Christopher Columbus - 2210 Words

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS One of the greatest explorers of all time, Columbus was most renowned for discovering America. However his death went barely acknowledged. How much of his life was fact, how much fortune did he return with and has time and history painted an image greater than the man. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS Christopher Columbus was born in the port city of Genoa, Italy. Although scholars are unsure sure of his exact date of birth, history generally recognizes that his birth took place between August 25 and October 31, 1451. Columbus was born to an affluent wool weaving family, his father Domenico Colombo, Colombo is the Italian spelling of Columbus, and his mother Suzanna Fontanarossa. He was the eldest of five children,†¦show more content†¦Christopher Columbus was an entrepreneur, as well as an opportunist; on his second voyage he carried with him African slaves to the new world. 12 Columbus also claimed a dowry offered to the first person to see land on his maiden voyage. During his first voyage, on October 12, 1492 a lookout spotted land a couple hours after midnight from the crow’s nest of the Pinta. The lookout’s name was Rodrigo de Triana for his sighting; he should have received a pension of 10,000 Maravedis per year. That was roughly what an able sailor could make in a year at the time, however Columbus pocketed the money himself, claiming he saw lights the night before. 13 This however would not be a onetime occurrence, in 1491 Columbus made a final appeal to Spanish Monarchs but his plan was rejected. In the past his plan was rejected for technical reasons, such as his assessment of the size of the ocean, it was believed to be too large to cross or the distances and measurements that Columbus came up with were not accurate. This time, the request was denied due to simple greed. â€Å"Columbus had asked for one tenth of all the riches in the indies, and his demands for the titles of admiral, which would give him the right to judge commercial disputes; of viceroy, which would make him the personal representative of the monarchs; and of governor, which would enable him to act as supreme civilShow MoreRelatedEssay on Christopher Columbus? Or Not Christopher Columbus?1329 Words   |  6 Pages On Columbus Day students across the na tion will learn how Columbus discovered the New World and about his fantastic travels to the New World. Children will learn poems, stories, songs and rhymes about his travels and about himself as well on this day. When introduced to Columbus as a young student he is portrayed as a respectful gentleman and as a hero, when in reality he is a selfish man who takes advantage of lesser people and schools should be teaching their students about who Columbus reallyRead MoreThe Christopher Columbus741 Words   |  3 Pages Little may one know about Christopher Columbus, other than the fact that â€Å"Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492†. Even though he was claimed to have discovered the Americas, he was never the first to arrive there because (according to historians) the Vikings were there first. But, his discovery led other people in Europe know about the Americas therefore changing the world. Columbus shaped the world as we know it today. Columbus was born around 1451 in the republic of Genoa (what today wouldRead MoreChristopher Columbus And The Columbus1365 Words   |  6 PagesChristopher Columbus Most people think of Christopher Columbus as the person who discovered the Americas. 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Christopher Columbus had little schooling just like most of the people during that age. Genoa was a busy seaport and Christopher Columbus learned much from the sailors. Christopher Columbusâ €™s father was a poor weaver. Christopher Columbus workedRead MoreThe Voyage of Christopher Columbus1541 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican History I 07/08/05 Christopher Columbus Voyage to North America Spanish exploration first began with a series of revolutions. First, the Commercial Revolution generated economic stability. Second, the Intellectual Revolution generated interest in the Earths composition and the pursuit of exploration. Europe then called for a political revolution to end the disorganized and disorderly rule of its government. This revolution returned order and stability to the government and renewed interestRead MoreLegacy of Christopher Columbus2614 Words   |  11 PagesThe Legacy of Christopher Columbus Abstract After many centuries, a lot of controversy still surrounds Christopher Columbus. He remains to be a strange figure in history regarded as a famous explorer and a great mariner who made many discoveries in his days. Other people still regard him as a visionary and a national hero while others chose to remember him as a brutal and greedy person who used the rest of the humanity for his own selfish gains. Despite the fact that there have been protests inRead MoreChristopher Columbus Is Not A Hero Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesChristopher Columbus is commonly known as the â€Å"discoverer† of the Americas. From a young age students are taught all the wonderful things he did for our land and how well he interacted with the Natives. Although the truth is disregarded and as students grow, they come to learn that Columbus was not a hero in fact. Columbus came close to causing a genocide of the Native Americans, and basically began the â€Å"white power† movement that America is forced to deal with today. The truth of what ChristopherRead More Christopher Columbus Essay474 Words   |  2 Pagesin search of a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, Christopher Columbus accidentally discovered the Americas. However, in four separate voyages to the Caribbean from 1492 to 1504, he remained convinced that he had found the lands that Marco Polo reached in his overland travels to China at the end of the 13th century. To Columbus it was only a matter of time before a passage was found through the Caribbean islands to the cities of Asia. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas Vikings