Columbus and the Taino People

1492: Columbus approaches The Bahamas from the Northeast.
- October 11: Land first sighted by Rodrigo de Triano.
- Columbus claims to see a light, indicating land, resembling "a wax candle rising and falling."
- Columbus promises a reward for the first to spot land: a silk doublet and 10,000 Maravares.
- October 12: Land sighted at a distance of two leagues, Columbus orders ships to halt until daylight.
Landing in The Bahamas: Exact location unknown.
- Columbus's actions upon landing:
  - Kneels and thanks God.
  - Plants a flag, claiming the land for Spain.
- The Tainos observe from a distance.
Initial Interactions:
- Tainos provide food, drink, parrots, cotton, and other goods.
- Spaniards offer red hats and beads.
- The Tainos, unfamiliar with white men, perceive them as gods.

Search for Gold: Columbus spends two months searching for gold.
La Navidad Fort: Built in December 1492 from salvaged wood of a shipwrecked ship east of Cuba.
- 39 men left behind.
- Columbus returns to Spain with natives, birds, foods, and plants.
Second Voyage: Columbus returns with 17 ships and soldiers.

Destruction of La Navidad: Fort burned, all 39 men killed.
- Reasons for the attack: The sailors misbehaved by raping local women and stealing.
- Kalnabo leads the Taino, deciding the Spaniards must be eliminated.
Spanish Retaliation and Enslavement: More forts built including city of Lazebella founded on 01/02/1493.
- The Spaniards take revenge and enslave the Tainos, forcing them to mine for gold.
- Punishment for not meeting quotas:
  - Adults over 14 must deliver a hawk's bell full of gold every three months or 25 pounds of spun cotton.
  - Failure to comply results in hands being cut off.
- Taino women are given to Spaniards.
- Fields are neglected, leading to widespread hunger.
Capture of Kalnabo: Tricked and captured, sent to Spain and never heard from again.

Impact of Spanish Rule:
- Starvation, hard labor, and suicide become common.
- Epidemics sweep the island.
- Tainos face beatings, torture, rape, enslavement, and murder.
- Population declines by about 70% after 1496.
- Vakanakari, the chief who befriended Columbus, dies.
Rebellion Among the Spaniards: Occurs in Lisabella, prompting a royal investigation.
- Columbus and his brothers are found guilty of crimes against natives and Spaniards and are arrested.
- Columbus is allowed another voyage but forbidden from visiting Las Espanola.
- Columbus dies in Spain in 1506.

Anacaona's Leadership: Tainos flee to the hills and are led by Anacaona, wife of Kaunabo.
- 1503: Spanish governor requests a meeting to break the resistance.
- During this meeting the Spanish governor Nicolas de Ovando, orders the meeting house to be set on fire, killing 80 Taino leaders including Anacaona.
- Anacaona is arrested and executed for resisting occupation and conspiracy.
  - She refuses clemency in exchange for colluding with the Spaniards.
  - Executed by hanging at 29.
Other Leaders: Other Taino chiefs resist but suffer similar fates.
Enrique's Rebellion: A Taino named Enrique emerges as a resilient leader.
- Reasons for revolt:
  - Escaped the meeting where the Spanish burned 80 Taino leaders.
  - A Spaniard governor named Venezuela raped his wife.
- 1519: Starts a revolt with Tainos from the mountains.
- Establishes a community and scouting network in the mountains.
- Enrique instructs his men to fight only in self-defense and to disarm Spaniards.
- The Tainos repel Spanish attacks consistently, even capturing and releasing Venezuela unharmed.

Spanish Concession: Unable to control the rebellion, Charles V of Spain grants the Tainos rights of freedom and possession.
Enrique's Settlement: Settles in the mountains with 4,000 followers.
Decline and Extinction: Native population rapidly declines due to European diseases.
- The Taino population is officially reported extinct by the end of the century.