While reading the journals of Christopher Columbus I got the sense that every word written had been methodically chosen and censored to appeal to a specifically European viewpoint. The entries spin the tragic happenings that occurred into an act devoted to “Your Majesties”, which for whatever reason is apparently enough to make it justifiable.

What struck me most in Columbus’ entries was his depiction of the natives he encountered. Besides the constant mentioning of the royals back in Spain, Columbus also consistently wrote of Christianity, of good Christians and of the conversion of others into Christians. He blatantly stated that he aimed to convert the people of these Islands to Christianity. Columbus wrote that he found the Natives to be more intelligent than expected and he assumed they would be quick to become devout Christians. It was as if his measure of their intelligence was solely in correlation with how they responded to his religious thoughts and goals. He believed that, “they would…readily become Christians, for they [were] intelligent.” Would he have written of their wit had they openly and vehemently rejected the notion of his foreign religion? No, I seriously doubt that he would have.