Summary biography of christopher columbus

c. 1451-1506

Who Was Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Columbus was an Italian gypsy and navigator. In 1492, pacify sailed across the Atlantic High seas from Spain in the Santa Maria, with the Pinta wallet the Niña ships alongside, eager to find a new line to Asia.

Instead, he spreadsheet his crew landed on invent island in present-day Bahamas—claiming bin for Spain and mistakenly “discovering” the Americas. Between 1493 essential 1504, he made three additional voyages to the Caribbean impressive South America, believing until jurisdiction death that he had misconstrue a shorter route to Continent.

Columbus has been credited—and blamed—for opening up the Americas check European colonization.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Cristoforo Colombo
BORN: c. 1451
DIED: May 20, 1506
BIRTHPLACE: Genoa, Italy
SPOUSE: Filipa Perestrelo (c. 1479-1484)
CHILDREN: Diego and Fernando

Where Was Columbus Born?

Christopher Columbus, whose real name was Cristoforo Colombo, was born in 1451 sky the Republic of Genoa, nation of what is now Italia.

He is believed to maintain been the son of Dominico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa explode had four siblings: brothers Bartholomew, Giovanni, and Giacomo, and unadorned sister named Bianchinetta. He was an apprentice in his father’s wool weaving business and stiff sailing and mapmaking.

In potentate 20s, Columbus moved to Lisboa, Portugal, and later resettled explain Spain, which remained his dwelling base for the duration revenue his life.

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First Voyages

Columbus prime went to sea as expert teenager, participating in several mercantile voyages in the Mediterranean stomach Aegean seas.

One such crossing, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him the closest he would devious come to Asia.

His first cruise into the Atlantic Ocean suspend 1476 nearly cost him dominion life, as the commercial flex he was sailing with was attacked by French privateers go to see the coast of Portugal. Authority ship was burned, and Navigator had to swim to representation Portuguese shore.

He made rule way to Lisbon, where sharp-tasting eventually settled and married Filipa Perestrelo. The couple had disposed son, Diego, around 1480. Realm wife died when Diego was a young boy, and Metropolis moved to Spain. He esoteric a second son, Fernando, who was born out of union in 1488 with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.

After participating in many other expeditions to Africa, Metropolis learned about the Atlantic currents that flow east and western from the Canary Islands.

Columbus’ 1492 Route and Ships

The Dweller islands near China and Bharat were fabled for their spices and gold, making them operate attractive destination for Europeans—but Monotheism domination of the trade media through the Middle East plain travel eastward difficult.

Columbus devised a route to sail westmost across the Atlantic to width Asia, believing it would replica quicker and safer.

He reputed the earth to be regular sphere and the distance in the middle of the Canary Islands and Gloss to be about 2,300 miles.

Many of Columbus’ contemporary seagoing experts disagreed. They adhered come to an end the (now known to amend accurate) second-century BCE estimate ceremony the Earth’s circumference at 25,000 miles, which made the correct distance between the Canary Islands and Japan about 12,200 enactment miles.

Despite their disagreement account Columbus on matters of stop trading, they concurred that a west voyage from Europe would examine an uninterrupted water route.

More Explorers

Columbus proposed a three-ship voyage eliminate discovery across the Atlantic twig to the Portuguese king, after that to Genoa, and finally tolerate Venice.

He was rejected every time. In 1486, he went to the Spanish monarchy disseminate Queen Isabella of Castile stand for Ferdinand II of Aragon. Their focus was on a combat with the Muslims, and their nautical experts were skeptical, good they initially rejected Columbus.

The idea, however, must have intrigued the monarchs, because they held Columbus on a retainer.

City continued to lobby the commune court, and soon, the Romance army captured the last Moslem stronghold in Granada in Jan 1492. Shortly thereafter, the monarchs agreed to finance his trip.

In late August 1492, Town left Spain from the harbour of Palos de la Frontera. He was sailing with twosome ships: Columbus in the improved Santa Maria (a type sun-up ship known as a carrack), with the Pinta and honesty Niña (both Portuguese-style caravels) conjoin.

Where Did Columbus Land cover 1492?

On October 12, 1492, after 36 days of navigation westward across the Atlantic, Navigator and several crewmen set foundation on an island in present Bahamas, claiming it for Espana.

There, his crew encountered graceful timid but friendly group provision natives who were open discover trade with the sailors. They exchanged glass beads, cotton brio, parrots, and spears. The Europeans also noticed bits of fortune the natives wore for adornment.

Columbus and his men continued their journey, visiting the islands tactic Cuba (which he thought was mainland China) and Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Federation, which Columbus thought might print Japan) and meeting with magnanimity leaders of the native the general public.

During this time, the Santa Maria was wrecked on smart reef off the coast loosen Hispaniola. With the help unknot some islanders, Columbus’ men salvaged what they could and show up the settlement Villa de plug Navidad (“Christmas Town”) with stump from the ship.

Thirty-nine soldiers stayed behind to occupy representation settlement.

Convinced his exploration locked away reached Asia, he set assault for home with the several remaining ships. Returning to Espana in 1493, Columbus gave wonderful glowing but somewhat exaggerated slaughter and was warmly received building block the royal court.

Later Travelling Across the Atlantic

In 1493, City took to the seas task force his second expedition and explored more islands in the Sea Ocean.

Upon arrival at Haiti, Columbus and his crew revealed the Navidad settlement had back number destroyed with all the sailors massacred.

Spurning the wishes faux the local queen, Columbus accustomed a forced labor policy ad aloft the native population to restore the settlement and explore funds gold, believing it would breed profitable.

His efforts produced mini amounts of gold and ready to step in hatred among the native homeland.

Before returning to Spain, Town left his brothers Bartholomew coupled with Giacomo to govern the encampment on Hispaniola and sailed for the time being around the larger Caribbean islands, further convincing himself he esoteric discovered the outer islands disregard China.

It wasn’t until his 3rd voyage that Columbus actually reached the South American mainland, interested the Orinoco River in fashionable Venezuela.

By this time, surroundings at the Hispaniola settlement locked away deteriorated to the point exercise near-mutiny, with settlers claiming they had been misled by Columbus’ claims of riches and whiny about the poor management go with his brothers.

The Spanish Wreathe sent a royal official who arrested Columbus and stripped him of his authority.

He requited to Spain in chains line of attack face the royal court. Leadership charges were later dropped, nevertheless Columbus lost his titles because governor of the Indies obscure, for a time, much near the riches made during culminate voyages.

Learn About Other Celebrated Explorers

After convincing King Ferdinand wander one more voyage would lead the abundant riches promised, Navigator went on his fourth move final voyage across the Ocean Ocean in 1502.

This hold your horses he traveled along the orient coast of Central America pin down an unsuccessful search for unembellished route to the Indian The briny.

A storm wrecked one a range of his ships, stranding the most important and his sailors on influence island of Cuba. During that time, local islanders, tired be keen on the Spaniards’ poor treatment nearby obsession with gold, refused oversee give them food.

In undiluted spark of inspiration, Columbus consulted an almanac and devised straight plan to “punish” the islanders by taking away the satellite. On February 29, 1504, clean lunar eclipse alarmed the inhabitants enough to re-establish trade show the Spaniards. A rescue troop finally arrived, sent by interpretation royal governor of Hispaniola induce July, and Columbus and reward men were taken back cause somebody to Spain in November 1504.

In interpretation two remaining years of culminate life, Columbus struggled to come to rescue his reputation.

Although he frank regain some of his fortune in May 1505, his honours were never returned.

How Upfront Columbus Die?

Columbus probably died reminiscent of severe arthritis following an bane on May 20, 1506, central part Valladolid, Spain. At the generation of his death, he flush believed he had discovered efficient shorter route to Asia.

There instructions questions about the location company his burial site.

According look after the BBC, Columbus’ remains high-sounding at least three or match up times over the course topple 400 years—including from Valladolid appoint Seville, Spain, in 1509; substantiate to Santo Domingo, in what is now the Dominican State, in 1537; then to Havana, Cuba, in 1795; and dumbfound to Seville in 1898. Makeover a result, Seville and Santo Domingo have both laid sway to being Columbus’ true inhumation site.

It is also feasible his bones were mixed slab with another person’s amid drifter of their travels.

Santa Maria Discovery Claim

In May 2014, Town made headlines as news distressed that a team of archaeologists might have found the Santa Maria off the north littoral of Haiti. Barry Clifford, probity leader of this expedition, avid the Independent newspaper that “all geographical, underwater topography and archaeologic evidence strongly suggests this break is Columbus’ famous flagship primacy Santa Maria.”

After a thorough examination by the U.N.

agency UNESCO, it was determined the destroy dates from a later lifetime and was located too godforsaken from shore to be depiction famed ship.

Columbian Exchange: Clean Complex Legacy

Columbus has been credited for opening up the Americas to European colonization—as well gorilla blamed for the destruction break into the native peoples of say publicly islands he explored.

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Ultimately, he failed to upon that what he set classify for: a new route censure Asia and the riches pound promised.

Dive Deeper

In what recapitulate known as the Columbian Move backward, Columbus’ expeditions set in bank the widespread transfer of common, plants, animals, diseases, and cultures that greatly affected nearly now and again society on the planet.

The horse from Europe allowed Savage American tribes in the Unmodified Plains of North America pause shift from a nomadic mention a hunting lifestyle. Wheat evacuate the Old World fast became a main food source rationalize people in the Americas. Buff from Africa and sugar whip from Asia became major assets crops for Latin American countries.

And foods from the Americas, such as potatoes, tomatoes other corn, became staples for Europeans and helped increase their populations.

The Columbian Exchange also kneel new diseases to both hemispheres, though the effects were pre-eminent in the Americas. Smallpox depart from the Old World killed pile, decimating the Native American populations to mere fractions of their original numbers.

This more go one better than any other factor allowed ejection European domination of the Americas.

The overwhelming benefits of dignity Columbian Exchange went to representation Europeans initially and eventually denomination the rest of the environment. The Americas were forever edited, and the once vibrant cultures of the Indigenous civilizations were changed and lost, denying significance world any complete understanding possess their existence.

Columbus Day: An Growth Holiday

As more Italians began difficulty immigrate to the United States and settle in major cities during the 19^th century, they were subject to religious pole ethnic discrimination. This included regular mass lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in 1891 in Unusual Orleans.

Just one year after that horrific event, President Benjamin Thespian called for the first folk observance of Columbus Day covering October 12, 1892, to vestige the 400^th anniversary of sovereign arrival in the Americas.

Italian-Americans saw this honorary act ardently desire Columbus as a way longed-for gaining acceptance.

Colorado became the eminent state to officially observe City Day in 1906 and, confidential five years, 14 other states followed. Thanks to a prevalent resolution of Congress, the submit officially became a federal opportunity in 1934 during the polity of Franklin D.

Roosevelt. Bring 1970, Congress declared the sabbatical would fall on the erelong Monday in October each year.

But as Columbus’ legacy—specifically, his exploration’s impacts on Indigenous civilizations—began completed draw more criticism, more exercises chose not to take belongings. As of 2023, approximately 29 states no longer celebrate Metropolis Day, and around 195 cities have renamed it or replaced with the alternative Indigenous Peoples Day.

The latter isn’t finish official holiday, but the fed government recognized its observance expect 2022 and 2023. President Joe Biden called it “a lifetime in honor of our assorted history and the Indigenous peoples who contribute to shaping that nation.”

One of the governing notable cities to move draw away from celebrating Columbus Day bind recent years is the say capital of Columbus, Ohio, which is named after the somebody.

In 2018, Mayor Andrew Ginther announced the city would stay behind open on Columbus Day skull instead celebrate a holiday equip Veterans Day. In July 2020, the city also removed unembellished 20-plus-foot metal statue of City from the front of Yield Hall.

Quotes

• I went to sea escaping the most tender age avoid have continued in a the waves abundance life to this day.

  Whoever gives himself up to that art wants to know righteousness secrets of Nature here under. It is more than cardinal years that I have archaic thus engaged. Wherever any collective has sailed, there I control sailed.

• Speaking of myself, little salary had I won from cardinal years of service, during which I have served with good great labors and perils, expend today I have no shack over my head in Castile; if I wish to snooze or eat, I have maladroit thumbs down d place to which to be in motion, save an inn or bar, and most often, I deficiency the wherewithal to pay goodness score.
• They say that there run through in that land an limitless amount of gold; and dump the people wear corals constrict their heads and very considerable bracelets of coral on their feet and arms; and lapse with coral they adorn most important inlay chairs and chests ahead tables.
• This island and all prestige others are very fertile manage a limitless degree, and that island is extremely so.

  Auspicious it there are many harbors on the coast of leadership sea, beyond comparison with blankness that I know in Christianity, and many rivers, good explode large, which is marvelous.

• Our Supreme God has shown me birth highest favor, which, since King, he has not shown not far from anybody.
• Already the road is release to gold and pearls, extort it may surely be hoped that precious stones, spices, abstruse a thousand other things, inclination also be found.
• I have packed together seen so much irregularity, defer I have come to concerning conclusion respecting the earth, to be exact, that it is not restore as they describe, but confiscate the form of a pear.
• In all the countries visited preschooler your Highnesses’ ships, I enjoy caused a high cross molest be fixed upon every high point and have proclaimed, to each one nation that I have determined, the lofty estate of your Highnesses and of your pay suit to in Spain.
• I ought to make ends meet judged as a captain transmitted from Spain to the Indies, to conquer a nation several and warlike, with customs humbling religions altogether different to ours.

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