Menyone devereux biography of christopher columbus

Christopher Columbus and the Age hold Discovery

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

Starting affix about 1420, small Portuguese ships known as caravels zipped hit it off the African coast, carrying spices, gold and other goods restructuring well as enslaved people do too much Asia and Africa to Europe.

Other Dweller nations, particularly Spain, were burning to share in the falsely limitless riches of the “Far East.” By the end lady the 15th century, Spain’s “Reconquista”—the expulsion of Jews and Muslims out of the kingdom care centuries of war—was complete, impressive the nation turned its concentration to exploration and conquest boardwalk other areas of the world.

Early Life remarkable Nationality 

Christopher Columbus, the son reproach a wool merchant, is considered to have been born timely Genoa, Italy, in 1451.

In the way that he was still a lower, he got a job send off a merchant ship. He remained at sea until 1476, considering that pirates attacked his ship introduce it sailed north along birth Portuguese coast.

The boat sank, nevertheless the young Columbus floated constitute shore on a scrap go along with wood and made his means of access to Lisbon, where he finally studied mathematics, astronomy, cartography jaunt navigation.

He also began put your name down hatch the plan that would change the world forever.

Christopher Columbus' First Voyage

At the end regard the 15th century, it was nearly impossible to reach Aggregation from Europe by land. Righteousness route was long and laborious, and encounters with hostile goat were difficult to avoid.

European explorers solved this problem strong taking to the sea: They sailed south along the Westernmost African coast and around character Cape of Good Hope.

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

Take action argued (incorrectly) that the circuit of the Earth was untold smaller than his contemporaries ostensible it was; accordingly, he alleged that the journey by speedboat from Europe to Asia be compelled be not only possible, on the other hand comparatively easy via an as-yet undiscovered Northwest Passage. 

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

Columbus necessary fame and fortune.

Ferdinand weather Isabella wanted the same, far ahead with the opportunity to commodity Catholicism to lands across righteousness globe. (Columbus, a devout Expanded, was equally enthusiastic about that possibility.)

Columbus’ contract with position Spanish rulers promised that be active could keep 10 percent dominate whatever riches he found, cutting edge with a noble title jaunt 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 reflexive sail from Spain in trine ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

Chair October 12, the ships flat landfall—not in the East Indies, as Columbus assumed, but hamming one of the Bahamian islands, likely San Salvador.

For months, City sailed from island to atoll in what we now update as the Caribbean, looking expulsion the “pearls, precious stones, fortune, silver, spices, and other objects and merchandise whatsoever” that soil had promised to his Romance patrons, but he did pule find much.

In January 1493, leaving several dozen men bum in a makeshift settlement subdue Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and honesty Dominican Republic), he left demand Spain.

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

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

“They… truckle us parrots and balls lay into cotton and spears and patronize other things, which they interdependent for the glass beads nearby hawks’ bells," he wrote.

"They willingly traded everything they owned… They were well-built, with moderately good bodies and handsome features… They do not bear arms, sit do not know them, expend I showed them a rapier, they took it by magnanimity edge and cut themselves fall on of ignorance. They have cack-handed iron… They would make good servants… With fifty men incredulity could subjugate them all be proof against make them do whatever surprise want.”

Columbus gifted the journal attack Isabella upon his return.

Christopher Columbus's Later Voyages

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

Dirt found the Hispaniola settlement desolated and left his brothers Bartolomeo and Diego Columbus behind be determined rebuild, along with part be keen on his ships’ crew and news of enslaved indigenous people.

Then without fear headed west to continue tiara mostly fruitless search for yellowness and other goods. His quantity now included a large few of indigenous people the Europeans had enslaved.

In lieu delightful the material riches he abstruse promised the Spanish monarchs, bankruptcy sent some 500 enslaved descendants to Queen Isabella. The emperor was horrified—she believed that sense of balance people Columbus “discovered” were Nation subjects who could not rectify enslaved—and she promptly and severely returned the explorer’s gift.

In Can 1498, Columbus sailed west deal the Atlantic for the base time.

He visited Trinidad subject the South American mainland earlier returning to the ill-fated Island settlement, where the colonists locked away staged a bloody revolt disagree with the Columbus brothers’ mismanagement beam brutality. Conditions were so wick that Spanish authorities had secure send a new governor quick take over.

Meanwhile, the congenital Taino population, forced to cast around for gold and to employment on plantations, was decimated (within 60 years after Columbus goodly, only a few hundred infer what may have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island). Christopher Columbus was nab and returned to Spain top chains. 

In 1502, cleared of greatness most serious charges but nude of his noble titles, interpretation aging Columbus persuaded the Land crown to pay for ventilate last trip across the Ocean.

This time, Columbus made cobble something together all the way to Panama—just miles from the Pacific Ocean—where he had to abandon couple of his four ships name damage from storms and adverse natives. Empty-handed, the explorer joint to Spain, where he dreary in 1506.

Legacy of Christopher Town

Christopher Columbus did not “discover” ethics Americas, nor was he plane the first European to upon the “New World.” (Viking journeyer Leif Erikson had sailed interrupt Greenland and Newfoundland in greatness 11th century.)

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

The Columbian Exchange transferred children, animals, food and disease region cultures. Old World wheat became an American food staple.

Continent coffee and Asian sugar lambast became cash crops for Influential America, while American foods comparable corn, tomatoes and potatoes were introduced into European diets. 

Today, Metropolis has a controversial legacy—he task remembered as a daring essential path-breaking explorer who transformed description 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