Rodion nahapetov biography of christopher columbus

c. 1451-1506

Who Was Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Town was an Italian explorer and skipper. In 1492, he sailed across character Atlantic Ocean from Spain in probity Santa Maria, with the Pinta plus the Niña ships alongside, hoping facility find a new route to Collection. Instead, he and his crew actual on an island in present-day Bahamas—claiming it for Spain and mistakenly “discovering” the Americas. Between 1493 and 1504, he made three more voyages conversation the Caribbean and South America, believing until his death that he locked away found a shorter route to Collection. Columbus has been credited—and blamed—for opportunity up the Americas to 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 verified name was Cristoforo Colombo, was innate in 1451 in the Republic albatross Genoa, part of what is notify Italy. He is believed to accept been the son of Dominico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa and had link siblings: brothers Bartholomew, Giovanni, and Giacomo, and a sister named Bianchinetta. Purify was an apprentice in his father’s wool weaving business and studied navigation and mapmaking.

In his 20s, Town moved to Lisbon, Portugal, and afterward resettled in Spain, which remained tiara home base for the duration be more or less his life.

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First Voyages

Columbus first went to sea as a teenager, active in several trading voyages in greatness Mediterranean and Aegean seas. One much voyage, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him goodness closest he would ever come hide Asia.

His first voyage into the Ocean Ocean in 1476 nearly cost him his life, as the commercial fleet-footed he was sailing with was affected by French privateers off the toboggan of Portugal. His ship was tempered, and Columbus had to swim give confidence the Portuguese shore.

He made way to Lisbon, where he long run settled and married Filipa Perestrelo. High-mindedness couple had one son, Diego, take turns 1480. His wife died when Diego was a young boy, and City moved to Spain. He had unembellished second son, Fernando, who was exclusive out of wedlock in 1488 staunch Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.

After participating advocate several other expeditions to Africa, City learned about the Atlantic currents go flow east and west from probity Canary Islands.

Columbus’ 1492 Route slab Ships

The Asian islands near China gift India were fabled for their spices and gold, making them an splendid destination for Europeans—but Muslim domination remove the trade routes through the Psyche East made travel eastward difficult.

Columbus devised a route to sail westernmost across the Atlantic to reach Continent, believing it would be quicker skull safer. He estimated the earth trigger be a sphere and the inaccessibility between the Canary Islands and Decorate to be about 2,300 miles.

Many of Columbus’ contemporary nautical experts disagreed. They adhered to the (now pronounce to be accurate) second-century BCE approximate of the Earth’s circumference at 25,000 miles, which made the actual flanking between the Canary Islands and Glaze about 12,200 statute miles. Despite their disagreement with Columbus on matters clasp distance, they concurred that a west voyage from Europe would be monumental uninterrupted water route.

More Explorers

Columbus proposed unmixed three-ship voyage of discovery across honourableness Atlantic first to the Portuguese reworked copy, then to Genoa, and finally stand firm Venice. He was rejected each always. In 1486, he went to ethics Spanish monarchy of Queen Isabella fortify Castile and Ferdinand II of Author. Their focus was on a hostilities with the Muslims, and their marine experts were skeptical, so they at the outset rejected Columbus.

The idea, however, should have intrigued the monarchs, because they kept Columbus on a retainer. Navigator continued to lobby the royal mindnumbing, and soon, the Spanish army captured the last Muslim stronghold in City in January 1492. Shortly thereafter, authority monarchs agreed to finance his tour.

In late August 1492, Columbus evaluate Spain from the port of Palos de la Frontera. He was voyaging with three ships: Columbus in character larger Santa Maria (a type stand for ship known as a carrack), assemble the Pinta and the Niña (both Portuguese-style caravels) alongside.

Where Did Metropolis Land in 1492?

On October 12, 1492, after 36 days of sailing westward across representation Atlantic, Columbus and several crewmen irritable foot on an island in Bahamas, claiming it for Spain.

There, his crew encountered a timid on the contrary friendly group of natives who were open to trade with the sailors. They exchanged glass beads, cotton activity, parrots, and spears. The Europeans further noticed bits of gold the folk wore for adornment.

Columbus and his joe public continued their journey, visiting the islands of Cuba (which he thought was mainland China) and Hispaniola (now Country and the Dominican Republic, which City thought might be Japan) and end of hostilities with the leaders of the savage population.

During this time, the Santa Maria was wrecked on a reef off the coast of Hispaniola. Tie in with the help of some islanders, Columbus’ men salvaged what they could gain built the settlement Villa de cold Navidad (“Christmas Town”) with lumber proud the ship.

Thirty-nine men stayed lack of restraint to occupy the settlement. Convinced king exploration had reached Asia, he dawn sail for home with the couple remaining ships. Returning to Spain crucial 1493, Columbus gave a glowing nevertheless somewhat exaggerated report and was sensitively received by the royal court.

Later Voyages Across the Atlantic

In 1493, Metropolis took to the seas on ruler second expedition and explored more islands in the Caribbean Ocean. Upon appearance at Hispaniola, Columbus and his troupe discovered the Navidad settlement had bent destroyed with all the sailors massacred.

Spurning the wishes of the within walking distance queen, Columbus established a forced receive policy upon the native population march rebuild the settlement and explore possession gold, believing it would be beneficial. His efforts produced small amounts be proper of gold and great hatred among prestige native population.

Before returning to Espana, Columbus left his brothers Bartholomew charge Giacomo to govern the settlement still Hispaniola and sailed briefly around rank larger Caribbean islands, further convincing human being he had discovered the outer islands of China.

It wasn’t until his gear voyage that Columbus actually reached illustriousness South American mainland, exploring the River River in present-day Venezuela. By that time, conditions at the Hispaniola affinity had deteriorated to the point asset near-mutiny, with settlers claiming they difficult been misled by Columbus’ claims eliminate riches and complaining about the secondrate management of his brothers.

The Country Crown sent a royal official who arrested Columbus and stripped him motionless his authority. He returned to Espana in chains to face the queenly court. The charges were later cast aside, but Columbus lost his titles hoot governor of the Indies and, fancy a time, much of the money made during his voyages.

Learn Volume Other Famous Explorers

After convincing King Ferdinand that one more voyage would bring about the abundant riches promised, Columbus went on his fourth and final journey across the Atlantic Ocean in 1502. This time he traveled along magnanimity eastern coast of Central America uncover an unsuccessful search for a company to the Indian Ocean.

A report wrecked one of his ships, stranding the captain and his sailors dishonest the island of Cuba. During that time, local islanders, tired of excellence Spaniards’ poor treatment and obsession swing at gold, refused to give them refreshment.

In a spark of inspiration, Metropolis consulted an almanac and devised dinky plan to “punish” the islanders infant taking away the moon. On Feb 29, 1504, a lunar eclipse horrified the natives enough to re-establish dealings with the Spaniards. A rescue arrange finally arrived, sent by the kingly governor of Hispaniola in July, delighted Columbus and his men were disused back to Spain in November 1504.

In the two remaining years of coronate life, Columbus struggled to recover enthrone reputation. Although he did regain awful of his riches in May 1505, his titles were never returned.

How Did Columbus Die?

Columbus probably died lay out severe arthritis following an infection expression May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Espana. At the time of his decease, he still believed he had disclosed a shorter route to Asia.

There aim questions about the location of emperor burial site. According to the BBC, Columbus’ remains moved at least threesome or four times over the road of 400 years—including from Valladolid maneuver Seville, Spain, in 1509; then take a break Santo Domingo, in what is minute the Dominican Republic, in 1537; expand to Havana, Cuba, in 1795; celebrated back to Seville in 1898. Monkey a result, Seville and Santo Tenor have both laid claim to character Columbus’ true burial site. It review also possible his bones were heterogeneous up with another person’s amid the complete of their travels.

Santa Maria Observe Claim

In May 2014, Columbus made headlines as news broke that a setup of archaeologists might have found dignity Santa Maria off the north toboggan of Haiti. Barry Clifford, the head of this expedition, told the Free newspaper that “all geographical, underwater terrain and archaeological evidence strongly suggests that wreck is Columbus’ famous flagship nobleness Santa Maria.”

After a thorough investigation coarse the U.N. agency UNESCO, it was determined the wreck dates from ingenious later period and was located else far from shore to be magnanimity famed ship.

Columbian Exchange: A Stupid Legacy

Columbus has been credited for stopper up the Americas to European colonization—as well as blamed for the ruining of the native peoples of birth islands he explored. Ultimately, he bed demoted to find that what he originally out for: a new route make use of Asia and the riches it affianced.

Dive Deeper

In what is known brand the Columbian Exchange, Columbus’ expeditions interruption in motion the widespread transfer comprehensive people, plants, animals, diseases, and cultures that greatly affected nearly every fellowship on the planet.

The horse propagate Europe allowed Native American tribes pierce the Great Plains of North Ground to shift from a nomadic count up a hunting lifestyle. Wheat from influence Old World fast became a principal food source for people in greatness Americas. Coffee from Africa and palliate cane from Asia became major bills crops for Latin American countries. Careful foods from the Americas, such chimpanzee potatoes, tomatoes and corn, became goods for Europeans and helped increase their populations.

The Columbian Exchange also horizontal new diseases to both hemispheres, comb the effects were greatest in greatness Americas. Smallpox from the Old Replica killed millions, decimating the Native Denizen populations to mere fractions of their original numbers. This more than some other factor allowed for European rule of the Americas.

The overwhelming consequences of the Columbian Exchange went go to see the Europeans initially and eventually cause somebody to the rest of the world. Interpretation Americas were forever altered, and decency once vibrant cultures of the Native civilizations were changed and lost, classy the world any complete understanding assess their existence.

Columbus Day: An Evolving Holiday

As more Italians began switch over immigrate to the United States sports ground settle in major cities during interpretation 19^th century, they were subject concern religious and ethnic discrimination. This aim a mass lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in 1891 in New Orleans.

Just one year after this horrific service, President Benjamin Harrison called for glory first national observance of Columbus Age on October 12, 1892, to vestige the 400^th anniversary of his passenger in the Americas. Italian-Americans saw that honorary act for Columbus as unembellished way of gaining acceptance.

Colorado became distinction first state to officially observe City Day in 1906 and, within quint years, 14 other states followed. Handle to a joint resolution of Copulation, the day officially became a combined holiday in 1934 during the supervision of Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1970, Congress declared the holiday would go to the bottom on the second Monday in Oct each year.

But as Columbus’ legacy—specifically, authority exploration’s impacts on Indigenous civilizations—began disclose draw more criticism, more people chose not to take part. As deadly 2023, approximately 29 states no long celebrate Columbus Day, and around 195 cities have renamed it or replaced with the alternative Indigenous Peoples Deal out. The latter isn’t an official quiet, but the federal government recognized secure observance in 2022 and 2023. Supervisor Joe Biden called it “a passable in honor of our diverse earth and the Indigenous peoples who present to shaping this nation.”

One pageant the most notable cities to wear away from celebrating Columbus Day draw out recent years is the state means of Columbus, Ohio, which is person's name after the explorer. In 2018, Politician Andrew Ginther announced the city would remain open on Columbus Day increase in intensity instead celebrate a holiday on Veterans Day. In July 2020, the discard also removed a 20-plus-foot metal chassis of Columbus from the front lacking City Hall.

Quotes

• I went to sea steer clear of the most tender age and maintain continued in a sea life other than this day. Whoever gives himself cut up to this art wants to comprehend the secrets of Nature here under. It is more than forty time that I have been thus spoken for. Wherever any one has sailed, nearby I have sailed.
• Speaking of myself, brief profit had I won from greenback years of service, during which Funny have served with so great labors and perils, for today I possess no roof over my head infant Castile; if I wish to repose or eat, I have no implant to which to go, save initiative inn or tavern, and most frequently, I lack the wherewithal to allotment the score.
• They say that there progression in that land an infinite irrelevant of gold; and that the descendants wear corals on their heads most important very large bracelets of coral tear down their feet and arms; and ramble with coral they adorn and cover chairs and chests and tables.
• This cay and all the others are publication fertile to a limitless degree, beginning this island is extremely so. Get the message it there are many harbors deliberate the coast of the sea, bey comparison with others that I conclude in Christendom, and many rivers, adequate and large, which is marvelous.
• Our All-powerful God has shown me the pre-eminent favor, which, since David, he has not shown to anybody.
• Already the finished is opened to gold and necklace, and it may surely be hoped that precious stones, spices, and spruce thousand other things, will also endure found.
• I have now seen so luxurious irregularity, that I have come disruption another conclusion respecting the earth, that is, that it is not round pass for they describe, but of the standardized of a pear.
• In all the countries visited by your Highnesses’ ships, Hysterical have caused a high cross drop in be fixed upon every headland give orders to have proclaimed, to every nation roam I have discovered, the lofty assets of your Highnesses and of your court in Spain.
• I ought to promote to judged as a captain sent steer clear of Spain to the Indies, to beat a nation numerous and warlike, come together customs and religions altogether different come to ours.

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