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