Christopher Columbus's 'Letter To Luis De Sant' Angel

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Europeans saw the New World as a great, beautiful "discovery" from which they could acquire resources for their own countries. According to Christopher Columbus's "Letter to Luis de Sant' Angel," he says there are "great rivers and excellent waters" and "many mines of metals." He also makes mention of the trees, birds, fruits, and other features of the island. It can be inferred, by his descriptions of the rivers, that the Native's water was cleaner and more abundant with resources and fish than Spanish rivers. As for the "mines of metals," he later clarifies that gold, which is a very valuable resource, is one of the metals in the mines. Relationships with the Europeans started out well before soon turning sour. For example, Columbus states

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