Christopher Columbus is famously known as an Italian explorer and navigator who discovered the Americas( now known as the Bahamas) in 1492. Born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa, later known as Italy, Christopher grew up as a seaman and first set sail on the sea when he was just a teenager. His first job was as an map/chart maker, in which he excelled at, though Columbus was mainly interested in being a seagoing entrepreneur . Columbus’s main mission for sailing across the world was to find a route to richer land in Asia and bring riches back to Spain. Though Christopher Columbus’s expedition to finder richer land was treacherous, he managed to overcome the harsh conditions and colonize the Bahamas and display to the Spaniards his great achievements, …show more content…
In particular, the Portuguese were the first to discover wealth and lands in other areas. Though, other European nations such as Spain greatly yearned to find limitless riches in other lands like the Portuguese. Spain sparked its first voyage with Columbus through the factors of fearing Portugal because of their advancement in discovering new spices, riches, and lands, a lust for gold to supply the abundant need for spices and herbs for cooking, and a yearning for adventure. Christopher Columbus happened to be in Spain at the siege of Granada and was called upon the Spanish court, thus giving his chance to request funding for his voyages to Asia. While Columbus was in front of the Spanish court, he proposed to them an agreement of finding gold and riches in Asia to put them ahead of their rival, Portugal. Despite the great amount of Spanish explorers who wanted to embark on the voyage to riches in Asia, the Catholic monarchs and the Spanish court then came to a consensus that having Christopher Columbus sail the voyage would benefit them greatly. Therefore, if Columbus brought back gold and spices as he promised to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, then he would receive 10 percent of the profit and govern the new lands that he discovers. Shortly after Columbus was funded for the voyage towards Asia, Columbus …show more content…
Though the Indians on the island were agriculture based, they displayed eminent signs of gold jewelry on their body, drawing a conclusion to Columbus that he has found the source of gold. Because of such discovery, Christopher Columbus took many Native Indians captive and forced them to find the other sources of gold and riches around the Americas. Columbus sailed from Cuba to Hispaniola, in which there he found tiny bits of gold in the river and the Native Indians’ chief showed Columbus a gold embellished mask, strucking in Columbus’ mind a vast field of gold somewhere to be found. Columbus soon then sailed back to Spain, presenting to the Spanish court the abundant amount of prisoners and exaggerating the foundings of gold and spices in the Americas, even stating to the court that he reached Asia and found the gold off an island of China, which in fact it was Cuba and the so called island was
Many historians have put forward the view that the Americas was discovered by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. It is commonly thought and accepted that with the approval of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus went in search for India which was located in the East. However Columbus unknowingly sailed to the west across the Atlantic Ocean which led him to a land mass which was unknown to
Christopher Columbus is a mythical hero or in other words, not a true hero. The story of Christopher Columbus is part of the many myths of Western civilization. Also the story of Christopher Columbus represents the power of those that are privileged and in most cases white European men that have written this mythical history. Zinn (2009 exposes the truth about Columbus through eyes of the people who were there when he had arrived which were the Native Indians (p.481). Columbus had kept a personal journal for his voyage to describe the people and the journey. What was evident throughout his journal was the Native Americans were very nice, gentle and kind hearted people (Zinn, 2009, 481). As Zinn suggests Columbus spoke of the Native Americans as” they are the best people in the world and
Columbus' original plan was to prove that early geographers were wrong and that the world was larger than computed (William Howarth). He had sponsorship from the King and Queen of Spain who were finally convinced by Columbus by his belief that he was a divine missionary, ordained by God to spread Christianity (P. J. Riga). When he got to the New World he had found that there was the possibility that there might be an abundance of gold, and gold was the commodity Columbus pursued with obsessive zeal (William Howarth). It would seem to be an item that he had a lust for more than anything. An elder on Tortuga described "within a hundred or more ...
Columbus starts his journey in August 1492, when he sets sail from Spain under the sponsorship of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain. His original plan was to simply find a new route to India, so he could further prosper from the booming spice trading industry. Columbus left Spain with three ships, The Pinta (Captained by Martin Alonzo Pinzon), the Nina (Vicente Yáñez Pinzon), and the Santa Maria (Columbus). The crew of around 90 left Palos, Spain on August 3rd, 1492, and reached shore on October 11th, 1492. Columbus had arrived on what he believed to be India, so he called the natives that were there “Indians”. Columbus and his crew actually landed on an Island called Guanahani, and once him and his crew took the land, they took the woman and made them slaves as they hunted for gold. By the end of the first set of trips, Columbus had wrecked two ships, one of which was headed back to land to try and beat Columbus. As time went on Columbus made 3 more trips which focused on obtaining gold, and Columbus settling new land and bringing Indian slaves back to Spain.
It is thought by many that Christopher Columbus was a skilled sailor on a mission of greed. Many think that he in fact did it all for the money, honor and the status that comes with an explorer, but this is not the case entirely. Columbus was an adventurer and was enthused by the thrill of the quest of the unknown. “Columbus had a firm religious faith and a scientific curiosity, a zest for life, the felling for beauty and the striving for novelty that we associate with the advancement of learning”. He had heard of the legendary Atlantic voyages and sailors reports of land to the west of Madeira and the Azores. He believed that Japan was about 4,800 km to the west of Portugal. In 1484, Columbus wanted support for an exploratory voyage from King John II of Portugal, but he was refused. In 1485, Columbus took his son Diego and went to Spain to get some help.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue, which started a huge push by European nations to gain power and wealth, mainly in the way of building Empires in the New World. This was called the Age of Exploration and lasted from the late 15th to the early 17th century. Spain, under King Ferdinand II of Aragon, was the first nation to do this. Juan Ponce de León was a conquistador and one of the earlier voyagers to the New World in the European Age of Exploration, he accomplished several notable things in his life, but overall and looking in hindsight he is seen as a failure when compared to other conquistadors.
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, navigator, and colonizer. He was born around 1451 in Genoa, Italy. He was the son of a wool merchant. As a young man, he studied astronomy, geography, and history. As a teenager, Columbus went to sea participating in several trading voyages. Once he grew up, he went of four voyages himself that opened the way for European exploration, exploitation, and colonization of the Americas. He made his voyages under the sponsorship of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I. He was given three main ships; the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Niña. After he got old and discovered a few things, he died on May 20, 1506.
Christopher Columbus was a renaissance explorer in 1492. he was sent by queen Isabelle and king Ferdinand of Spain to look for a trade route to east Asia
Christopher Columbus was an explorer who found interest in travelling the sea at a young age. Columbus traveled on four expeditions in the years between 1492 and 1504. In his first voyage, which is recorded in “From Letter to Luis de Santangel Regarding the First Voyage,” he explains how he found locations that had never been discovered. Throughout his journeys he experienced many disappointments and disasters, but also came across many benefits. Columbus started off traveling passed the Canary Islands and to the Indies, where he found many islands. Any island founded by the fleet from the Canary Islands to the Indies would be considered a discovery, which Columbus took full credit for discovering. He demonstrates his ownership throughout his letter, for example, he refers to his fleets accomplishments in first person, stating, “I found very many islands,” “I have taken possession for their highnesses,” and “to each one I gave a new name” (Columbus 35). In each of these lines, the author demonstrates how egocentric he is to take ownership of all of the discovered islands. Moreover, this picture can represent Columbus as the European explorer, and how he is taking over the land from the indigenous people. The picture also has a ship in the back that can symbolize how Columbus sails to many islands to take over. Columbus thought America would be an easy
The King and Queen were not convinced by the amount that he brought back with him. Besides, the doubts the King and Queen had they once again financed Columbus’s second voyage back to the New World. We need to remember that Columbus’s so-called "second voyage," albeit innocuous sounding language was in actuality an all-out invasion of the islands and particularly of Espanola. Equipped for the military adventure by the Spanish monarchs, Columbus sailed on October 7, 1493, with seventeen ships fully armed with more than a thousand men. (Freeland) This leaves one to wonder if the “so called” exploration to find new trade routes had alternative meaning all along. Not only was his second voyage an all out invasion but Freeland states, There would not be need in any event, since his army would be free to rape Indian women as they pleased. It was this invasion that initiated this vicious and murderous cycle of conquest, murder, thievery, and
In our personal lives we consider our past forgotten, however in our history everyone affects how they see themselves. "history repeats itself " is gradually long time we know manipulated and deceived us the wrong information, books, learning in school, the "biased" report before the newspaper, radio and television. Let us move on and we just solemn pray for that will prosper in our country. I noticed that there have been distortions in our history. It’s sad because it seems like we have forgotten the sacrifices of those who died during the time of dictatorship. This tragedy cannot continue. We should stand up for someone’s rights today. Times have changed. More sooner than later, they will take power into their hands by all and whatever
Christopher Columbus one of the most famous explorers with an extraordinary legacy was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. He was an Italian explorer and navigator and is very well known for his four voyages and his “discovery” of the New World. Columbus began sailing when he was just a teenager in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. Later, he moved to Lisbon, Portugal and then Spain where he spent the rest of his life. Columbus’ purpose was to find a passage to Asia by sailing West, but during his voyage he ended up in the Caribbeans and South America. Columbus propose was turned down by King John of Portugal and the rulers of England and France. After several years of being declined, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella funded Columbus’ voyage due
After obtaining funding for his explorations to reach Asia from the seizure and sale of properties from Spanish Jews and Muslims by order of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus headed out to explore a new world with money and ships. Upon arrival, Columbus and his expedition of weapon laden Spaniards met the Arawaks, Tainos and Lucayans—all friendly, according to Columbus’ writings. Impressed with the friendliness of the native people, Columbus seized control of the land in the name of Spain. Soon after arriving, Columbus wrecked the Santa Maria and the Arawaks worked for hours to save the crew and cargo. Columbus quite literally landed in what is now known as the Bahamas and later Hispaniola, present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic. “They … brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things… They willingly traded everything they owned…. They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features…. Finally we came to an agreement in such manner that I can tell you that she seemed to have been brought up in a school of harlots.” Several accounts of cruelty and murder include Spaniards testing the sharpness of blades on Native people by cutting them in half, beheading them in contests and throwing Natives into vats of boiling soap. Bartolome De Las Casas, a former slave
On October 14, 1492, Christopher Columbus founded the New World, sparking one of the biggest domino effects in history, and changing the world forever. Columbus 's expedition led to the discovery of the vast natural resources of America, such as precious metals, vast expansive woods, and nutrient rich soil perfect for growing crops and raising livestock. Whenever there are large quantities of resources found, it is not long before colonization follows. This spawned a period of competition for territory, resources, and colonization in the Americas. Columbus was not the first person to discover the Americas. Chinese merchants and Vikings had already been to the Americas, as well as the indigenous people who lived there. He was the first person
In 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail on a voyage searching for a route across the Atlantic to Asia for the Spain’s Kind Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Instead of reaching Asia, Columbus actually landed on present-day San Salvador Island. He still thought that he had reached India, called the native there “Indians”. Columbus even took some of these so called “Indians” back to Spain with him as slaves, so that he could show the king and queen. During this time Spain signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, which confirmed Spain’s claim on the Americas. In 1501 Amerigo Vespucci made a voyage