Christopher Christopher ColumbusColumbus

A Maritime ExplorerA Maritime Explorer

By: Ryan Cunningham and Ryan Himmelman

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background

• Born in Genoa, Italy in 1451.

• Died May 20, 1506.• Birth name was

Christophorus Columbo.• He was the oldest of five

children. • He probably did not

complete his education.• Became an admiral for

the crown of Castile.

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background

• Tried to get countries to support his journey to find a new route to Asia. The King of Spain finally gave him permission.

• In 1492 he set sail for Asia with three ships.

• He believed to have landed in Asia but it was actually the Bahamas.

• Made four trips across the Atlantic to the New World.

Physical AppearancePhysical Appearance Not much is know about the Not much is know about the

physical appearance of physical appearance of Christopher Columbus.Christopher Columbus.

It is believed that he had red It is believed that he had red hair that eventually turned white.hair that eventually turned white.

His skin was light that had a His skin was light that had a reddish tint from the sun. He reddish tint from the sun. He was also described as a large was also described as a large man with a normal build, high man with a normal build, high cheeks, long face, and light cheeks, long face, and light eyes. eyes.

This is believed to be the most This is believed to be the most widely accepted portrait of him.widely accepted portrait of him.

ClothingClothingProbably wore clothes Probably wore clothes

that most merchants that most merchants and noblemen along and noblemen along the northern the northern Mediterranean wore.Mediterranean wore.

Brimless hat, a Brimless hat, a padded undercoat, a padded undercoat, a pleated overcoat, a pleated overcoat, a girdle, and soft shoesgirdle, and soft shoes

LanguageLanguage

• Columbus wrote in Columbus wrote in almost all Spanish with almost all Spanish with a Portuguese dialect. a Portuguese dialect.

• He also kept journals He also kept journals that were written in that were written in Latin an Greek.Latin an Greek.

• He sometimes spoke He sometimes spoke in Latin, which was in Latin, which was considered to be the considered to be the language of language of scholarship.scholarship.

Religious PracticesReligious Practices

• Thought to be born into a Thought to be born into a Christian household.Christian household.

• Columbus was a member Columbus was a member of the Roman Catholic of the Roman Catholic religion. religion.

• As he got older he As he got older he became more and more became more and more religious.religious.

• He believed he heard He believed he heard divine voices and thought divine voices and thought god sent him throughout god sent him throughout the world to spread the world to spread Christianity. Christianity.

Family LifeFamily Life

Columbus’ family Columbus’ family was very poor.was very poor.

His father, His father, Domenico Colombo, Domenico Colombo, was a wool weaver. was a wool weaver.

His mother was His mother was Susanna Susanna Fontanarossa. He Fontanarossa. He also had a brother also had a brother Bartolomeo.Bartolomeo.

First VoyageFirst Voyage Columbus’ first voyage Columbus’ first voyage

began in 1492. He was began in 1492. He was in search of a new in search of a new passage to India so passage to India so they could transport they could transport gold and spices back gold and spices back to Europe. to Europe.

After two months of After two months of sailing Columbus and sailing Columbus and his three ships, the his three ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria landed the Santa Maria landed in Central America. in Central America.

When they returned to When they returned to Europe, word of his Europe, word of his new findings quickly new findings quickly spread.spread.

Second VoyageSecond Voyage

• The second voyage started The second voyage started in 1493, with the goal of in 1493, with the goal of finding new land. This time finding new land. This time there were 17 ships and there were 17 ships and over 1000 men. over 1000 men.

• He landed on an island He landed on an island that he called Dominica. that he called Dominica. He explored the Caribbean He explored the Caribbean for ten months before for ten months before returning home to Spain. returning home to Spain.

Third VoyageThird Voyage

• Columbus’ second Columbus’ second voyage started in voyage started in 1498, when he left 1498, when he left Spain. The six ship Spain. The six ship fleet landed on the fleet landed on the island of Trinidad again island of Trinidad again in Central America.in Central America.

• He explored the region He explored the region and finally made it to and finally made it to mainland South mainland South America before turning America before turning back to Europe.back to Europe.

Final VoyageFinal Voyage Columbus’ set out on Columbus’ set out on

his final voyage to try his final voyage to try to find a passage into to find a passage into the Indian ocean the Indian ocean because he still because he still believed he had landed believed he had landed in Asia on the previous in Asia on the previous voyages.voyages.

He did no find this He did no find this passage because he passage because he was never actually was never actually made it to Asia in the made it to Asia in the first place.first place.

He then returned to He then returned to Spain for the final time.Spain for the final time.

ImagesImages

BibliographyBibliography

• http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Colen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbusumbus

• http://www.enchantedlearning.com/ehttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/c/columbus.shtmlxplorers/page/c/columbus.shtml

• http://www.answers.com/topic/christohttp://www.answers.com/topic/christopher-columbuspher-columbus

• Portrait 1Portrait 1

BibliographyBibliography

• Columbus in The New WorldColumbus in The New World

• http://www.christopher-columbus.eu/http://www.christopher-columbus.eu/

• http://www.castellobanfi.com/featurehttp://www.castellobanfi.com/features/story_3.htmls/story_3.html