Who were first Amerindian to contact the Spanish?

It's impossible to definitively say who the *very* first Amerindians were to contact the Spanish, as the exact date and location of the first encounters are lost to history. However, the Taino people of the Caribbean are generally considered among the first groups to have significant contact with the Spanish.

Here's why:

* Columbus's Landfall: Christopher Columbus, who arrived in the Americas in 1492, landed in the Bahamas, an area inhabited by the Taino people.

* Early Exploration: Columbus and his crew spent time exploring the islands of the Caribbean, interacting with the Taino and establishing trade relationships (which quickly turned exploitative).

* Significant Impact: The arrival of the Spanish had a devastating impact on the Taino population due to diseases, enslavement, and violence.

It's important to remember that there were likely other indigenous groups who had contact with the Spanish before the Taino, but their encounters may have been brief or undocumented.

Therefore, while the Taino are often considered the first to have significant and lasting contact with the Spanish, it's a complex and nuanced history with other groups likely playing a part.