Item 2A
The Columbus Letter
1494
Incunabula
At the end of the 15th century, a group of Europeans, led by Christopher Columbus and financed by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille, accidently landed on the island known by its inhabitants as Guanahani on their way to Asia. This singular episode set off a chain of events that transformed European cultures and Indigenous cultures in the Americas and continues to reverberate today. On his return to Spain, Columbus addressed several letters to the Catholic monarchs who had financed his expedition, which were printed and circulated throughout Europe. Columbus greatly exaggerated what he had observed, setting the stage for Europeans to colonize the Americas, leading to the decimation of the Indigenous populations.
What will you discover next?
Using the printing press to create new versions of old stories?
Go To Item 10D
Rather than a real voyage, a fantastical voyage?
Go To Item 9A