Ryan H. answered • 09/24/19
Bachelor of Science in ME, 15 years of experience tutoring
I won't write the answer for you but here are some excerpts from some primary sources for you, except from Columbus report on his voyage, made to the king and queen of Spain on March 15, 1493:
"The inhabitants . . . are all, as I said before, unprovided with any sort of iron, and they are destitute of arms, which are entirely unknown to them, and for which they are not adapted; not on account of any bodily deformity, for they are well made, but because they are timid and full of terror. . . . But when they see that they are safe, and all fear is banished, they are very guileless and honest, and very liberal of all they have. No one refuses the asker anything that he possesses; on the contrary they themselves invite us to ask for it. They manifest the greatest affection towards all of us, exchanging valuable things for trifles, content with the very least thing or nothing at all. . . . I gave them many beautiful and pleasing things, which I had brought with me, for no return whatever, in order to win their affection, and that they might become Christians and inclined to love our King and Queen and Princes and all the people of Spain; and that they might be eager to search for and gather and give to us what they abound in and we greatly need."
Further reading (gilderlehrman.org/history-now/columbus-reports-his-first-voyage-1493)
Some further clues for you: Spain at the time was a very Catholic country and this shaped their (and Columbus) world views. They viewed the world in terms of either Christian or not. Columbus mentions that they may be inclined to become Christians. He named the land he found San Salvador (Holy Savior).
Second clue, from his quote, does Columbus view the Native Americans as equals or as subservient?
