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  • Essay / The Letter of Christopher Columbus: Its Purpose and Rhetoric

    Christopher Columbus had always dreamed of heading to Asia, but there was one obstacle: he needed financial support. At first, Columbus was unable to obtain funding for his voyage, but then he contacted the King and Queen of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, and they agreed. Finally, he was able to sail from Spain to Asia in 1492. He was certain that he was heading to Asia, but his plan did not come to fruition as he had hoped. He found himself in a completely different place, even if he didn't know it. A few months after his trip, Columbus decided to write a letter to his clients. In the letter that Columbus wrote to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, he explains why and how his voyage was a success. He wanted them to know that the voyage they had financed had brought them wealth and new lands as promised and encouraged them to finance future voyages; in sending the letter, he delivered both pertinent information about his trip and a carefully crafted persuasive argument. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay There are many reasons why Christopher Columbus wrote this first letter to Ferdinand and Isabella. Naturally, he had to let them know that he had indeed arrived and was able to give back to Spain. In the letter, Columbus states: "I have discovered many islands...I have taken possession of them for our luckiest king..." By saying this, Columbus wants the King and Queen of Spain to know for certain that he had taken control of them all. the places he went to and was able to gain them for Spain. In another paragraph he says: “…they could become Christians and inclined to love our king, our queen, our princes and all the Spanish people. » With this quote, Columbus wants the king and queen to understand that he is spreading Christianity to other parts of the world and that he is expanding Spanish territory by conquering new lands. He wants the king and queen to know that Spain leaves a mark on these people and that they will always be remembered. Another main point of the letter was to emphasize that the trip was a great success, as promised and to provide arguments for the future. travel. Columbus convinces the reader in this letter by pointing out the positive aspects of the islands he encountered, such as "numerous ports on all sides", "very wide and healthy rivers", "extremely fertile fields" and " well adapted. to construct buildings. » With these lines, Columbus provides evidence of why he returned and how his discoveries were successful. Columbus wants to make future trips and explore the world better. The only way for him to do this is to sponsor Ferdinand and Isabelle. Without them, he wouldn't have even gone anywhere. The main reason for this letter, however, is that Christopher Columbus wanted recognition for his discoveries and discoveries, even though Ferdinand and Isabella had already made a deal with him. . Columbus discovered much more than he thought. Although he failed to find out what his original purpose of travel was, the direct river route from Europe to Asia; he never really reached Asia and was unaware of it. Throughout the letter, Columbus constantly mentions "I", giving the impression that he is only responsible for all the positive aspects of his journey. Columbus wants to leave a mark and make sure he receives some sort of credit for his journey. Since it was he who conquered all the land and most of the wealth, but, for Spain, the explorer Columbus did not end up with much.