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CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

Christopher Columbus was an explorer who had a great effect on all of us today. He is considered one of the best navigators. Christopher Columbus came up with a new technique for piloting ships called “dead reckoning”. He showed others the world was not flat. It is clear that Christopher Columbus’s navigating and discoveries taught us about our world.

As a young boy Christopher Columbus dreamed of faraway places and people. He was born in Genoa, Italy in or about 1451. Christopher Columbus never attended school. He stayed at home to help his Mom and Dad. He learned how to weave wool from his father. The writings of Marco Polo had inspired him to become and explorer. He learned Mathematics and Astronomy to become an explorer. Columbus claimed that he had gone to sea at the age of 14. He lived in Portugal for several years and sailed on Portuguese ships for about 10 years. In 1479, Columbus married Dona Felipa Perestrello e Moniz. They had one son, Diego. After the death of his wife, Columbus moved to Lisbon, Portugal. It was about this time, that Columbus began to plan for the journeys that would make him famous.

Columbus was convinced that he could sail “west”, across the Atlantic Ocean, and reach Asia. What he didn’t know was that two continents – North America and South America – stood in the way. After several years of trying, Christopher Columbus persuaded the King and Queen of Spain to fund his voyage. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella agreed that Columbus would be called “Admiral of the Ocean Seas.” He would be governor of all the land he discovered, and he would receive 10% of all the wealth he brought back. Because they were devout Christians, he agreed to spread the word of Christianity to all the people he met on his journey.

On August 2, 1492, Columbus set off from Palos, Spain with a fleet of three ships and a crew of 90 men. The three ships were the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and Nina. Columbus was the captain of the Santa Maria. It was a large ship, called a nao in Spanish. The Pinta and the Nina were caravels. The caravels were smaller and easier to navigate. Columbus had predicted that it would take 21 days to reach the Indies. Instead the trip took 34 days. Many of the sailors were frightened. Although Columbus knew the world was round, many of his crew believed the world was flat. They thought that after so many days at sea, they would soon fall off the edge of the world, Columbus landed in what is now the Bahamas in the Caribbean. He, of course thought he’d reached the Indies. He called the land “San Salvador,” meaning Holy Savior. Today, no one knows exactly where Columbus and his crew landed. Columbus remained convinced for the rest of his life that he’d reached the East. He never claimed that he had discovered new lands unknown to Europeans.

When Columbus returned to Spain everyone was delighted with his success. They wanted to pay for another voyage. He left Spain in September 1493. This time, he headed a group of 17 ships and a crew of more that 1,400 men. He headed south and west across the Atlantic. He landed at Hispaniola. Christopher Columbus went on a third voyage in 1498, with six ships. He landed on what is now Trinidad.

Columbus’s explorations, discoveries, and settlements led to enormous changes in the world. These changes brought wealth and the possibilities of a new life in a New World to some individuals. He discovered pineapples, sweet corn, and tobacco. Even though we say that Columbus “discovered America,” he never got to the continental United States. His journeys took him to several spots in the Caribbean, Central, and South America. When Columbus left Spain in 1492, most people in the world thought there were only three land masses: Europe, Asia, and Africa. Although he didn’t realize it, it was Columbus who proved that idea wrong.

Christopher Columbus opened up the “New World” to Europe. His discoveries led Europeans and their ways of life to the New World. The native peoples lives changed forever. Columbus was a brave and able navigator and explorer. Unquestionably, his actions truly changed the world.





Hi my name is Evan and my explorer is Christopher Columbus.