Christopher Columbus
Wednesday, 14. May 2008, 10:43:34
Columbus was born in Genoa (JEN oh uh) ,Italy. He was the oldest of five children in his family. His father was a wool weaver. He helped his father with the weaving, but he always wanted to sail the seas.
He didn't get to go to school very much, but he learned to read and write Spanish during his travels. He also taught himself Latin because all the geography books were written in Latin.
Some people thought he was trying to prove the world was round, but this is not true. Most people already knew the earth was round. He wanted to find a short way to get to the Indies by ship.
He was a Christian and wanted to tell the story of Christ to the people he would find in the far-away lands. He also wanted wealth for himself and for Spain, and he wanted to be famous.
He tried for eight years to get King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to supply him with ships and money. Finally they agreed, but he made more demands.
He wanted to be made a knight * , admiral * of the Ocean Sea. He wanted to be the viceroy * and governor * general * of all lands he would discover. Also he wanted one-tenth of everything he found of value in the new lands.
He even boldly told them he wanted all of this in writing. This was rather brave of him because they could have had him killed because of his demands.
They finally agreed and he got three ships ready to sail;
the Santa Maria and two smaller ships, the Pinta and the Nina. He took enough food for a year. In four months he was ready to sail.
They left Spain on August 3, 1492. They made one stop, then sailed on toward the west. After many days, the sailors were ready to turn around and start back home.
"Just three more days," he said. "Then if we don't see land, we'll turn around and go back home."
Columbus Taking Possession Two days later they saw land; an island Columbus named San Salvador. He thought he had found the Indies and called the people he saw there "Indians".
When they got to Cuba, he thought he was in China. The world was a lot larger than he thought.
On Christmas Eve, the Santa Maria was wrecked near Haiti. Columbus built a fort and left 40 men to hunt for gold. Then he returned to Spain on the Nina. The Pinta also returned. The people of Spain welcomed him as a hero.
He made three more voyages across the ocean. His 13-year-old son, Ferdinand went with him on the fourth voyage.
Columbus did not become rich as he had hoped. At the end of his life he only had a pension the king and queen had given him because he was the first to reach the New World. He spent the last few months of his life in bed because of the pain of arthritis.
Columbus not only discovered a New World, but he led the way for other explorers.
Columbus Mythbusters by Joseph M. Laufer
International Columbian Quincentenary Alliance
P.O. Box 1492
Columbus, NJ 08022
MYTH: Columbus set out to prove the earth was round.
FACT: At the end of the 15th Century, most everyone knew the
earth was a sphere. What was in question, however, was the size
of the earth--its circumference. Columbus underestimated the
size of the earth by one-fourth.
MYTH: Queen Isabella sold the crown jewels to pay for Columbus'
voyage.
FACT: The queen may have suggested this at some point, but her
financial advisers assured her that there were other ways to
finance the enterprise. One way was to make the city of Palos
pay back a debt to the crown by providing two of the ships.
Another way was to get Italian financial backing for part of the
expenses. The crown had to put up very little money from the
treasury.
MYTH: The crew of the three ships on the voyage of discovery was
made up mainly of criminals and nare-do-goods.
FACT: The crew was primarily comprised of seasoned sailors from
the towns of Palos and Moguer, Spain, thanks to the efforts of
the Pinzon brothers. Just in case Columbus might have had
trouble attracting a crew, the crown did offer amnesty to
criminals. However, only four criminals were on board: one a
convicted murderer (he killed a man in a quarrel); the other
three, accused of freeing him from prison.
MYTH: The initial voyage from Spain to the new world was
perilous--fraught with bad weather and lack of food. Several
sailors died on the way.
FACT: No one died on the maiden voyage. There was enough food
aboard for one year. The weather was almost ideal--no storms
were encountered. However, on the return trip to Spain there was
a major hurricane which almost destroyed the two remaining ships.
MYTH: There was a priest on board the Santa Maria in 1492.
FACT: There were no friars or priests on the first voyage in
1492, despite Columbus' deep religious fervor. Many of the
paintings of the first landfall in the new world on San Salvador
show a priest with Columbus--contrary to the facts. There were
five priests on the second voyage: Benedictine Father Buil; the
Jeronymite Father Ramon Pane; and three Franciscans.
MYTH: Several hundred sailors were aboard the three caravels on
the initial voyage in 1492. The ships were relatively large for
the anticipated long journey on an unpredictable sea.
FACT: Only 90 men made the first voyage of discovery. The ships
were quite tiny by modern standards--no longer than a tennis
court, and less than 30 feet wide. The Santa Maria had 40 men
aboard, the Pinta, 26, and the Ni$a, 24. Only the Ni$a and the
Pinta returned to Spain, as the Santa Maria was shipwrecked on
Christmas Day, 1492. 39 men volunteered to stay behind at the
fortress called "La Navidad" on the northern coast of present-day
Haiti (they all perished at the hands of the Indians prior to the
return of Columbus the following year).
MYTH: There is no doubt that Columbus was of Italian descent.
FACT: Much controversy surrounds the origins of Columbus. Some
say he was a "converso"--a converted Jew. Others say he was born
on Corsica, and there is even a theory that traces him to Viking
ancestors. The prevailing theory is that he was a Genoese, born
and raised in that seaport city in what is now Italy.
MYTH: Columbus suffered from syphilis and probably died from it.
FACT: Columbus suffered in later life from a form of gout--an
arthritic condition in his joints caused by the rigors of the
sea. His eyesight was also declining. While syphilis was
introduced into Europe after 1492, probably by the Indians
Columbus brought back to Spain or by the sailors who had contact
with them in the new world, Columbus was not infected by it.
MYTH: Columbus died a pauper, in chains, in a Spanish prison.
FACT: Despite the fact that the Spanish crown retracted some of
the privileges promised to Columbus, he was a relatively rich man
at the time of his death. Although he returned to Spain in
chains in 1500 after his third voyage, the King and Queen
apologized for the misunderstanding and had them removed.
Columbus died quietly at the age of 55 in Valladolid, Spain, on
May 20, 1506 in his own apartment attended by family and friends.
MYTH: Columbus is buried in Santo Domingo, the Dominican
Republic.
FACT: There is much controversy surrounding the whereabouts of
the remains of Columbus. There are records of the transferral of
his remains on different occasions, so that it is possible that
parts of his remains are in several locations. The prevailing
belief, however, is that his primary burial place is in the
Cathedral of Seville, Spain, with some of his bones or ashes in
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and some in Genoa, Italy. At
one time they were in Cuba.
MYTH: Columbus set foot on North American soil at some point now
a part of mainland United States.
FACT: Columbus never saw North America. His first landfall was
in the Bahamas, probably the current San Salvador (Watlings
Island), although even this is disputed (Samana Cay, an island 65
miles south of San Salvador is a strong contender). There are
proponents for seven other possible island landing sites. The
only current U.S. territories either sighted or visited by
Columbus are the U.S. Virgin Islands, which Columbus named on his
second voyage, and Puerto Rico. While in anchor of St. Croix
(USVI) on November 14, 1493, some of Columbus' crew experienced
the first hostile encounter with the Indians. Five days later he
landed at San Juan Bautista, now Puerto Rico. Later he would
visit the northeastern tip of South America and the eastern coast
of Central America, but never mainland U.S.A. The fact is that
Columbus never admitted that he had discovered a new continent.
SOME OTHER INTERESTING FACTS
WOMEN were not on the first or second voyages of Columbus. The
first women colonists appeared in 1498, when Columbus was allowed
to recruit one woman for every ten emigrants on the third voyage.
HORSES were introduced to the new world by Columbus on his second
voyage.
SEVENTEEN SHIPS and over twelve-hundred men made up "The Grand
Fleet" of the second voyage in 1493.
TOBACCO was introduced into Europe because of Columbus' discovery
of its use by the Indians.
CELESTIAL PHENOMENA were observed by Columbus on several of his
voyages. He observed a "marvelous branch of fire" that fell into
the sea (a meteor or a comet?) in 1492 on his first voyage.
There is a record of a 280-pound meteorite which landed near the
Alsatian town of Ensisheim and seen by the German King Maximilian
in 1492. There was a total eclipse of the moon on September 14,
1494 (second voyage), which Columbus used to clarify his position
(erroneously) near Asia. On the fourth voyage Columbus used his
foreknowledge of a total eclipse of the moon on February 29,
1504, to convince the Indians of his supernatural powers.
LAUFER02
He didn't get to go to school very much, but he learned to read and write Spanish during his travels. He also taught himself Latin because all the geography books were written in Latin.
Some people thought he was trying to prove the world was round, but this is not true. Most people already knew the earth was round. He wanted to find a short way to get to the Indies by ship.
He was a Christian and wanted to tell the story of Christ to the people he would find in the far-away lands. He also wanted wealth for himself and for Spain, and he wanted to be famous.
He tried for eight years to get King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to supply him with ships and money. Finally they agreed, but he made more demands.
He wanted to be made a knight * , admiral * of the Ocean Sea. He wanted to be the viceroy * and governor * general * of all lands he would discover. Also he wanted one-tenth of everything he found of value in the new lands.
He even boldly told them he wanted all of this in writing. This was rather brave of him because they could have had him killed because of his demands.
They finally agreed and he got three ships ready to sail;
the Santa Maria and two smaller ships, the Pinta and the Nina. He took enough food for a year. In four months he was ready to sail.
They left Spain on August 3, 1492. They made one stop, then sailed on toward the west. After many days, the sailors were ready to turn around and start back home.
"Just three more days," he said. "Then if we don't see land, we'll turn around and go back home."
Columbus Taking Possession Two days later they saw land; an island Columbus named San Salvador. He thought he had found the Indies and called the people he saw there "Indians".
When they got to Cuba, he thought he was in China. The world was a lot larger than he thought.
On Christmas Eve, the Santa Maria was wrecked near Haiti. Columbus built a fort and left 40 men to hunt for gold. Then he returned to Spain on the Nina. The Pinta also returned. The people of Spain welcomed him as a hero.
He made three more voyages across the ocean. His 13-year-old son, Ferdinand went with him on the fourth voyage.
Columbus did not become rich as he had hoped. At the end of his life he only had a pension the king and queen had given him because he was the first to reach the New World. He spent the last few months of his life in bed because of the pain of arthritis.
Columbus not only discovered a New World, but he led the way for other explorers.
Columbus Mythbusters by Joseph M. Laufer
International Columbian Quincentenary Alliance
P.O. Box 1492
Columbus, NJ 08022
MYTH: Columbus set out to prove the earth was round.
FACT: At the end of the 15th Century, most everyone knew the
earth was a sphere. What was in question, however, was the size
of the earth--its circumference. Columbus underestimated the
size of the earth by one-fourth.
MYTH: Queen Isabella sold the crown jewels to pay for Columbus'
voyage.
FACT: The queen may have suggested this at some point, but her
financial advisers assured her that there were other ways to
finance the enterprise. One way was to make the city of Palos
pay back a debt to the crown by providing two of the ships.
Another way was to get Italian financial backing for part of the
expenses. The crown had to put up very little money from the
treasury.
MYTH: The crew of the three ships on the voyage of discovery was
made up mainly of criminals and nare-do-goods.
FACT: The crew was primarily comprised of seasoned sailors from
the towns of Palos and Moguer, Spain, thanks to the efforts of
the Pinzon brothers. Just in case Columbus might have had
trouble attracting a crew, the crown did offer amnesty to
criminals. However, only four criminals were on board: one a
convicted murderer (he killed a man in a quarrel); the other
three, accused of freeing him from prison.
MYTH: The initial voyage from Spain to the new world was
perilous--fraught with bad weather and lack of food. Several
sailors died on the way.
FACT: No one died on the maiden voyage. There was enough food
aboard for one year. The weather was almost ideal--no storms
were encountered. However, on the return trip to Spain there was
a major hurricane which almost destroyed the two remaining ships.
MYTH: There was a priest on board the Santa Maria in 1492.
FACT: There were no friars or priests on the first voyage in
1492, despite Columbus' deep religious fervor. Many of the
paintings of the first landfall in the new world on San Salvador
show a priest with Columbus--contrary to the facts. There were
five priests on the second voyage: Benedictine Father Buil; the
Jeronymite Father Ramon Pane; and three Franciscans.
MYTH: Several hundred sailors were aboard the three caravels on
the initial voyage in 1492. The ships were relatively large for
the anticipated long journey on an unpredictable sea.
FACT: Only 90 men made the first voyage of discovery. The ships
were quite tiny by modern standards--no longer than a tennis
court, and less than 30 feet wide. The Santa Maria had 40 men
aboard, the Pinta, 26, and the Ni$a, 24. Only the Ni$a and the
Pinta returned to Spain, as the Santa Maria was shipwrecked on
Christmas Day, 1492. 39 men volunteered to stay behind at the
fortress called "La Navidad" on the northern coast of present-day
Haiti (they all perished at the hands of the Indians prior to the
return of Columbus the following year).
MYTH: There is no doubt that Columbus was of Italian descent.
FACT: Much controversy surrounds the origins of Columbus. Some
say he was a "converso"--a converted Jew. Others say he was born
on Corsica, and there is even a theory that traces him to Viking
ancestors. The prevailing theory is that he was a Genoese, born
and raised in that seaport city in what is now Italy.
MYTH: Columbus suffered from syphilis and probably died from it.
FACT: Columbus suffered in later life from a form of gout--an
arthritic condition in his joints caused by the rigors of the
sea. His eyesight was also declining. While syphilis was
introduced into Europe after 1492, probably by the Indians
Columbus brought back to Spain or by the sailors who had contact
with them in the new world, Columbus was not infected by it.
MYTH: Columbus died a pauper, in chains, in a Spanish prison.
FACT: Despite the fact that the Spanish crown retracted some of
the privileges promised to Columbus, he was a relatively rich man
at the time of his death. Although he returned to Spain in
chains in 1500 after his third voyage, the King and Queen
apologized for the misunderstanding and had them removed.
Columbus died quietly at the age of 55 in Valladolid, Spain, on
May 20, 1506 in his own apartment attended by family and friends.
MYTH: Columbus is buried in Santo Domingo, the Dominican
Republic.
FACT: There is much controversy surrounding the whereabouts of
the remains of Columbus. There are records of the transferral of
his remains on different occasions, so that it is possible that
parts of his remains are in several locations. The prevailing
belief, however, is that his primary burial place is in the
Cathedral of Seville, Spain, with some of his bones or ashes in
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and some in Genoa, Italy. At
one time they were in Cuba.
MYTH: Columbus set foot on North American soil at some point now
a part of mainland United States.
FACT: Columbus never saw North America. His first landfall was
in the Bahamas, probably the current San Salvador (Watlings
Island), although even this is disputed (Samana Cay, an island 65
miles south of San Salvador is a strong contender). There are
proponents for seven other possible island landing sites. The
only current U.S. territories either sighted or visited by
Columbus are the U.S. Virgin Islands, which Columbus named on his
second voyage, and Puerto Rico. While in anchor of St. Croix
(USVI) on November 14, 1493, some of Columbus' crew experienced
the first hostile encounter with the Indians. Five days later he
landed at San Juan Bautista, now Puerto Rico. Later he would
visit the northeastern tip of South America and the eastern coast
of Central America, but never mainland U.S.A. The fact is that
Columbus never admitted that he had discovered a new continent.
SOME OTHER INTERESTING FACTS
WOMEN were not on the first or second voyages of Columbus. The
first women colonists appeared in 1498, when Columbus was allowed
to recruit one woman for every ten emigrants on the third voyage.
HORSES were introduced to the new world by Columbus on his second
voyage.
SEVENTEEN SHIPS and over twelve-hundred men made up "The Grand
Fleet" of the second voyage in 1493.
TOBACCO was introduced into Europe because of Columbus' discovery
of its use by the Indians.
CELESTIAL PHENOMENA were observed by Columbus on several of his
voyages. He observed a "marvelous branch of fire" that fell into
the sea (a meteor or a comet?) in 1492 on his first voyage.
There is a record of a 280-pound meteorite which landed near the
Alsatian town of Ensisheim and seen by the German King Maximilian
in 1492. There was a total eclipse of the moon on September 14,
1494 (second voyage), which Columbus used to clarify his position
(erroneously) near Asia. On the fourth voyage Columbus used his
foreknowledge of a total eclipse of the moon on February 29,
1504, to convince the Indians of his supernatural powers.
LAUFER02
