The views on new land according to Cabeza de Vaca were that of being poor and primitive. He did not seem to have a positive reaction to the Native Americans and the way that they live. He was writing to report back about they way of life but it was almost like he was making certain judgments. The examples of his view of the Native Americans was “their only weapons are bows and arrows” (pg. 31) and “three months out of every year they eat nothing but oysters and drink very bad water. Wood was scarce” (pg. 32). His examples on providing the idea that they are primitive are “the inhabitants of all these parts go naked, except that the women cover some part of their persons with a wool that grows on trees, and damsels dress in deerskin” (pg. 32) and he called them “barbarous people” (pg. 30).
Columbus had a very obvious motivation for exploration. He wanted to please King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella by telling them that his voyage was successful in finding new land. He was also tells his motivation to find new land in when he wrote “led me to pray your highnesses before I went to discover these islands and Terra Firma, that you would leave them to me to govern in your royal name” (pg. 27). Columbus wanted to be a leader of the new land. In order for him to get approval he needed the King and Queen to get the impression that the land was good by saying “This island and all the others are very fertile to a limitless degree, and this island is extremely so” (pg. 26).
The motivations and the views given by these two men may not be direct and clear. Once you understand their language and how they wrote, it is easier to read between the lines and find out what they were really after.
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You're right; the language can be tough to get past. (the footnotes help!) Columbus stands a lot to gain from the intent of his letter. I thought it was interesting that one of the topics discussed this week then, asks if maybe he was elaborating, or giving a really glowing account that wasn't totally accurate, in order to have a better shot at leadership in the new land. Another related, interesting point that I learned in a history class recently was that no one was ever able to convince Columbus that he'd actually found a new world, up until his death he believed he'd found Asia.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the reading material can be confusing at sections but once you understand ”their language”, like you said, it becomes a lot more simplistic to comprehend the true meaning behind there descriptive wording. Cabeza de Vaca should have been grateful for the Natives took him in. He was not treated poorly by Malhado, Avavares, or the Arbadaoos as a matter of fact they feed him, sheltered him, and essentially saved his life. As for Columbus he had dreams of ruling the new land but as we all know those dreams he possessed were shattered.
ReplyDeleteReading the letters was confusing for me too. I thought it was interesting how Cabeza de Vaca observed the life of the natives but they seemed like they cared for him. He makes it sound like they are terrible savages. I agree that Columbus motive was to please the king and queen but at the end of his letter he seems like he might want to bring religion to the land when he sees the people seperated from the "holy sacraments of Holy Church".
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you wrote. I think they both had different motives as to why they took their journeys. Columbus wanted to go out and explore, he wanted to please the King and Queen yet Cabeza de Vaca wanted to live up to his family name and acts superior to his findings.
ReplyDeleteYou effectively displayed the differences between the two men’s objectives in their accounts of the Americas. Their objectives were both for good reasons I believe in that, Columbus wanted to gain further support for more exploration of the continent and Cabeza De Vaca wanted to give Charles V a clear understanding of the inhabitants of the land. I also liked how you tied the two posts together instead of just answering the two different questions. I thought it was a very good way to make the assignment your own.
ReplyDeleteI think what you say about Columbus's motivations is right on target--great examples, too. I'm not sure if I'd go so far to say that Cabeza deVaca "did not seem to have a positive reaction to the Native Americans." True, to some extent he is reporting what he sees around him. But actually, in contrast to Columbus and Harriot, I think he is more positive about the Native Americans than either one.
ReplyDeleteColumbus main motivaton in the beginning was to find a new way to the Orient for trade reasons. I think his motivation changed after he had made his first trip. After he claimed the land for Spain, he wanted to set up settlements and establish rule there, with himself as the leader. He saw the potential in the new land and the riches that could be obtained from it. The last two trips he made were to try and get some law and order there, but he failed in this. I think Columbus was deeply disappointed in the end. I think you are right when you say he wanted to please Ferdinand and Isabella. His motivation here was to get more money for future trips. If they were disappointed in the exploring he did, they may back out in supporting him. He knew this, and like you say this is probably the reason he gave such an optimistic report to them.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Cabeza deVaca,he did report back in his letter of all the primitive things about the Indians and the hardships and suffering as you say. I think he did this because he wanted to give a true picture of his explorations. Of the three explorers we studied, I think he gave the most honest writings regarding the land and the Indians. He had no choice after he was stranded on the island to live with the Indians to survive. It seems that despite all the hardships Cabeza deVaca went through while living with the Indians, in the end he actually took the side of the Indians and wanted to stop the killing that was going on in the new world.
The language does create a problem in understanding these articles. Some of the stuff I end up not even figuring out what it means. However, if I read it over and over, usually I can figure it out.
Can you imagine being in Columbus' shoes? To be known of the person that found new land. And to top it off, becoming a leader of the new land you just found. I just couldn't imagine being him. I like the quotes you picked out to support the leadership that he wanted. I completely agree with you guys when you say that you need to understand the language before you can understand want they are saying.
ReplyDeleteCabez De Vaca indeed had a bad attitude toward the Native Americans. He seemed to have many negative things to say about them and their culture. He had judgmental comments to say about them. I also believe that Columbus had a motivation for his exploring that was due to the path god brought him and to please Fernando and Isabella. However Cabez De Vaca had a motivation that was quite different. His motivation had a lot to do with his family and ancestors.
ReplyDeleteYes Cabez De Vaca did look down at the natives and you have some very good examples of this. Really, after coming to this new place and not seeing that it was as sophisticated as England, what did he really expect? If I had been the natives I would not have bee so good to him and taken him in like they did. They were alone for so long and all of a sudden these new strange people show up. I would've been really scared.
ReplyDeleteYou say that the motivations between the two men may not be clear, I have to believe that they are pretty clear to me. It seems as if Columbus is hiding some of the important details of the Island to Isabella and Ferdinand so that way they will approve. When Cabeza de Vaca is being honest and sincere, I think that it is better for Cabeza to be sincere even if he is over exaggerating a little bit, Columbus is not exaggerating enough.
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