Christopher Columbus
Date: 12-10-1492
Christopher Columbus was born in the year 1415 in Italy. Although he had a simple background he managed to became a upperclass citizen of Portugal and Spain. During his lifetime the renaissance just started and the fact that the earth was round was begin more widely accepted (again, since the Greeks already knew this!). Columbus being, being a businessman, saw een opportunity, he wanted to find a faster route to Asia and set up new trade that would hopefully make him rich.
After years of begging to get together the funds to set up such an operation, Queen Isabella of Spain gave him the funds and ships. Early August 1492, Columbus took off to Asia on a ship called the Santa Maria.
Christopher Columbus was born in the year 1415 in Italy. Although he had a simple background he managed to became a upperclass citizen of Portugal and Spain. During his lifetime the renaissance just started and the fact that the earth was round was begin more widely accepted (again, since the Greeks already knew this!). Columbus being, being a businessman, saw een opportunity, he wanted to find a faster route to Asia and set up new trade that would hopefully make him rich.
After years of begging to get together the funds to set up such an operation, Queen Isabella of Spain gave him the funds and ships. Early August 1492, Columbus took off to Asia on a ship called the Santa Maria.
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On October 12th 1492, only two months later, a sailor up in a crow's nest called out: "Land in sight!" Columbus discovers a small island and calls it San Salvador. He calls local inhabitants Indians, thinking that he had reached Asia, not knowing he arrived at the Americas. Although he noticed that the local inhabitants didn't look like the people Marco Polo described in his stories, neither they had any of the riches Polo mentioned.
Later, Columbus would discover Cuba, Columbia and a number of other countries. Columbus would go down in history as one of the most renowned explorers the world has ever seen. |
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Columbus arriving in the Americas. Painting by Emanuel Leutze.
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Did you know?
Columbus wasn't likely to be te first European to cross the Atlantic. Almost 5 centuries earlier, a Norse Viking called Leif Eriksson landed in present-day Newfoundland.
Columbus wasn't likely to be te first European to cross the Atlantic. Almost 5 centuries earlier, a Norse Viking called Leif Eriksson landed in present-day Newfoundland.
Location:
Rouen is located in France.
Rouen is located in France.
