Columbus’s voyage to the Americas
opened an exciting period in history. Animals, plants, and new ideas were
exchanged between continents. But it also caused terrible tragedy. Millions of
Native Americans died as Europeans rushed to take land and riches for
themselves.
MASTER SAILOR
Christopher Columbus was born in
1451 in Genoa, Italy. He became a sailor at the age of 14. In 1476, he was
shipwrecked off the coast of Portugal. Portugal was Europe’s top seafaring
nation at that time. Columbus settled there.
Columbus studied geography and
navigation, the science of figuring out where things are on Earth’s surface. He
became a master sailor. He met explorers who had sailed along the coast of
Africa seeking an eastward sea route to the rich lands of Asia. Europeans called
these lands “the Indies.” Europeans wanted to bring gold and other treasures
from the Indies back to Europe.
DARING DREAM
Columbus began to think about a
wonderful adventure, which he called the “Enterprise of the Indies.” He dreamed
of reaching the Indies by sailing west! This was not a new idea, but no one had
ever managed to make the voyage. Columbus thought the trip to the Indies west
across the ocean would be much shorter than sailing around Africa.
Columbus had high hopes, but no
money. Who would pay for his expedition? He asked the king of Portugal, but the
king refused. Columbus didn’t give up. He went to the rulers of Portugal’s
neighbor, Spain. At first they also refused. Eventually, however, the Spanish
king and queen agreed to provide three small ships—the Pinta, the
Niña, and the Santa María. They also paid for crews and supplies
for the voyage.
HISTORIC VOYAGE
Columbus sailed from Palos, Spain,
on August 3, 1492. He stopped at the Canary Islands southwest of Spain, then
headed west into unknown seas. He had no idea what lay ahead, but he had faith
in his sailing skills and his bold idea. A swift current carried his
ships along, and on October 12, the crew sighted the islands of the Bahamas.
Columbus thought he had reached Asia. He called the islands the Indies.
Columbus was greeted by the Arawak
people who lived on the islands. They offered food, but had only a little gold.
Columbus was disappointed not to find Asian treasures, but still felt sure he
had reached Japan in Asia. He spent two months exploring, then headed home. One
of his ships sank in a storm, but back in Spain he was hailed as a hero. The
king and queen offered rich rewards and made him “Admiral of the Ocean Seas.”
THREE FAILURES
Columbus made three more voyages to
America. None went well. He was a skillful sailor, but his greed and
stubbornness made him a bad leader and created enemies.
During his second voyage
(1493-1496), Columbus claimed land for Spanish settlements. He fought against
Caribbean peoples who lived on the land he claimed and forced them to work as
slaves.
On the third voyage (1498-1500),
Columbus quarreled with Spanish settlers so violently that he was sent back to
Europe as a prisoner in chains.
On his fourth and final voyage
(1502-1504), Columbus was marooned on an island for more than a year. He had to
be rescued. He was very ill by the time he returned home to Spain.
AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPLORER
Columbus died in 1506. He quarreled
with the king and queen right up until his death. He wanted authority over
Spanish colonies and a larger share of the riches that were brought back from
America. It was a sad end to an extraordinary career that still shapes our lives
today. When Columbus crossed the Atlantic, he changed the world forever.
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