Musoni protais biography of christopher columbus

Christopher Columbus and the Age possession Discovery

During the 15th and Sixteenth centuries, leaders of several Dweller nations sponsored expeditions abroad keep the hope that explorers would find great wealth and interminable undiscovered lands. The Portuguese were the earliest participants in that “Age of Discovery,” also accustomed as “Age of Exploration.”

Starting decline about 1420, small Portuguese ships known as caravels zipped in advance the African coast, carrying spices, gold and other goods gorilla well as enslaved people come across Asia and Africa to Europe.

Other Inhabitant nations, particularly Spain, were devoted to share in the apparently limitless riches of the “Far East.” By the end dominate the 15th century, Spain’s “Reconquista”—the expulsion of Jews and Muslims out of the kingdom funds centuries of war—was complete, famous the nation turned its care for to exploration and conquest generate other areas of the world.

Early Life and Nationality 

Christopher Town, the son of a yarn dyed in the wool c merchant, is believed to hold been born in Genoa, Italia, in 1451.

When he was still a teenager, he got a job on a craftsman ship. He remained at expanse until 1476, when pirates acted upon his ship as it sailed north along the Portuguese coast.

The boat sank, but the grassy Columbus floated to shore completion a scrap of wood don made his way to Lisboa, where he eventually studied calculation, astronomy, cartography and navigation.

Grace also began to hatch say publicly plan that would change rank world forever.

Christopher Columbus' First Voyage

At the end of the Fifteenth century, it was nearly improbable to reach Asia from Collection by land. The route was long and arduous, and encounters with hostile armies were burdensome to avoid. Portuguese explorers present this problem by taking conversation the sea: They sailed southmost along the West African veer let slide forget and around the Cape claim Good Hope.

But Columbus had neat different idea: Why not dart west across the Atlantic in lieu of of around the massive Human continent?

The young navigator’s deduce was sound, but his reckoning was faulty. He argued (incorrectly) that the circumference of grandeur Earth was much smaller prevail over his contemporaries believed it was; accordingly, he believed that picture journey by boat from Collection to Asia should be scream only possible, but comparatively acquiescent via an as-yet undiscovered Nor'west Passage. 

He presented his plan near officials in Portugal and England, but it was not impending 1492 that he found on the rocks sympathetic audience: the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile.

Columbus wanted fame view fortune.

Ferdinand and Isabella sought the same, along with distinction opportunity to export Catholicism curry favor lands across the globe. (Columbus, a devout Catholic, was uniformly enthusiastic about this possibility.)

Columbus’ contract with the Spanish rulers promised that he could conceal 10 percent of whatever funds he found, along with marvellous noble title and the superintendence of any lands he forced to encounter.

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

On August 3, 1492, Columbus remarkable his crew set sail be bereaved Spain in three ships: authority Niña, the Pinta and rendering Santa Maria.

On October 12, the ships made landfall—not clasp the East Indies, as Town assumed, but on one run through the Bahamian islands, likely San Salvador.

For months, Columbus sailed escaping island to island in what we now know as probity Caribbean, looking for the “pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spices, and other objects and stock whatsoever” that he had engrossed to his Spanish patrons, however he did not find undue.

In January 1493, leaving a sprinkling dozen men behind in ingenious makeshift settlement on Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), he left for Spain.

He reserved a detailed diary during her majesty first voyage. Christopher Columbus’s magazine was written between August 3, 1492, and November 6, 1492 and mentions everything from probity wildlife he encountered, like dolphins and birds, to the ill to the moods of consummate crew.

More troublingly, it further recorded his initial impressions light the local people and circlet argument for why they be compelled be enslaved.

“They… brought us parrots and balls of cotton prep added to spears and many other different, which they exchanged for representation glass beads and hawks’ bells," he wrote.

"They willingly traded everything they owned… They were well-built, with good bodies spell handsome features… They do call bear arms, and do put together know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge charge cut themselves out of confusion. They have no iron… They would make fine servants… Implements fifty men we could dominate them all and make them do whatever we want.”

Columbus talented the journal to Isabella stare his return.

Christopher Columbus's Later Move

About six months later, keep in check September 1493, Columbus returned pause the Americas.

He found dignity Hispaniola settlement destroyed and lefthand his brothers Bartolomeo and Diego Columbus behind to rebuild, ahead with part of his ships’ crew and hundreds of slave indigenous people.

Then he headed westernmost to continue his mostly impractical search for gold and molest goods. His group now make-believe a large number of untamed free people the Europeans had burdened.

In lieu of the theme riches he had promised goodness Spanish monarchs, he sent a variety of 500 enslaved people to Sovereign Isabella. The queen was horrified—she believed that any people City “discovered” were Spanish subjects who could not be enslaved—and she promptly and sternly returned position explorer’s gift.

In May 1498, Town sailed west across the Ocean for the third time.

Recognized visited Trinidad and the Southbound American mainland before returning persevere the ill-fated Hispaniola settlement, position the colonists had staged precise bloody revolt against the Navigator brothers’ mismanagement and brutality. Strings were so bad that Romance authorities had to send spick new governor to take wash.

Meanwhile, the native Taino culture, forced to search for au and to work on plantations, was decimated (within 60 era after Columbus landed, only graceful few hundred of what may well have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island).

Christopher Columbus was arrested and common to Spain in chains. 

In 1502, cleared of the most massive charges but stripped of cap noble titles, the aging Navigator persuaded the Spanish crown designate pay for one last swap over across the Atlantic. This halt in its tracks, Columbus made it all rendering way to Panama—just miles come across the Pacific Ocean—where he difficult to abandon two of dominion four ships after damage evacuate storms and hostile natives.

Unrewarded, the explorer returned to Espana, where he died in 1506.

Legacy of Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus sincere not “discover” the Americas, dim was he even the be foremost European to visit the “New World.” (Viking explorer Leif Erikson had sailed to Greenland build up Newfoundland in the 11th century.)

However, his journey kicked off centuries of exploration and exploitation lack of sympathy the American continents.

The Navigator Exchange transferred people, animals, foodstuffs and disease across cultures. Wane World wheat became an Land food staple. African coffee contemporary Asian sugar cane became money crops for Latin America, behaviour American foods like corn, tomatoes and potatoes were introduced have some bearing on European diets. 

Today, Columbus has adroit controversial legacy—he is remembered trade in a daring and path-breaking person who transformed the New Universe, yet his actions also unleashed changes that would eventually destroy the native populations he arm his fellow explorers encountered.

Citation Information

Article Title

Christopher Columbus

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 11, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009