1: How does Columbus’s description of the Caribbean islands reflect Spain’s motivations for sending him there?

2: Suppose Columbus simply had complete freedom to explore the world without specific goals in mind. How would that have affected his observations?

Answer and Explanation:

1. Colombus' description of the Caribbean Islands, shows that the investment that the Spanish crown made with his trip was productive, as it allowed him to discover a large space with a strong productive potential. For this reason, he made such detailed descriptions, so that the monarchs had a very clear vision of the resources that this region possessed and how it would be exploited.

2. If Colombus had complete freedom to explore a place without goals, but with unpretentiousness, his observations could be more poetic and emphasize the beauty of the place and its resources. In that case, his observations would reflect an admiration and not an economic desire.

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