Meegan ochs biography of christopher columbus

Christopher Columbus and the Age comprehensive Discovery

During the 15th and Sixteenth centuries, leaders of several Inhabitant nations sponsored expeditions abroad inconsequential the hope that explorers would find great wealth and limitless undiscovered lands.

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

Starting instruction about 1420, small Portuguese ships known as caravels zipped forwards the African coast, carrying spices, gold and other goods pass for well as enslaved people newcomer disabuse of Asia and Africa to Europe.

Other Denizen nations, particularly Spain, were ardent to share in the apparently limitless riches of the “Far East.” By the end countless the 15th century, Spain’s “Reconquista”—the expulsion of Jews and Muslims out of the kingdom puzzle out centuries of war—was complete, lecture the nation turned its concentration to exploration and conquest advise other areas of the world.

Early Life near Nationality 

Christopher Columbus, the son refreshing a wool merchant, is accounted to have been born unite Genoa, Italy, in 1451.

In the way that he was still a young man, he got a job move a merchant ship. He remained at sea until 1476, just as pirates attacked his ship in the same way it sailed north along rectitude Portuguese coast.

The boat sank, however the young Columbus floated take a look at shore on a scrap do in advance wood and made his advance to Lisbon, where he long run studied mathematics, astronomy, cartography leading navigation.

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

Christopher Columbus' First Voyage

At the end all-round the 15th century, it was nearly impossible to reach Aggregation from Europe by land. Dignity route was long and make fun of, and encounters with hostile reason were difficult to avoid.

Lusitanian explorers solved this problem from one side to the ot taking to the sea: They sailed south along the Westward African coast and around high-mindedness Cape of Good Hope.

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

Recognized argued (incorrectly) that the boundary of the Earth was untold smaller than his contemporaries held it was; accordingly, he ostensible that the journey by skiff from Europe to Asia sine qua non be not only possible, nevertheless comparatively easy via an as-yet undiscovered Northwest Passage. 

He presented climax plan to officials in Portugal and England, but it was not until 1492 that dirt found a sympathetic audience: greatness Spanish monarchs Ferdinand of District and Isabella of Castile.

Columbus necessary fame and fortune.

Ferdinand sports ground Isabella wanted the same, at the head with the opportunity to import Catholicism to lands across dignity globe. (Columbus, a devout Broad, was equally enthusiastic about that possibility.)

Columbus’ contract with dignity Spanish rulers promised that recognized could keep 10 percent confess whatever riches he found, school assembly with a noble title pole the governorship of any domain he should encounter.

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

On August 3, 1492, Columbus and his crew anger sail from Spain in four ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

Slip on October 12, the ships energetic landfall—not in the East Indies, as Columbus assumed, but holdup one of the Bahamian islands, likely San Salvador.

For months, Metropolis sailed from island to sanctuary in what we now recognize as the Caribbean, looking execute the “pearls, precious stones, funds, silver, spices, and other objects and merchandise whatsoever” that proceed had promised to his Country patrons, but he did wail find much.

In January 1493, leaving several dozen men reject in a makeshift settlement analysis Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and say publicly Dominican Republic), he left act Spain.

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

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

“They… streetwalking us parrots and balls get on to cotton and spears and diverse other things, which they interchangeable for the glass beads current hawks’ bells," he wrote. "They willingly traded everything they owned… They were well-built, with and above bodies and handsome features… They do not bear arms, current do not know them, come up with I showed them a rapier, they took it by character edge and cut themselves accomplish of ignorance.

They have rebuff iron… They would make threadlike servants… With fifty men amazement could subjugate them all status make them do whatever miracle want.”

Columbus gifted the journal feign Isabella upon his return.

Christopher Columbus's Later Voyages

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

Noteworthy found the Hispaniola settlement ravaged and left his brothers Bartolomeo and Diego Columbus behind don rebuild, along with part honor his ships’ crew and have an impact of enslaved indigenous people.

Then closure headed west to continue coronet mostly fruitless search for au and other goods. His development now included a large digit of indigenous people the Europeans had enslaved.

In lieu promote to the material riches he challenging promised the Spanish monarchs, filth sent some 500 enslaved grouping to Queen Isabella. The prince was horrified—she believed that crass people Columbus “discovered” were Romance subjects who could not note down enslaved—and she promptly and harshly returned the explorer’s gift.

In Might 1498, Columbus sailed west region the Atlantic for the gear time.

He visited Trinidad stand for the South American mainland formerly returning to the ill-fated Hayti settlement, where the colonists difficult staged a bloody revolt disagree with the Columbus brothers’ mismanagement humbling brutality. Conditions were so inexpensive that Spanish authorities had lookout send a new governor contact take over.

Meanwhile, the array Taino population, forced to examine for gold and to gratuitous on plantations, was decimated (within 60 years after Columbus goodly, only a few hundred imitation what may have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island). Christopher Columbus was block and returned to Spain arbitrate chains. 

In 1502, cleared of grandeur most serious charges but unmask of his noble titles, character aging Columbus persuaded the Land crown to pay for adjourn last trip across the Ocean.

This time, Columbus made inflame all the way to Panama—just miles from the Pacific Ocean—where he had to abandon figure of his four ships puzzle out damage from storms and opposed natives. Empty-handed, the explorer common to Spain, where he monotonous in 1506.

Legacy of Christopher City

Christopher Columbus did not “discover” justness Americas, nor was he level the first European to homecoming the “New World.” (Viking migrant Leif Erikson had sailed suggest Greenland and Newfoundland in distinction 11th century.)

However, his journey kicked off centuries of exploration person in charge exploitation on the American continents.

The Columbian Exchange transferred fill, animals, food and disease check cultures. Old World wheat became an American food staple. Human coffee and Asian sugar castigate became cash crops for Traditional America, while American foods materialize corn, tomatoes and potatoes were introduced into European diets. 

Today, Town has a controversial legacy—he review remembered as a daring pole path-breaking explorer who transformed glory New World, yet his events 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 11, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009