A Historical Geography of Christopher Columbus’s First Voyage and his Interactions with Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean

Foreword

Part I:  Planning the Transatlantic Voyage and Setting the Physical Geography of the Caribbean

Chapter 1:  The Transatlantic Proposal and Preparation for the Voyage

• The Santa Fe Capitulations
• Palos de la Frontera and the Acquisition of Men and Ships
• The Plan
• Political Goals
• Notes

Chapter 2:  Preparing for the Voyage

• The Columbus Map
• Columbus’s Methodology for Calculating Global Distances
• Sequence of Conception: Enterprise to the Indies
• The First Voyage Maps of Columbus
• The Art of Navigation in the 15th Century
• Directional Methodology
• Nautical Mileage Methodology
• Notes

Chapter 3:  The Adventure Begins

• The Journal of Christopher Columbus
• Sabotage as the Voyage Begins, August 3 to September 5
• The Lady Doña Beatriz Ines Peraza
• Notes

Part II:  The Mid-Transatlantic Crossing

Chapter 4:  Into the Ocean Sea: Canary Islands and Beyond, September 6-19

• The Voyage West Begins and the Deception of Recorded Mileage
• The Difficulty Measuring Latitude at Sea and Magnetic Variation
• Entering Unknown Waters (Sea of Darkness)
• Notes

Chapter 5:  Searching for the Indies: September 20 to October 11

• Looking for an Island, any Island
• A Nervous Crew Puts Pressure on Columbus
• October Arrives but Still No Land
• Notes

Part III:  The Columbus Landfall and Search for the Mainland

Chapter 6:  The First Encounter: October 12-14

• The Day the World Changed
• The Lucayan Islanders Barter with the Europeans
• Exploring Guanahani
• Did Columbus Kidnap Several Lucayans?
• Notes

Chapter 7:  A Sea of Islands: October 15-27

• Rum Cay, A Lucayan "Escapes"
• The Search for Gold Begins
• A Lucayan Village and Cemetery
• Isabella (Crooked Island) and the Search for Samoet
• Where is Cibao (Cuba)?
• Notes

Part IV:  Cuba and Hispaniola

Chapter 8:  Cibao (Cuba): October 28 to December 5

• Columbus Believes Cibao is Cipangu (Japan)
• Searching for a Taino King (Cacique)
• A Lucayan Initiates Friendly Relations with Cuban Taínos
• Is This Cipangu (Japan) or Cathay (China)?
• The Ambassadors Describe a Large Taíno Village and Tobacco
• The Geography of Linking Religious and Commercial Goals
• Martín Pinzón Abandons Columbus
• Notes

Chapter 9:  Hispaniola:  December 7-25

• Exploring Bohio
• The Taíno of Hispaniola
• I am No God
• Columbus and a Cacique Break Bread on the Santa Maria
• Shipwreck, the Santa Maria Is Destroyed
• Notes

Chapter 10:  A Time for Decisions:  December 26 to January 15, 1493

• Columbus and Guacanagarí
• Return to Spain or Continue Exploring?
• The Voyage Home Begins
• Along the Coast of Northeastern Hispaniola
• Notes

Part V: Return Voyage, Accolades, and a Promise of Colonization

Chapter 11:  The Voyage Home: January 16 to March 15

• Columbus Knows the Route Home
• A Change of Course for the Azores
• The Ocean Fury Unleashed
• The Azores Sighted and His Men Imprisoned
• A Run for the Mainland
• Portugal Sighted and Contact with King João
• Palos and Home
• Notes

Chapter 12:  Spanish Accolades and Future Plans 

• Triumphant Return at the Palace of Ferdinand and Isabella
• Plans for Voyage Two
• Notes

Afterword

Appendices

• Appendix I: History and Methodology of Columbus’s Landfall
• Appendix II:  Anchorage and Beach Landing Site
• Appendix III: Las Casas and Columbus on the Future of the Indigenous Peoples: A Comparison to the Portuguese Experience in São da la Mina
• Appendix IV: Columbus Vision for Spanish-Indio Relations on La Española (Hispaniola) in Comparison to the Existing Slave Conditions on the Canary Islands, circa 1492
• Appendix V:  Slavery in the Pre-Columbian Americas
• Appendix VI: Latitude and Longitude Estimates for Daily Sailing Locations

Bibliography

Biography

Al M. Rocca is a Professor Emeritus at Simpson University and is currently serving as Adjunct Research Professor at California State University, Monterey Bay.