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[[Image:Christopher-columbus.jpg|thumb|250px|October 12, 1492]]

[[Image:Christopher-columbus.jpg|thumb|250px|October 12, 1492]]

Finally they came to land in the West Indies (October 12, 1492). When they explored a little they found the natives to be friendly and they found many new things that no European had ever seen before. Columbus thought he had landed in India, so he called the native people "Indians" - a designation which remains common to this very day. As they prepared to return to [[Spain]] the Santa Maria ran aground on a coral reef and could not be repaired. Columbus saw this as a sign from God and established a trading outpost he called Navidad (after the Christmas holiday).  

Finally they came to land in the West Indies (October 12, 1492). When they explored a little they found the native Arawaks to be friendly and wrote such in his diary: "They offered to share with anyone, and when you ask for something, they never say no." 

 

They found many new things that no European had ever seen before. Columbus thought he had landed in India, so he called the native people "Indians" - a designation which remains common to this very day. As they prepared to return to [[Spain]] the Santa Maria ran aground on a coral reef and could not be repaired. Further establishing the kindness of the Arawaks, Columbus noted that the they were so kind, that after the shipwreck, the Arawaks labored for hours to save his cargo, and were so honest that not one thing was missing.  Columbus saw the shipwreck as a sign from God and established a trading outpost he called Navidad (after the Christmas holiday).  

However he still had the Nina and Pinta, and so he took most of his crew up the Windward Passage and onward to Spain. The king and queen were amazed by the colorful birds and strange foods that Columbus brought with him. Columbus was then called Admiral.

However he still had the Nina and Pinta, and so he took most of his crew up the Windward Passage and onward to Spain. The king and queen were amazed by the colorful birds and strange foods that Columbus brought with him. Columbus was then called Admiral.

[[File:News1492.jpg|thumb|400px|News of Columbus' discovery spread across Europe with the republication of his Letter of March, 1493]]

[[File:News1492.jpg|thumb|400px|News of Columbus' discovery spread across Europe with the republication of his Letter of March, 1493]]

==Second Voyage==

==Second Voyage==

When Columbus sailed back to the new world in 1493, he found no sign of Navidad or of his crew. It is unknown what became of the crew, but one widely believed theory is the local Indian population grew tired of being harassed for gold and killed the sailors. Columbus then built a new settlement called Isabella (after the queen), then left it in the charge of his brother Diego and went exploring. He was puzzled that his maps of the east did not match with what he had seen. When he reached modern day [[Cuba]] he believed that this was the mainland and forced his crew to swear that it was.  He also discovered [[Jamaica]] shortly afterwards. On his second voyage Columbus was able to sail back exactly to the same place as on his first voyage, despite poor navigating techniques of the time period. Some attribute this fact to divine providence.

When Columbus sailed back to the new world in 1493, he found no sign of Navidad or of his crew. It is unknown what became of the crew, but one widely believed theory is the local Indian population grew tired of being harassed for gold and killed the sailors. Columbus then built a new settlement called Isabella (after the queen), then left it in the charge of his brother Diego and went exploring. He was puzzled that his maps of the east did not match with what he had seen. When he reached modern day [[Cuba]] he believed that this was the mainland and forced his crew to swear that it was.  He also discovered [[Jamaica]] shortly afterwards. On his second voyage Columbus was able to sail back exactly to the same place as on his first voyage, despite poor navigating techniques of the time period. Some attribute this fact to divine providence.