Cabeza De Vaca Dbq Analysis

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If you’re ever fighting for your life, you will need to know many survival skills. In the spring of 1527, five Spanish ships left the port of Seville and set sail for the New World with Cabeza de Vaca, the conquistador, on board as the expedition’s treasurer. After two difficult months, they arrived at Apalachee Bay with no treasure, no ships in sight, and little food. Cabeza de Vaca: How did he survive? Cabeza de Vaca survived because of success as a healer, respect for the Native Americans and wilderness skills. Cabeza de Vaca survived because of success as a healer. “Here they brought me a man, and they told me that a long time ago he had been wounded through the right shoulder with an arrow, and the point of the arrow rested over his heart….with the knife that I had, I opened his chest to that place….I inserted the knife point, and with great difficulty, at last I pulled it out” …show more content…
“Cabeza learned four Indian languages, including Charuccos, plus sign language” (Document B). “We cured the sick” (Document D). “This cure gave us a very great reputation among them throughout the whole land” (Document C). The conquistador took the time to learn their language and cure one of their people. As a result, the Native Americans have respect for Cabeza de Vaca and Cabeza de Vaca has respect for them.
Cabeza de Vaca survived because of wilderness skills. “As a slave, Cabeza ate what was available, including berries, mollusks, rats, roots, lizards, snakes, and spiders” (Document B). “Cabeza drank water stored in hollowed-out horse-leg containers” (Document B). Based on the map, Cabeza knows how to make his way through may different physical features such as mountains, deserts, and bodies of water (Document A). Although the journey may have been hard, Cabeza de Vaca survived because of his wilderness skills.If he didn’t have these skills, then he wouldn’t have been able to eat or drink and have