Acknowledgment

The researcher could not complete this research without the health and strength given by
the almighty. Thanks go out to the teacher Ms Duhaney in assisting, to ensure that this
research is complete. Thanks goes out to the Morant Bay and St Thomas technical Liberian
for helping me to attain the required information needed to complete this Caribbean history
school based assessment (S. B. A).
Thank you all for your kind support.

Introduction
Christopher Columbus is not really recognized in the Caribbean, but his name is frequently
mentioned in history classes under theme 1-The indigenous peoples and Europeans. I am
interested in this early history when Christopher Columbus came in the 15thc looking for the
riches of Asia and accidentally visit the new world and extracted the little wealth that the
Caribbean had. I hope I will reveal some factual information to student of history about this
first gold rush.

Topic

To what extent is it true that Christopher Columbus was the first gold rush?

Research question

Why was there a gold rush in the 15th century?

How Christopher Columbus did become involved in this gold rush?

How many voyages did Christopher Columbus make the new world and how was this gold rush shown in each
voyage?

What took place on each voyage and how successful were the Spaniards in finding gold?

Body of research

Western European states needed gold in the 15thc, war left monarchical states heavy
in debt and with limited economic means to enjoy their newly won political gains gold mines
exploited since roman times were totally depleted; money was scarce due to the lack of gold
and silver. Also Europe had a trading system with the east which was a drain upon their gold
supplies since Europe had very little of value other than gold to offer in exchange for
imports.

A sailor by the name Christopher Columbus become obsessed with the idea of sailing West
across the Atlantic to reach Asia (see Columbus picture at figure 3). After several turned
down, he managed to persuade the Spanish Queen of the immense possibilities of his plant.
He manage to motivate her with the vision of monopolizing a more direct trade route to the
source of gold and the spices, in Asia a business partnership was arranged in which
Columbus was to receive 1/8 net profit in return for in 1/8 of the needed capital. He set sail
from Palos on the 3rd of august 1492
when Ferdinand and Isabella agreed to sponsor Columbus ,they commissioned him according
JH Parry et al:
to go by way of the West to India1
In Columbus time, the only known means of travel to Asia from Europe was by sailing eastward across the
Mediterranean Sea. Then travelling by caravan across ancient routes through deserts and mountains. Portuguese
explorers were already sailing south into the Atlantic Sea as the hoped to find a way to Asia by going all the way
around Africa. However, seamen were afraid to venture too far off into unknown water so they took care to keep
Africas coast in their sight.
From his study of geography and from the tales of other sailors, Columbus concluded that India and eastern Asia
were on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and that was the route to take. This was when Columbus decided that he
wanted to embark on a Voyage to prove his theory.
i

1. A Short History of the West Indies,) JH Parry et al

(MacMillan Caribbean, 1987)P.2

5
3

In addition to proving that he could sail west to arrive back at Asia, it was also Columbus intention to discover new
lands rich in gold, silver and spices from the Far East. However, Columbus sought the support of the Portuguese king
and the Spanish merchants in the form of a grant to explore possible trade routes.

After being turned down for quite some time, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella(see picture of king Ferdinand and
queen Isabella at figure 4) reconsidered as Columbus was preparing to take his enterprise to France. In 1492, they
agreed to outfit three ships for Columbus. They promised to make him viceroy (lands he might acquire along with
10% of all the wealth he would bring to Spain. These words may have helped to convince Isabella to sponsor
I saw the royal banners of your highness placed by force on the towers of the Alhambra and I saw the Moorish
king come out of the gates of the city and kiss the royal hands of your highnesses
Having convinced King and Queen of Spain to finance his voyage On April 17, 1492, King Ferdinand and
Queen Isabella signed a document that came to be known as the Articles of Capitulations.
They were read to the people on May 23, 1492, making his journey official. Christopher Columbus
departed the mainland of Spain on August 3, 1492. He then made port on the Canary Islands for a final restocking
and left there on September 6 into the open Atlantic. Columbus was in command of three ships, the Pinta, the Nina,
and the Santa Maria.

As the On the 70th day of sailing, many days after Columbus expected to reach japan, a lookout sighted land early in
the morning of October 12. They landed on one of the islands of the Bahamas, which Columbus named San
Salvador. The natives of the island came down to the shore to see Columbus strange ships. Thinking he had reached
the East Indies, Columbus called these people Indians.
2. Short History of the WI, JH Parry et al (Macmillan Caribbean )P2
Columbus spent the next ten weeks exploring the islands of the Caribbean. He landed on the island of Hispaniola; he
also landed on Cuba, which he thought was the Asian mainland. Both at the time were heavily populated. See figure
5 for lands Columbus rediscovered looking for gold.
Columbus flagship, the Santa Maria was wrecked to pieces off the coast of Hispaniola. Leaving several men behind
to establish a fort, Columbus set sail for Spain in the Nina. On his voyage home, he wrote a report of his discoveries.
Columbus wrote of the gentle and peaceful people, fertile soil, spices, and superb harbours. The greatest
6

accomplishment of this first voyage was the discovery of new island which the Europeans would soon call the New
World of the Americas. As promised, Columbus was made Governor of the new lands he discovered.
According to the gleaners youth link for Caribbean history; within the 50yrs of Spanish arrival, there was a massive
decline in the indigenous population. Hispaniola had a population of 300,000, however by 1548 this declined to
fewer than 500.
In this gold rush to find gold, men where the principle workers in the mines while woman were used to clear the
areas around the mines.
In Hispaniola for example the first island where they sighted gold and his primary aim to secure it .In Hispaniola he
met several caciques, according to James carnage et al: One of them sent him a present of a magnificent belt
With a solid gold mask for a buckle.3

Keeping his promise of greater riches, Columbus offered to give Ferdinand and Isabella as much gold as they
needAnd as many slaves as they ask. As proof of what he could do, he gave them a small amount of gold, parrots
and plants he brought back from the first voyage. He also gave up some Indians he had kidnapped and enslaved.

The PEOPLE Who Came,) James Carnegie el al

(Longman 1970)P.31
The main aim of Columbus second voyage was to carry out a large scale colonization and exploration project. He
was given 17 ships and over 100 men. He also brought along European domesticated animals such as pigs, horses
and cattle. His orders were to expand the settlement on Hispaniola, convert the natives to Christianity, establish a
trade post and continue his exploration in search of China or Japan.
On his return to Hispaniola, Columbus found that all the men he left behind were killed by the Indians. Apparently,
as soon as Columbus left the Spanish had begun to fight among themselves and made no common effort to build a
lasting community.
Columbus attempted to do his job as governor, but unfortunately, he was a good ships man and a lousy administrator
and this led the surviving colonists to hate him.
7

For themselves as many of the ore as possible so Columbus solution then was to direct the Tainos to help in this gold
production according to David Watts.
From 1495 all tainos between 14 to 70 years living in gold producing areas were require to produce a tribute in gold
at three month intervals 3 Watt tells us that: little gold was produced ,the Indians claiming that they were ignorant of
the means of mining it.
The goal behind the 3rd voyage was to bring well needed supplies for the settlement developed on Hispaniola and to
explore further south. It was May 30, 1498 when Christopher Columbus went from Spain with 6 vessels. The group
of ships landed on June 19th at the Canary Islands, this was after a brief stop at Port Santo. From the Canary Island,
the separated into two teams.
The king and Queen of Spain set an imperial representative above even Columbus and sent him to Santa Domingo
where the disturbance was occurring. The representative, Francisco de Bodadilla, arrived October 1500 and put
Columbus in chains sending him back to Spain.
Although he was quickly freed by the King and Queen, his reputation was shot. Still, the crown agreed to finance
one last voyage of discovery.
Las Casas tell us that between 1494 and 1508 more than three million Indians died in Hispaniola and minimal
amount of gold were found.
Riches was found in Mexico city by Cotez in 1519 and therefore the gold meshed to central and south America and
lost interest in the island Caribbean,
According to Ruggiero Romano:
the volume of precious metals exported to Spain was undoubtedly high.
Romano divided this gold rush into two periods. According to him the first gold cycle between 1493 and 1520 with a
yield of 80 percent from Santo4

On May 11, 1502, Christopher Columbus set out on his fourth and final voyage to the New World. He had four ships
and his mission was to explore uncharted areas to the west of the Caribbean, hopefully finding a passage west to the
Orient. Columbus did explore parts of southern Central America, but his ships, damaged by a hurricane and termites,
8

fell apart while he was exploring. Columbus and his men were stranded on Jamaica for about a year before being
rescued. They returned to Spain in late 1504.
The Fourth Voyage was a failure by almost any standard. Many of Columbus men died, the ships were lost and no
passage to the west was ever found. Columbus himself would never sail again, and died convinced that he had found
Asia, even if most of Europe already accepted the fact that the Americas were an unknown New World. Still, the
fourth voyage showed better than any other Columbus sailing skills, fortitude and resilience, attributes which
allowed him to discover the Americas in the first place.
Domingo 10% from other islands and the remaining 10%from the Castillo del Oreo
The gold year were over by 1540, and the second cycle was a period of pearl export from Cubagua and
Margarita.this came to an end in 1580 and by that time the Caribbean was of little economic importance to the
Spanish colonial strategy because the mineral wealth of the whole continent began here

General history of the Caribbean Volume 2

Unesco publish, 1999 P.56

Conclusion
Based on the findings of this research, I believe it is safe to say that the voyages of Columbus during the period 1492
to 1502 was indeed the first gold rush in the history of the modern world.
This is supported by the fact that Columbus on any of his explorations did not face any resistance from other nations
claiming control over the lands discovered. If there was a gold rush prior to that of Columbus, he would have came
across persons in the Indies that were not just gentle and peaceful as the natives were.
It is also safe to agree that Columbus voyage was the first gold rush because sailors before the time of Columbus
never venture too far off the coast thus not giving them the opportunity to make any discoveries as that of Columbus.

10

Appendix

Figure 1: shows the Europeans meeting the

Indigenous people

Figure 4: shows Columbus talking to the

figure 3: Christopher Columbus

King and queen of Spain

11

Figure 5: Crew men gathering for

3rd voyage

Figure 6: Columbus trying to

Convince Queen Isabella

Figure7: picture of
queen Isabella

12

Bibliography
1. The people who came- By James Carnegie
2. From Columbus to Castro By Williams Eric, the History of the Caribbean 1492-1969
3.

Lest you forget-By Doris v. Hamilton-Willie

13

queen

Table of content

Title

page

Acknowledgement.........1
Introduction.. 2
Topic .3
Research question 4
Body of research.. 5-9
Conclusion10
Appendix ..11-12
Bibliography.13

14

15

Candidate name: Chinnel Fairweather

Teachers name :miss Duhaney
Title: To what extent is it true that Christopher Columbus was the first gold rush
Territory: Jamaica
Year:2014