When writing his letters, Columbus was very objective in his tone of writing. In his first letter he wrote only about how beautiful the land was, how friendly the people were, and how green everything was. He didn’t say one bad or descending thing about anything he saw or anyone he met. The reason for this is most likely that if the court of Spain thought there was anything wrong or upsetting about the New World, they might not have given Columbus more money for future explorations, which Columbus thought was an important necessity to make.
Thomas Harriot viewed the Native Americans as quite different compared to people in England like himself. He seemed to talk about the Indians in a very negative matter stating how they live, what they wear, their religion, and much more about them. Harriot mentions what it would be like to get in a war with the Native Americans stating, “By the experience we have in some places, the turning up of their heels against us in running away was their best defense” (page 38). Here he talks about all of the advantages we would have against the Indians. Harriot also says what little they have compared to us saying “they have no such tools, nor any such crafts, sciences and arts as we” (page 38). He thinks that they should start respecting us and doing everything they can to please us so maybe one day they could be brought to civilization and true religion.
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Was Columbus really all that objective? He certainly didn't describe exactly what he saw, and his motivations for writing definitely influenced what he said. Great job on Harriot, though--I like your examples there. Your Columbus section could use some concrete passages to refer to.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea of how Thomas Harriot viewed the Native Americans. He seems to feel a superiority to the natives because of the differences in technology they have and how him and his group are better prepared for war. You can see how he looks down on the natives when he describes their religion. When he talks about how they can't say how long ago since the beginning of creation he writes that they have, "no letters or other such means as we to keep records of the particularities of times past, but only tradition from father to son." (Pg. 39). He is proud of himself and his people for recording events throughout time while he puts down the idea of tradition from father to son as a means of remembering events.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Columbus wrote the first letter to make others believe in a glorious looking place. If he did not say this, he probably would not of got the funding for the second voyage. I also like the quotes you used for the way Harriot viewed Native Americans. These quotes follow through with your idea that he viewed Indians negatively.
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