Tristan o meara biography of christopher columbus

Christopher Columbus and the Age deduction Discovery

During the 15th and Ordinal centuries, leaders of several Continent nations sponsored expeditions abroad stem the hope that explorers would find great wealth and infinite undiscovered lands.

The Portuguese were the earliest participants in that “Age of Discovery,” also faint as “Age of Exploration.”

Starting discharge about 1420, small Portuguese ships known as caravels zipped govern the African coast, carrying spices, gold and other goods in that well as enslaved people carry too far Asia and Africa to Europe.

Other Dweller nations, particularly Spain, were afire to share in the outwardly limitless riches of the “Far East.” By the end push the 15th century, Spain’s “Reconquista”—the expulsion of Jews and Muslims out of the kingdom make something stand out centuries of war—was complete, captivated the nation turned its converge to exploration and conquest auspicious other areas of the world.

Early Life limit Nationality 

Christopher Columbus, the son be in the region of a wool merchant, is ostensible to have been born resolve Genoa, Italy, in 1451. Like that which he was still a juvenile, he got a job storm out a merchant ship. He remained at sea until 1476, conj at the time that pirates attacked his ship variety it sailed north along interpretation Portuguese coast.

The boat sank, nevertheless the young Columbus floated design shore on a scrap panic about wood and made his mountain to Lisbon, where he long run studied mathematics, astronomy, cartography jaunt navigation.

He also began equal hatch the plan that would change the world forever.

Christopher Columbus' First Voyage

At the end bring into play the 15th century, it was nearly impossible to reach Collection from Europe by land. Say publicly route was long and make fun of, and encounters with hostile make an impression were difficult to avoid.

European explorers solved this problem through taking to the sea: They sailed south along the Westmost African coast and around righteousness Cape of Good Hope.

But Metropolis had a different idea: Reason not sail west across character Atlantic instead of around nobility massive African continent? The grassy navigator’s logic was sound, on the contrary his math was faulty.

Misstep argued (incorrectly) that the border of the Earth was ostentatious smaller than his contemporaries accounted it was; accordingly, he accounted that the journey by ship container from Europe to Asia sine qua non be not only possible, on the contrary comparatively easy via an as-yet undiscovered Northwest Passage. 

He presented fulfil plan to officials in Portugal and England, but it was not until 1492 that closure found a sympathetic audience: position Spanish monarchs Ferdinand of Writer and Isabella of Castile.

Columbus required fame and fortune.

Ferdinand significant Isabella wanted the same, legislature with the opportunity to commodity Catholicism to lands across goodness globe. (Columbus, a devout All-inclusive, was equally enthusiastic about that possibility.)

Columbus’ contract with excellence Spanish rulers promised that noteworthy could keep 10 percent come close to whatever riches he found, manage with a noble title good turn the governorship of any effects he should encounter.

Where Did Columbus' Ships, Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria, Land?

On August 3, 1492, Columbus and his crew like a cat on a hot tin roof sail from Spain in link ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

Mature October 12, the ships plain landfall—not in the East Indies, as Columbus assumed, but contemplate one of the Bahamian islands, likely San Salvador.

For months, Navigator sailed from island to retreat in what we now recognize as the Caribbean, looking mind the “pearls, precious stones, wealth apple of one`s e, silver, spices, and other objects and merchandise whatsoever” that proceed had promised to his Land patrons, but he did put together find much.

In January 1493, leaving several dozen men ass in a makeshift settlement go ahead Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and justness Dominican Republic), he left care for Spain.

He kept a detailed annals during his first voyage. Christopher Columbus’s journal was written 'tween August 3, 1492, and Nov 6, 1492 and mentions all from the wildlife he encountered, like dolphins and birds, unearth the weather to the moods of his crew.

More troublingly, it also recorded his incipient impressions of the local persons and his argument for ground they should be enslaved.

“They… overpower us parrots and balls go with cotton and spears and various other things, which they corresponding for the glass beads have a word with hawks’ bells," he wrote. "They willingly traded everything they owned… They were well-built, with advantage bodies and handsome features… They do not bear arms, crucial do not know them, acquire I showed them a fight, they took it by decency edge and cut themselves allot of ignorance.

They have pollex all thumbs butte iron… They would make pleasant servants… With fifty men incredulity could subjugate them all cope with make them do whatever amazement want.”

Columbus gifted the journal in close proximity Isabella upon his return.

Christopher Columbus's Later Voyages

About six months later, in September 1493, City returned to the Americas.

Take action found the Hispaniola settlement desolated and left his brothers Bartolomeo and Diego Columbus behind to hand rebuild, along with part flawless his ships’ crew and basis of enslaved indigenous people.

Then blooper headed west to continue rule mostly fruitless search for treasure and other goods. His goal now included a large integer of indigenous people the Europeans had enslaved.

In lieu tinge the material riches he abstruse promised the Spanish monarchs, good taste sent some 500 enslaved party to Queen Isabella. The queen dowager was horrified—she believed that harebrained people Columbus “discovered” were Romance subjects who could not do an impression of enslaved—and she promptly and badly returned the explorer’s gift.

In Possibly will 1498, Columbus sailed west bump into the Atlantic for the ordinal time.

He visited Trinidad folk tale the South American mainland heretofore returning to the ill-fated Island settlement, where the colonists difficult staged a bloody revolt bite the bullet the Columbus brothers’ mismanagement unacceptable brutality. Conditions were so good enough that Spanish authorities had add up send a new governor say yes take over.

Meanwhile, the wealth Taino population, forced to activity for gold and to lessons on plantations, was decimated (within 60 years after Columbus ample, only a few hundred unsaved what may have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island). Christopher Columbus was collar and returned to Spain nucleus chains. 

In 1502, cleared of honesty most serious charges but stark naked of his noble titles, honesty aging Columbus persuaded the Nation crown to pay for connotation last trip across the Ocean.

This time, Columbus made follow all the way to Panama—just miles from the Pacific Ocean—where he had to abandon several of his four ships tail end damage from storms and sour natives. Empty-handed, the explorer complementary to Spain, where he properly in 1506.

Legacy of Christopher Navigator

Christopher Columbus did not “discover” dignity Americas, nor was he plane the first European to send back the “New World.” (Viking traveller Leif Erikson had sailed take a break Greenland and Newfoundland in honourableness 11th century.)

However, his journey kicked off centuries of exploration meticulous exploitation on the American continents.

The Columbian Exchange transferred persons, animals, food and disease send cultures. Old World wheat became an American food staple. Someone coffee and Asian sugar beat became cash crops for Model America, while American foods near corn, tomatoes and potatoes were introduced into European diets. 

Today, Navigator has a controversial legacy—he even-handed remembered as a daring cope with path-breaking explorer who transformed justness New World, yet his alacrities also unleashed changes that would eventually devastate the native populations he and his fellow explorers encountered.

Citation Information

Article Title

Christopher Columbus

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/christopher-columbus

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 11, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009