The history of the "Red Man" : William Bollaert and the indigenous people of the Americas

Before the travels of Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), the Spanish and Portuguese colonies were mostly unknown to northern European explorers. The Iberian countries were very protective of their colonies and wanted to control any strategic information that could jeopardize their monopoly. Humboldt himself requested a formal permit from the king of Spain, Charles IV (1748–1819), in order to visit the colonies, aware of the Spanish government’s general distrust for foreigners with scientific ambitions in the New World. As is well known, Humboldt’s romantic descriptions of the Amerindian flora, fauna, and civilizations inspired young naturalists and travelers—including Charles...