2025 · Neva Wargames
THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT
In the late 15th century, European powers, particularly Spain and Portugal, were driven by a desire for new trade routes to Asia. The traditional overland “Silk Road” was becoming increasingly difficult and expensive due to the rise of the Ottoman Empire. This spurred a quest for a westward sea route to the lucrative markets of the “East Indies” (Asia), rich in spices, gold, and other valuable goods.
Christopher Columbus, believed he could reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, a concept considered improbable by many at the time who underestimated the Earth’s circumference. After years of seeking patronage, he finally gained the support of the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I. They had just completed the Reconquista, expelling the Moors from Spain, and were eager to expand their influence, wealth, and spread Catholicism.
Columbus set sail on August 3, 1492, with three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María. After a long and challenging voyage, land was sighted on October 12, 1492. Instead of reaching Asia, Columbus had stumbled upon islands in the Caribbean, specifically an island in the Bahamas (which he named San Salvador, though the indigenous people called it Guanahani).
His arrival marked the beginning of a profound encounter between the Old World and the New. Columbus believed he had reached the Indies, hence his naming of the indigenous people as “Indians.” He encountered various native groups, including the Lucayan, Taíno, and Arawak peoples.
This initial voyage, and the subsequent ones, ushered in the Age of Exploration, leading to centuries of European colonization, the transatlantic slave trade, and the “Columbian Exchange” – a massive transfer of plants, animals, culture, technology, and unfortunately, diseases between the Americas, Europe, and Africa, with devastating consequences for the indigenous populations of the Caribbean.
