Chronology of American Indian History

1492

October 12

The Arawak encounter Christopher
Columbus and his men.
The Arawak of what is now the island of San Salva-
dor sight three ships off the coast. The ships carry
crews led by Christopher Columbus, an Italian ex-
plorer who had convinced the Spanish Crown to
finance an expedition to reach Asia by sailing west
from Europe. Upon landing, Columbus errone-
ously concludes that he has reached the Indies—a
term then used to describe much of Asia—and dubs
the indigenous peoples he encounters Indians.
Determined to find China, the Europeans ex-
plore the islands in the area, including Hispaniola
(now comprising Haiti and the Dominican Re-
public). From their ships anchored off its coast, the
men conduct an active trade with the Arawak. One
night as many as 1,500 Indians visit the ships. The
trading continues until December 24, when one of
their ships, the Santa Maria, runs aground. With
the Indian’s help, Columbus’s men are able to save
the supplies on the sinking ship. The Santa Maria
destroyed, Columbus decides to return to Spain in
his two remaining ships but leaves 39 men behind
at a fort built from wood salvaged from the wreck-
age (see entry for NOVEMBER 28, 1493).

1493

March

The Santángel-Sánchez letters announce
Columbus’s “discovery” of the Indies.
Anchored off the coast of Portugal, Christopher
Columbus sends overland two nearly identical let-
ters to court officials Luis de Santángel and Rafael
Sánchez, in which he describes his successful voy-
age to the Indies (see entry for OCTOBER 12, 1492).
Within weeks, the letters are published in three lan-
guages and widely circulated around Europe. The
Santángel-Sánchez letters provide Europeans their

first impression of the “new world” Columbus has

found and of the peoples he calls Indians.

April

Christopher Columbus presents captive

Indians to the Spanish court.

At the request of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand

of Spain, a triumphant Christopher Columbus ap-

pears before the Spanish court and tells of the exotic

land he visited during his exploration the previous

year (see entry for OCTOBER 12, 1492). In addition

to gold items and parrots he obtained through trade

with the Arawak Indians, he brings before the mon-

archs several Indians wearing plumed headdresses,

whom he had captured and brought back to Spain.

The impressive presentation helps convince Isabella

to fund a second voyage.

May 3

A papal bull confirms Spanish claims to

North American lands.

As news of Columbus’s journey spreads (see entry

for OCTOBER 12, 1492), the Portuguese king

prepares to challenge the claims of the explorer’s

Spanish sponsors to the lands he has found. To

establish the legitimacy of its claims, the Spanish

Crown appeals to Pope Alexander VI, who issues

the first of a series of papal bulls on the matter.

Establishing a line of demarcation bisecting the

Atlantic Ocean and stretching from the North to

South Pole, the pope declares that all lands west of

the line not already ruled by a Christian are under

the rule of Spain. He also places all indigenous

peoples on these lands under Spanish guardianship

and encourages the Spanish to spread the Catholic

faith among them.

November 28

Thirty-nine Spaniards are found murdered

by Arawak Indians.

On his second journey to Hispaniola, Christopher

Columbus and a crew of 1,200 men arrive to find