Christopher Columbus
Uploaded by AndrewGordon on Nov 27, 2011
Before his great voyages, Christopher Columbus drew up a plan of a western sea route from Europe to India relying on the classical theory of the earth’s sphericity and on incorrect calculations by 15th-century scientists, thinking it would be shorter than existing routes. Not everybody would have believed this idea, but Christopher was willing to try any thing to find the Indies. In 1485, after proposing the idea to the Portuguese king, the king rejected his plan. Columbus then moved to Castile, Spain where he knew he would have the support, mainly of Andalusian merchants and bankers, and be able to get a government oceanic expedition organized under his command.
Columbus, being an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, was famous for his many expeditions. He was the oldest son of Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa he exact date of his birth is unknown but researches know it is between August 25th and October 31st, between 1435 and 1460. Genoa, Italy is said to be his Birthplace. Said to have blue eyes, blond hair, and had an exceptionally good physical condition. He was married once but she had died so he began another relationship but never remarried. He had two kids, one being from his first wife. He started out on sea at the age of 14. He also did not have a reputation of swearing. He died on May 20th, 1506 in Valladolid; Spain that was apparently age related. He wrote of his adventures in Castilian because this is the language he spoke but could also read Latin. He received little formal education and was mostly a self-taught man.
The first voyage began on Aug. 3rd, 1492 from Palos, Spain and crossing the Atlantic to the island of San Salvador in the Bahamian archipelago which is the stretch of islands in San Salvador. This expedition consisted of 90 men on the vessels Santa María, Pinta, and Niña. They visited many of the Bohemian islands. They discovered and explored a section of the northeastern coast of Cuba, and on Dec. 6th reached the island of Hispaniola and moved along its northern shore. He completed this exploration of the northern shore on the Niña on January 4th to January 16th, 1493. On March 15th, 1493, he returned to his homeland in Castile, Spain. He wrote of his adventures in Castilian because this is the language he spoke but could also read Latin.
This first...