cacique (chief), batata (sweet potato), cacique (chief), canoa, hamaca (hammock), maguey canoa, hamaca (hammock), maguey

(cactus), maiz, etc.(cactus), maiz, etc.

First European Images, 1493

(accompanying Columbus’s letter)

Christopher Columbus (b. ca. Christopher Columbus (b. ca. 1451, d. 1506), Genoese1451, d. 1506), Genoese

The Genoese connection: “carriers of The Genoese connection: “carriers of the commercial-maritime tradition”the commercial-maritime tradition”

Columbus’s sea-faring experience:Columbus’s sea-faring experience:eastern Medit., Lisbon, Madeira, Sao Jorge eastern Medit., Lisbon, Madeira, Sao Jorge

de Mina (Ghana)de Mina (Ghana)Theory: sail west 2,400 nautical miles Theory: sail west 2,400 nautical miles

to Japan (actually 4 times as far: 10,600)to Japan (actually 4 times as far: 10,600)First voyage: 3 Aug 92, 6 Sep First voyage: 3 Aug 92, 6 Sep

(Canaries), Oct. 12 (Bahamas). (Canaries), Oct. 12 (Bahamas).

(virtual image from (virtual image from www.ipf.tuwien.ac.at/www.ipf.tuwien.ac.at/

veroeffentlichungen/ldveroeffentlichungen/ld__pp__ch96ch96__vrml/vrml/behaim.wrl)behaim.wrl)

Martin Behaim’s world globe, 1492Martin Behaim’s world globe, 1492

CanariesCanaries

AzoresAzores

AzoresAzores

SpainSpain

Behaim placed Japan too close too Europe and too far from Asia

JapanJapan

JapanJapan

A schematic of Behaim’s

globe:W. & C. Phillips

The Worlds of Christopher Columbus

CanariesCanariesSanto Santo DomingoDomingo

Columbus’s coat of arms.

The capitulaciones: “discover and acquire islands and Mainlands in the Ocean

Sea”

Columbus’s 4 voyagesColumbus’s 4 voyages

1st Voyage, “1st Voyage, “CapitulacionesCapitulaciones”: suspicion ”: suspicion that unknown lands would be foundthat unknown lands would be found

2nd, 1493: from exploration/trade to 2nd, 1493: from exploration/trade to settlement (17 vessels, 1200 men--no settlement (17 vessels, 1200 men--no women)women)

3rd, 1498-1500: encountered mainland 3rd, 1498-1500: encountered mainland (Orinoco River)(Orinoco River)

4th, 1502: disaster; 1506, death 4th, 1502: disaster; 1506, death

Four voyages

Voyages 3 and 4 (detail)

Destruction of the IndiesDestruction of the Indies

Cycles of gold mining: Indians forced Cycles of gold mining: Indians forced to pan goldto pan gold

Encomienda: entrusting Indians to Encomienda: entrusting Indians to Spaniards to work and to convertSpaniards to work and to convert

Slaving expeditions to other islands Slaving expeditions to other islands replenish laborreplenish labor

Destruction of the Indies: occurred Destruction of the Indies: occurred before the first smallpox epidemic (1518)before the first smallpox epidemic (1518)

Tainos panning gold

The Black Legend

Americas 1562

End