--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As soon as I arrived in the Indies, in…" description: "\"As soon as I arrived in the Indies, in the first island which I found, I took some of the natives by force, in order that they might learn and might gi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/christopher-columbus-9477_information_as-soon-as-i-arrived-in-the-indies-in-th_607211.jpg" --- # As soon as I arrived in the Indies, in the first island… ![“As soon as I arrived in the Indies, in the first island which I found, I took some of the natives by force, in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts. And so it was that they soon understood us, and we them, either by speech or by signs, and…” quote by Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/christopher-columbus-9477_information_as-soon-as-i-arrived-in-the-indies-in-th_607211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/christopher-columbus-9477_information_as-soon-as-i-arrived-in-the-indies-in-th_607211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/christopher-columbus-9477_information_as-soon-as-i-arrived-in-the-indies-in-th_607211.jpg) > “As soon as I arrived in the Indies, in the first island which I found, I took some of the natives by force, in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts. And so it was that they soon understood us, and we them, either by speech or by signs, and they have been very serviceable.” [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Columbus used force to compel natives to communicate, then relied on mutual understanding for practical benefits. **In simple terms:** He forced natives, then learned from them. Key Takeaway Use respect and cooperation, not coercion, to build relationships. Themes colonialism communication power dynamics Mood reflective critical Type historical ethical When to use this quote - exploration - first contacts - information gathering Key Concepts imperialism cultural exchange ethics Questions to Reflect On - How could mutual respect have changed outcomes? - What ethical alternatives exist in cross‑cultural encounters? A Different Perspective Coercion undermines trust and can cause long‑term conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrived Indies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrived-indies-4938686/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Island](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/island/) [Island Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/island-took-4938685/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Natives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natives/) [Signs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signs/) [Soon Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-understood-2755062/) [Took Natives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-natives-4938684/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [As soon as it was understood that we could handle things in our own way, it was the thrill of my life to walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/as-soon-as-it-was-understood-that-we-could-handle-things-in-our-own/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [The Indians on board said that thence to Cuba was a voyage in their canoes of a day and a half; these being small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-indians-on-board-said-that-thence-to-cuba-was-a-voyage-in-their/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [So do you think were a bunch of superstitious natives or what?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-black/so-do-you-think-were-a-bunch-of-superstitious-natives-or-what/) [Jacob Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-black/) > [Computers seem a little too adaptively flexible, like the strange natives, odd societies, and head cases we study in the social sciences. There's more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/computers-seem-a-little-too-adaptively-flexible-like-the-strange/) [P. J. 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And no matter how close you get to my heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexie-sherman/every-indian-learns-how-to-be-a-magician-and-learn-how-to-misdirect/) [Alexie Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexie-sherman/) > [“We have been south and suffered a great deal down there. Many have died of diseases which we have no name for. Our hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/little-wolf/we-have-been-south-and-suffered-a-great-deal-down-there-many-have/) [Little Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/little-wolf/) > [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) ## More by Christopher Columbus > [For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/for-the-execution-of-the-voyage-to-the-indies-i-did-not-make-use-of/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-air-soft-as-that-of-seville-in-april-and-so-fragrant-that-it-was/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [And your Highnesses, as Catholic Christians and Princes, devoted to the holy Christian faith and the propagation thereof - and enemies of the sect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/and-your-highnesses-as-catholic-christians-and-princes-devoted-to-the/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [“The sea will grant each man new hope The sleep brings dreams of home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-sea-will-grant-each-man-new-hope-the-sleep-brings-dreams-of-home/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Your Highnesses have an Other World here, by which our holy faith can be so greatly advanced and from which such great wealth can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/your-highnesses-have-an-other-world-here-by-which-our-holy-faith-can/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Thanks be to God," says the Admiral, "the air is soft as in April in Seville, and it is a pleasure to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/thanks-be-to-god-says-the-admiral-the-air-is-soft-as-in-april-in/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [It is true that after they have been reassured and have lost this fear, they are so artless and so free with all they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/it-is-true-that-after-they-have-been-reassured-and-have-lost-this/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [The Admiral says that he never beheld so fair a thing: trees all along the river, beautiful and green, and different from ours, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-admiral-says-that-he-never-beheld-so-fair-a-thing-trees-all-along/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Of this voyage, I observe," says the Admiral, "that it has miraculously been shown, as may be understood by this writing, by the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/of-this-voyage-i-observe-says-the-admiral-that-it-has-miraculously/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Sailed this day nineteen leagues, and determined to count less than the true number, that the crew might not be dismayed if the voyage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/sailed-this-day-nineteen-leagues-and-determined-to-count-less-than/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [For this purpose I determined to keep an account of the voyage, and to write down punctually every thing we performed or saw from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/for-this-purpose-i-determined-to-keep-an-account-of-the-voyage-and-to/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [And I say that Your Highnesses ought not to consent that any foreigner does business or sets foot here, except Christian Catholics, since this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/and-i-say-that-your-highnesses-ought-not-to-consent-that-any/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [It is easy to discover what another has discovered before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/it-is-easy-to-discover-what-another-has-discovered-before/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Tomorrow morning before we depart, I intend to land and see what can be found in the neighborhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/tomorrow-morning-before-we-depart-i-intend-to-land-and-see-what-can/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [With gold a man can do anything. It even sends souls to paradise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/with-gold-a-man-can-do-anything-it-even-sends-souls-to-paradise/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) [Explore all 72 Christopher Columbus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) ## More Information quotes > [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/) [Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [I'm not going to be part of looking at information only partially. I'm not going to be part of just coming to quick conclusions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-cleland/i-m-not-going-to-be-part-of-looking-at-information-only-partially-i-m/) [Max Cleland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-cleland/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [I didn't expect to be so comfortable handing my child off to a nanny without getting any of her information. As soon as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/i-didn-t-expect-to-be-so-comfortable-handing-my-child-off-to-a-nanny/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Information is money, but data is squat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-llama-butler/information-is-money-but-data-is-squat/) [Angela Llama-Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-llama-butler/) > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [There's nothing more special than intellect and labour that makes painting work. There's no magic there; it's information, and it's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/there-s-nothing-more-special-than-intellect-and-labour-that-makes/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [That's what makes a human a human, if we store information outside our bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/that-s-what-makes-a-human-a-human-if-we-store-information-outside-our/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [The mere imparting of information is not education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/the-mere-imparting-of-information-is-not-education/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) [Browse all 6,395 Information quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As soon as I arrived in the Indies, in the first island which I found, I took some of the natives by force, in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts. 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