Lezli baskerville biography of christopher columbus
Christopher Columbus
| Spanish traveler, navigator and colonialist. Date of Birth: Country: Spain |
Content:
- Biography of Christopher Columbus
- Early Life and Career
- Explorations and Discoveries
Biography of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was a Spanish explorer, navigator, and colonizer.
His story is particularly interesting because his greatest discovery was made completely by accident, as his original goal was something entirely different. Nevertheless, Columbus not only discovered an unknown continent and initiated a new era of exploration, but also immortalized his name.
Early Life and Career
The exact date and place of Columbus' birth are unknown, but he was born somewhere in Genoa between October 31, , and October 30, According to Columbus himself, he first went to sea at the age of In , he became an apprentice and business agent for representatives of wealthy Genoese families.
Lezli baskerville biography of christopher columbus book At around the following morning, a lookout on the Pinta , Rodrigo de Triana , spotted land. The Real Story of Columbus. Fact-checking and Ethical Concerns We assure our audience that we will remove any contents that are not accurate or according to formal reports and queries if they are justified. Over his subsequent voyages, Columbus refused to acknowledge that the lands he visited and claimed for Spain were not part of Asia, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary.As part of his duties, he embarked on several voyages at sea, accompanying valuable cargo. From to , Columbus resided in Lisbon.
In Lisbon, Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, the daughter of a Portuguese nobleman and the governor of Porto Santo. They had a son named Diego, who was born around or It is unclear what happened to Filipa, as some claim she died in , while others say Columbus abandoned her.
Regardless, he moved to Castile, where he found a new mistress.
Columbus was known for his exceptional ambition and dedication to solving the challenges he faced. He devoted himself to learning, studying scientific works and mastering foreign languages.
Although he lacked a formal education, Columbus was able to teach himself many things. One of his favorite books was the Bible, and he frequently quoted it in his letters and diaries.
Explorations and Discoveries
Between and , Columbus completed four voyages from Spain to America and back. These expeditions were sponsored by the Spanish government, with the main goal of finding a shorter water route to Asia.
China and India had abundant valuable resources, but the Silk Road, especially after the fall of Constantinople, was not particularly safe.
Until his dying day, Columbus refused to admit that he had reached a new continent instead of Asia, which played a role in the naming of the discovered land.
On August 3, , Columbus set sail on the ships Santa Maria, Pinta, and Niña. They first reached the Canary Islands and then ventured across the ocean. The lookout on the Pinta spotted land around am on October 12, although Columbus later claimed that he had seen lights on land several hours earlier, thus granting himself the right to a lifetime pension promised by Spain.
The island they discovered, one of the Bahamas, was named San Salvador by Columbus.
There, the explorers encountered the native inhabitants and discovered their friendliness and love for gold ornaments.
Biography of marco polo It agrees with descriptions of Columbus in that it shows a large man with auburn hair, but the painting dates from so cannot have been painted from life. Fourth voyage — On 1 May , permission having been granted, Columbus presented his plans to Queen Isabella, who, in turn, referred it to a committee. On 19 August, Columbus returned to Hispaniola.Later, the Santa Maria ran aground and had to be abandoned. After further exploration of the surrounding waters and a significant conflict with the locals, the explorers returned home, taking a dozen natives with them as living souvenirs. The news of the discovery caused a sensation.
On his second voyage, Columbus set out with 17 ships. They left Cadiz on September 24, , and the exact route is difficult to reconstruct.
However, it is known that Columbus sailed along the Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, and landed in Puerto Rico. They also made a brief visit to Haiti and Cuba. Along the way, Columbus established the first European colonies in America, although there may have been earlier Viking visits.
The third expedition was sponsored with less enthusiasm.
Lezli baskerville biography of christopher columbus for kids These events and the effects which persist to the present are often cited as the beginning of the modern era. The Spanish government strips Columbus of his titles but still frees him and finances one last voyage , although it forbids him return to Hispaniola. His expeditions opened the gateway for European colonization of the Americas, leading to significant cultural exchanges. Editorial Universitaria Centroamericana.By the end of it, Columbus had fallen out with Spanish colonists and had to suppress a serious rebellion. Spanish authorities later forced him to reconcile with the rebels on humiliating terms and removed him from his post as governor of the new lands. Columbus also lost his exclusive right to explore the new territories.
The fourth expedition was his last chance to find a direct route to Asia, but his progress was halted by the presence of Central America.
After giving up his explorations, Columbus turned to religion.
Lezli baskerville biography of christopher columbus On 31 July they sighted Trinidad , [ ] the most southerly of the Caribbean islands. Columbus was known for his exceptional ambition and dedication to solving the challenges he faced. In subsequent years, he was plagued with what was thought to be influenza and other fevers, bleeding from the eyes, temporary blindness and prolonged attacks of gout. Following Columbus's death, Diego spent the rest of his life confined to Santo Domingo , and does not reappear in the historical record following a smallpox epidemic that swept Hispaniola inHis attempt to secure from the Spanish Crown the right to 10% of all income from the new territories proved unsuccessful. Meanwhile, his health deteriorated, and he believed he suffered from gout or influenza. Modern doctors tend to believe he was a victim of reactive arthritis (Reiter's syndrome).
On May 20, , Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain.
Initially, his remains were buried in Valladolid, then moved to Seville, and later in , they were transferred to the territory of present-day Dominican Republic.