Christopher Columbus’ obedience of the orders given to him by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to find gold resulted in the slavery and genocide of American Indians. Columbus convinced the King and Queen of Spain to sponsor his expedition with the promise of gold, which was the mark of wealth in Europe during that time. When Columbus came across what he thought was Asia, he reported that “‘...there are many wide rivers of which the majority contain gold… There are many spices, and great mines of gold and other metals…’” (3) to the Court in Madrid. Seeing how hospitable the Indians were, Columbus was quick to take advantage of their kindness and was given seventeen ships and more than twelve hundred men to gather as many slaves and as
