CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS The story behind the sailor
May 15, 2015
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
The story behind the sailor
COLUMBUS DAY
Occurs annually every second Monday in October
Columbus has been accredited for opening up the Americas to European colonization
He also was one of few people who believed that the world was round, not flat
FACTS OF COLUMBUS BEFORE HE WAS FAMOUS
Born in 1451 in Italy, which at the time was Republic of Genoa.
Columbus was born into a merchant home and did not get involved in sailing until he was a teenager
DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Married and settled to Felipa Perestrello in Lisbon, Portugal
They both had one son who was named Diego around 1480
Felipa died after the family moved to Spain
Columbus had another son in 1488 with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana out of wedlock
FIRST VOYAGE IN ATLANTIC
Almost cost him his life Attacked by French privateers Columbus escaped by swimming to
shore The shore he swam to was Lisbon,
Portugal where he later met his future wife
SAILOR COLUMBUS
Travelled to Africa through many trading expeditions Gained more knowledge of the Atlantic current
flowing east and west with every journey Travelled to India and China for trade
The route was dangerous because of war with Middle East
Led to thinking of a different route for going west to India and China
ROUGH START
Experts disagreed with Columbus Distance was further than anticipated Widely believed that the earth was flat
Rejection Portugal Genoa Venice Spain
The Spanish monarch took interest but rejected Columbus due to the war that they were engaging with the Middle East
PERSISTANT!
Columbus continued to speak with the royal court numerous times during the war
War was finally over in January 1492 Columbus was well funded with three ships Columbus left that August with permission
of the courts
THE THREE RANGERS
Columbus was given three ships to sail across the ocean blue Santa Maria Pinta Niña
36 days of sailing across the Atlantic Landed not in the Americas but the
Bahamas! There he met local natives
UNDER ATTACK?
No, Natives were timid but friendly
They traded with Columbus and his crew Columbus also noticed the
golden jewerly that the natives were wearing
This foreshadowed catastrophic events that will come in the future
He built a village because the boat Santa Maria wrecked on the coast
RETURN HOME
39 men stayed behind to attend the town
Two of the three ships (Niña and Pinta) returned to Spain by 1493 They brought the good news (thinking that
they had reached Asia)
CONTINUOUS VOYAGES
When Columbus returned he found out that the village he left behind was burned to the ground and the people were massacred.
Columbus came back to further explore for gold along the land that he has come across
His third voyage, he finally encountered the mainland (Venezuela)
MUTINY!
The new settlers and crew claimed that they were misled and lied to with poor management
Columbus was brought before court in chains and brought on trial
The charges were eventually dropped but Columbus was stripped of his title of governor of the Indies
LAST VOYAGE
A few years later Columbus convinced King Ferdinand using riches to persuade him to permit this voyage even after all the trouble Columbus had caused
Last voyage was in 1502 While along the eastern coast of Central America,
a storm led to his ship being wrecked
TROUBLED TIMES WITH ISLANDERS
Islanders were fed up with the poor treatment and the European gold obsession They did not supply the Europeans with food like they did
in the past Retaliation
Columbus threatened the islanders by stating he was going to punish them!
He claimed he had the power of taking the moon away Knowing a lunar eclipse was going to occur It scared the Natives back into trade
Eventually a rescue party came in November of 1504
NEAR THE END OF COLUMBUS’ LIFE
He did regain some of the riches with that last expedition but Columbus never regained his title of Governor
Columbus died May 20th, 1506 He left this world with the impression that
he discovered Asia
MIXED LEGACY
Pros He opened up a trade route to Americas Proved that the world was indeed round
Cons Destruction of native peoples Did not find a new easier trade route to India
Overall Affected every society on the planet by the transfer
of plants, animals, disease and cultures.
WORK CITED
Information found at: "Christopher Columbus. biography." bio.
True Story. A&E Television Networks, 2011. Web. 6 Oct 2011. <http://www.biography.com/people/christopher-columbus-9254209?page=1 >.
All pictures found from Microsoft Clip Art