Jill Lepore's "These Truths: A History of the United States"

Columbus and the Discovery of America

• Begins in 1492 with Columbus' journey, an Italian-born Portuguese sailor, under Spanish crown.
• Columbus aimed to spread Christianity and pursue financial gain.
• The new land was named "America" by a German cartographer.
• Initial discovery named the region "New Spain."

Columbus' Interactions with the New World

• Encountered lands well-inhabited by natives.
• Upon return, Pope granted the land to Spain using divine authority.

Columbus' Second Voyage (1493)

• Led an armada of 17 ships, 1200 men.
• Brought livestock and seeds to cultivate the land.
  • Cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats thrived due to lack of predators.
  • Pigs multiplied rapidly from 8 to thousands.
• Brought seeds for crops like wheat, chickpeas, and sugar cane.

Impact of European Diseases

• Europeans brought diseases like malaria, influenza, smallpox, etc.
• Native populations decimated due to lack of immunity.
• Survivors often enslaved.

Environmental Changes

• European seeds considered weeds spread rapidly.
• Plants like bluegrass, daisies, ferns, thistles, nettles, and dandelions became common.

Legacy and Controversy

• Columbus' methods of conquest and colonization criticized.
• Introduced European flora and fauna left a lasting impact on the landscape.