October 12, 1492—Taking Possession Columbus takes possession of the New World for Spain The journey of over 3,000 nautical miles had taken over a month of sailing, filled with near-mutinies and false signs of land. Columbus, who had been keeping two different logs of distance traveled, had reported the "accurate" distance of 3,409 nautical miles. Ironically, the distance he reported to the crew—the one that he made up—was in fact much closer to the actual distance traveled than his "true" reckoning! His attempt to dupe the sailors had done nothing more than confuse his own mind. Columbus stepped foot onto the golden beach of San Salvador and raised the Spanish flag over the land, claiming the territory for Spain. As was common during this period in time, Columbus did not take into consideration the fact that the land was already occupied by various native peoples. He writes excitedly about conquering the land—as he saw it, the land was his for the taking and Spain's to use as it saw fit. Friday, 12 October 1492. . . I went ashore in the ship's boat, armed, followed by Martín Alonso Pinzón, captain of the Pinta, and his brother, Vincente Yáñez Pinzón, captain of the Niña. I unfurled the royal banner and the captains brought the flags which displayed a large green cross with the letters F and Y at the left and right side of the cross. Over each letter was the appropriate crown of that Sovereign. These flags were carried as a standard on all of the ships. After a prayer of thanksgiving I ordered the captains of the Pinta and Niña, together with Rodrigo de Escobedo (secretary of the fleet), and Rodrigo Sánchez of Segovia (comptroller of the fleet) to bear faith and witness that I was taking possession of this island for the King and Queen. I made all the necessary declarations and had these testimonies carefully written down by the secretary. In addition to those named above, the entire company of the fleet bore witness to the act. To this island I gave the name of San Salvador, in honor of our Blessed Lord. Do you think that Columbus was right in taking possession of the land? Why or why not?
Columbus stepped foot onto the golden beach of San Salvador and raised the Spanish flag over the land, claiming the territory for Spain. As was common during this period in time, Columbus did not take into consideration the fact that the land was already occupied by various native peoples. He writes excitedly about conquering the land—as he saw it, the land was his for the taking and Spain's to use as it saw fit.
Friday, 12 October 1492. . . I went ashore in the ship's boat, armed, followed by Martín Alonso Pinzón, captain of the Pinta, and his brother, Vincente Yáñez Pinzón, captain of the Niña. I unfurled the royal banner and the captains brought the flags which displayed a large green cross with the letters F and Y at the left and right side of the cross. Over each letter was the appropriate crown of that Sovereign. These flags were carried as a standard on all of the ships. After a prayer of thanksgiving I ordered the captains of the Pinta and Niña, together with Rodrigo de Escobedo (secretary of the fleet), and Rodrigo Sánchez of Segovia (comptroller of the fleet) to bear faith and witness that I was taking possession of this island for the King and Queen. I made all the necessary declarations and had these testimonies carefully written down by the secretary. In addition to those named above, the entire company of the fleet bore witness to the act. To this island I gave the name of San Salvador, in honor of our Blessed Lord.
