America: a Narrative History by Tindall and Shi notes Chapter 1
Columbus, The Indians, and Human Progress Columbus Arrives at the Americas Goal was to sail to Indies and Asia Expected to find lots of Gold and Spices Believed there were fields of gold that could be found there Financed by Spain Arawak people of the Bahama Islands greeted Columbus with food and gifts ?willingly traded everything they owned? Columbus oppresses the Native Americans Columbus writes, ?With fifty men we could subjugate them al ad make them do whatever we want Forced the Arawaks into giving him gold Also took five hundred Arawaks to be slaves in Spain Two hundred of them died in transit to Spain Columbus then moves to Haiti and starts looking for gold Indians were forced to find gold Indians that didn?t find any were killed