LA RELACION By Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca

THE AUTHOR Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish explorer. He was born around 1490 into the Spanish nobility. He was one of the four survivors of the1527 Narváez expedition. Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca sailed to North America from Spain, leaving in He traveled from Florida to Texas on a raft, then walked from Texas to Mexico City. He also explored the Paraguay River in South America. De Vaca and his fellow travelers were the first Europeans to see the bison. He became a trader and faith healer to various Native American tribes before reconnecting with Spanish colonial forces in Mexico in After returning to Spain in 1537, he wrote La Relacion and it was published in

HISTORY OF THIS TIME PERIOD 1434 Portuguese sailors first traveled down the west coast of Africa below and returned. This opened up the way for direct trade with Africa for gold and slaves. During the next half century they colonized the islands of the northwest coast of Africa and began planting sugar using slaves. They established the connection between sugar and slavery that would fuel the colonization of the new world de Vaca was born 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue to the new world. He crossed Atlantic to Bahamas and Hispaniola Spain and Portugal agreed on division of the new world

HISTORY OF THIS TIME PERIOD 1502 African slaves first imported to he new world 1513 Juan ponce de Leon explores Florida for Spain 1519 Cortez lands on Mexicano and invades Aztec empire Navaez expedition 1533 Henry VIII begins English reformation 1537 de Vaca returned to Spain 1542 la relacion was published

SUMMARY OF LA RELACION After four days at sea, Cabeza de Vaca’s ship is caught in a storm. Many of his men died. After the ships runs aground on an island, the men encounter Native Americans and are afraid they’ll be taken captive or used as sacrifice. Turns out the native americans were nice and brought them food. The explorers continue on their quest and set sail. Unfortenently they become shipwrecked again. Only 16 out of all the men survive, and they become captured by the Native Americans once again, but this time they were forced to become healers. they were taught many different and what seemed to them unhelpful ways to “heal” the indians, but they abided to the rules. As a token of grattitude the explorers were given homes, food, and skins.

QUOTATION 1 "We gave them beads and bells, and each one of them gave us arrow in pledge of friendship." This shows how the native Indians and the spaniards exchanged friendship during the time period when de Vaca and his men were on the land. The Spaniords believed that the native Indians would value the beads and bells very much. While the natives gave them arrows to pledge their friendship. This also shows that they have different ideas of exchanging friendship.

QUOTATION 2 "Stone and other things growing about in the fields, he said, had a virtue whereby passing a pebble along the stomach could take away pain and heal; surely extraordinary men like us embodied such powers over nature." This quotation explains what the spaniards and the natives believed to be a cure during that time period. It shows how they "healed" the native Americans.

QUOTATION 3 "Thus we made their village, where we saw they had erected a hut for us with many fires inside. An hour later they began a dance celebration that lasted all night." This quotation shows the native Indians accepted de Vaca and his men into their tribe. It also showed the acts of friendship and love. It reflects the cultural practices of the native Indians when de Vaca and his men were brought into their traditions of celebration.

QUOTATION 4 "When the cries died down, I conferred with the Christians about asking the Indians to take us to their homes. Some of our number who had been to New Spain warned that the Indians would sacrifice us to their idols." In this quotation, it shows that de Vaca's men thought they were going to be captured and sent to the Indian's idols. In the bottom of the text book, it described the conquistadors who had been to Mexico, had encountered Aztecs who practiced human sacrifice. With this past experience of getting "sacrificed", it marked a cultural belief and perspective of danger for the Spaniards.

QUOTATION 5 "They told us by signs that they would return at sunrise and bring food, having none then." This quote shows that the native Indians were very caresmatic. They despicted the fact that de Vaca and his men were foreigners and provided them with food. He native Indians were very generous and somewhat trusted de Vaca and his men.

BIBLIORGRAPHY "Cabeza De Vaca, Alvar Núñez (1492?-1559?)." American Eras. 1997, "Álvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004, "Cabeza De Vaca, Álvar Núñez." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed , "Cabeza De Vaca, Álvar Núñez." World Encyclopedia. 2005, and "Núñez Cabeza De Vaca, Álvar." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed "Cabeza De Vaca, Alvar Núñez (1492?-1559?)." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 01 Jan Web. 17 Sept Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 17 Sept "What We Know and Do Not Know about Our Polarized Politics." Political Polarization in American Politics (2015): n. pag. Web. "Álvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca." Álvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept