h members of the crew of the Santa Maria, and Spaniards volunteered in great numbers because signs of gold were then plentiful. The town was founded as Villa de la Navidad, or Town of the Nativity; the first attempt by Europeans to establish themselves in the New World:
Sixteen men from the flagship and five from the Ni±a volunteered to stay behind, under command of Columbus's Cordovan friend Diega de Harana. The Admiral gave them a share of his provisions, most of the trading truck, and the flagship's boat. They were instructed to explore the country with a view to finding a permanent settlement, to trade for gold, and to treat the natives kindly (Morison 81).
Columbus has been much honored for his discovery, as Dyson notes when he writes, "After Jesus Christ, no individual has made a bigger impact on the Western world than Christopher Columbus" (Dyson 14). This impact was not necessarily benign. At first, Columbus and his crew found a population of friendly Taino Indians (Arawaks) who made them feel welcome. The land was fertile, though the gold had the greater appeal for the Spaniards. Several attempts were made to plant colonies along the north coast of Hispaniola in subsequent years, but Spain's first permanent settlement was established on the southern coast at what is now the site of Santo Domingo, a name given the entire island under Spanish sovereignty. In the early years, it was the indications of gold and the presence of a population of tractable natives who could be used for labor that attracted settlers, most of whom were at first adventurers more interested in sudden wealth than in the acquisition of land. They developed poor relations with the Taino natives by mistreating them. The Indians had been peaceful until they were subject to continued seizures of their food supplies and the abuse of their women, and they rebelled only to be crushed decisively in 1495 (Haggerty 3-4).
In the early history of...