Columbus discovers Hispaniola, which is now known as Haiti.

Christopher Columbus may very well be the most famous explorer to ever grace this wonderful planet; his discoveries were both novel and still are unprecedented. This tale is from his first voyage, the one that changed the world forever, for indeed, the world was round!

On this day, December 5th, Christopher Columbus discovers Hispaniola, current day Haiti. Columbus encountered the indigenous people of Haiti, who were the Taino and the Arawak. He was told by one of the chieftains of the abundance of gold that could be found on the island, so he ordered that one of the ships be dismantled to build a fortress and tower, and left behind 39 men.

This settlement was the first European settlement in the New World and it was called La Navidad. He returned the following year in 1493 expecting to see his men with gold, happy, and a successful village, but instead found corpses. The natives said that the settlers had mistreated and abused them, so the natives retaliated by killing them.