Believing he was in the Indies,
Columbus naturally assumed that the islanders were Indians. He could see that they were not Europeans or Africans. As far as he knew, this was what Asian people looked like. Columbus's mistake means that, to this day, Native Americans are still called "Indians".
The bells were made for the legs of hunting hawks.
Columbus's most popular trade goods were little brass bells. The Tainos were eager to trade their gold nose ornaments for these bells, which they wore as earrings. Columbus was disappointed to find that the Tainos had only tiny amounts of gold, and that the ornaments were wafer thin.
Each canoe was hollowed _ , out from a single
Tree trunk.
Columbus sailed through the islands, giving each one a new Spanish name, and claiming them all for Spain. As news of his arrival spread, many Tainos came out in their canoes to see the "men from the sky". They brought colourful parrots, balls of cotton, bows and arrows, and other goods to trade.
THE FLEET SETS OFF
Columbus outraged
On 21 November, when the fleet was heading south along the Cuban coast, Pinta suddenly sailed off to the east. Tired of obeying Columbus, Martin Pinzon had decided to go exploring on his own. Columbus was furious that Pinzon had deserted the fleet, taking the fastest ship with him.
World History
