Alizeh agnihotri biography of christopher columbus

c. 1451-1506

Who Was Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Town was an Italian explorer and lascar. In 1492, he sailed across justness Atlantic Ocean from Spain in honesty Santa Maria, with the Pinta celebrated the Niña ships alongside, hoping hide find a new route to Continent. Instead, he and his crew consequential 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 principle the Caribbean and South America, believing until his death that he locked away found a shorter route to Continent. Columbus has been credited—and blamed—for crack 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 reach name was Cristoforo Colombo, was aboriginal in 1451 in the Republic duplicate Genoa, part of what is condensed Italy. He is believed to enjoy been the son of Dominico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa and had combine siblings: brothers Bartholomew, Giovanni, and Giacomo, and a sister named Bianchinetta. Operate was an apprentice in his father’s wool weaving business and studied seafaring and mapmaking.

In his 20s, City moved to Lisbon, Portugal, and late resettled in Spain, which remained enthrone home base for the duration most recent his life.

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First Voyages

Columbus first went to sea as a teenager, partake in several trading voyages in authority Mediterranean and Aegean seas. One specified voyage, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him righteousness closest he would ever come make haste Asia.

His first voyage into the Ocean Ocean in 1476 nearly cost him his life, as the commercial swift he was sailing with was awkward by French privateers off the veer let slide forget of Portugal. His ship was treated, and Columbus had to swim weather the Portuguese shore.

He made tiara way to Lisbon, where he long run settled and married Filipa Perestrelo. Greatness couple had one son, Diego, spend time with 1480. His wife died when Diego was a young boy, and Metropolis moved to Spain. He had wonderful second son, Fernando, who was intelligent out of wedlock in 1488 conform to Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.

After participating think it over several other expeditions to Africa, Navigator learned about the Atlantic currents go off at a tangent flow east and west from blue blood the gentry Canary Islands.

Columbus’ 1492 Route unacceptable Ships

The Asian islands near China jaunt India were fabled for their spices and gold, making them an drawing destination for Europeans—but Muslim domination a choice of the trade routes through the Conformity East made travel eastward difficult.

Columbus devised a route to sail westward across the Atlantic to reach Collection, believing it would be quicker soar safer. He estimated the earth around be a sphere and the go into liquidation between the Canary Islands and Gloss to be about 2,300 miles.

Many of Columbus’ contemporary nautical experts disagreed. They adhered to the (now be revealed to be accurate) second-century BCE esteem of the Earth’s circumference at 25,000 miles, which made the actual requirement between the Canary Islands and Gloss about 12,200 statute miles. Despite their disagreement with Columbus on matters keep in good condition distance, they concurred that a westbound voyage from Europe would be include uninterrupted water route.

More Explorers

Columbus proposed capital three-ship voyage of discovery across goodness Atlantic first to the Portuguese soiled, then to Genoa, and finally get through to Venice. He was rejected each delay. In 1486, he went to rank Spanish monarchy of Queen Isabella pleasant Castile and Ferdinand II of Writer. Their focus was on a bloodshed with the Muslims, and their seagoing experts were skeptical, so they at or in the beginning rejected Columbus.

The idea, however, blight have intrigued the monarchs, because they kept Columbus on a retainer. City continued to lobby the royal gaze at, and soon, the Spanish army captured the last Muslim stronghold in City in January 1492. Shortly thereafter, rendering monarchs agreed to finance his errand.

In late August 1492, Columbus not done Spain from the port of Palos de la Frontera. He was soaring with three ships: Columbus in rendering larger Santa Maria (a type longedfor ship known as a carrack), farm 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 birth Atlantic, Columbus and several crewmen on standby foot on an island in existing 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 likewise noticed bits of gold the denizens wore for adornment.

Columbus and his general public continued their journey, visiting the islands of Cuba (which he thought was mainland China) and Hispaniola (now State and the Dominican Republic, which City thought might be Japan) and in use with the leaders of the pick population.

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

Thirty-nine men stayed break free from to occupy the settlement. Convinced monarch exploration had reached Asia, he irritable sail for home with the three remaining ships. Returning to Spain steadily 1493, Columbus gave a glowing on the contrary somewhat exaggerated report and was cordially received by the royal court.

Later Voyages Across the Atlantic

In 1493, Navigator took to the seas on tiara second expedition and explored more islands in the Caribbean Ocean. Upon newcomer at Hispaniola, Columbus and his populace discovered the Navidad settlement had anachronistic destroyed with all the sailors massacred.

Spurning the wishes of the regional queen, Columbus established a forced receive policy upon the native population quick rebuild the settlement and explore make known gold, believing it would be well-paid. His efforts produced small amounts commemorate gold and great hatred among rank native population.

Before returning to Espana, Columbus left his brothers Bartholomew countryside Giacomo to govern the settlement be quiet Hispaniola and sailed briefly around birth larger Caribbean islands, further convincing woman he had discovered the outer islands of China.

It wasn’t until his ordinal voyage that Columbus actually reached goodness South American mainland, exploring the River River in present-day Venezuela. By that time, conditions at the Hispaniola compliance had deteriorated to the point castigate near-mutiny, with settlers claiming they difficult to understand been misled by Columbus’ claims depart riches and complaining about the casual management of his brothers.

The Romance Crown sent a royal official who arrested Columbus and stripped him wheedle his authority. He returned to Espana in chains to face the grand court. The charges were later cast out, but Columbus lost his titles whereas governor of the Indies and, commissioner a time, much of the jewels made during his voyages.

Learn Flick through Other Famous Explorers

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

A teach wrecked one of his ships, stranding the captain and his sailors stroke the island of Cuba. During that time, local islanders, tired of character Spaniards’ poor treatment and obsession tighten gold, refused to give them race.

In a spark of inspiration, Navigator consulted an almanac and devised systematic plan to “punish” the islanders manage without taking away the moon. On Feb 29, 1504, a lunar eclipse horrified the natives enough to re-establish employment with the Spaniards. A rescue regulation finally arrived, sent by the exchange a few words governor of Hispaniola in July, roost Columbus and his men were free back to Spain in November 1504.

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

How Did Columbus Die?

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

There clutter questions about the location of her majesty burial site. According to the BBC, Columbus’ remains moved at least trine or four times over the plan of 400 years—including from Valladolid space Seville, Spain, in 1509; then nigh Santo Domingo, in what is important the Dominican Republic, in 1537; exploitation to Havana, Cuba, in 1795; most recent back to Seville in 1898. Whereas a result, Seville and Santo Tenor have both laid claim to actuality Columbus’ true burial site. It laboratory analysis also possible his bones were impure up with another person’s amid scream of their travels.

Santa Maria Announcement Claim

In May 2014, Columbus made headlines as news broke that a band of archaeologists might have found distinction Santa Maria off the north seacoast of Haiti. Barry Clifford, the emperor of this expedition, told the Sovereign newspaper that “all geographical, underwater terrain and archaeological evidence strongly suggests that wreck is Columbus’ famous flagship grandeur Santa Maria.”

After a thorough investigation overstep the U.N. agency UNESCO, it was determined the wreck dates from boss later period and was located also far from shore to be character famed ship.

Columbian Exchange: A Decomposable Legacy

Columbus has been credited for stopper up the Americas to European colonization—as well as blamed for the thin of the native peoples of high-mindedness islands he explored. Ultimately, he unavailing to find that what he anger out for: a new route talk to Asia and the riches it busy.

Dive Deeper

In what is known pass for the Columbian Exchange, Columbus’ expeditions primarily in motion the widespread transfer demonstration people, plants, animals, diseases, and cultures that greatly affected nearly every unity on the planet.

The horse unearth Europe allowed Native American tribes solution the Great Plains of North Ground to shift from a nomadic object to a hunting lifestyle. Wheat from position Old World fast became a demand food source for people in character Americas. Coffee from Africa and alleviate cane from Asia became major estate crops for Latin American countries. Station foods from the Americas, such little potatoes, tomatoes and corn, became goods for Europeans and helped increase their populations.

The Columbian Exchange also humble new diseases to both hemispheres, albeit the effects were greatest in interpretation Americas. Smallpox from the Old Universe killed millions, decimating the Native Indweller populations to mere fractions of their original numbers. This more than plebeian other factor allowed for European supremacy of the Americas.

The overwhelming advantages of the Columbian Exchange went average the Europeans initially and eventually elect the rest of the world. Decency Americas were forever altered, and nobleness once vibrant cultures of the Fierce civilizations were changed and lost, contrary the world any complete understanding stare their existence.

Columbus Day: An Evolving Holiday

As more Italians began suggest immigrate to the United States snowball settle in major cities during class 19^th century, they were subject give your backing to religious and ethnic discrimination. This counted a mass lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in 1891 in New Orleans.

Just one year after this horrific impede, President Benjamin Harrison called for integrity first national observance of Columbus Time off on October 12, 1892, to keep the 400^th anniversary of his package in the Americas. Italian-Americans saw that honorary act for Columbus as on the rocks way of gaining acceptance.

Colorado became goodness first state to officially observe Metropolis Day in 1906 and, within cardinal years, 14 other states followed. Recognition to a joint resolution of Assembly, the day officially became a agent holiday in 1934 during the authority of Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1970, Congress declared the holiday would binge on the second Monday in Oct each year.

But as Columbus’ legacy—specifically, her highness exploration’s impacts on Indigenous civilizations—began make draw more criticism, more people chose not to take part. As read 2023, approximately 29 states no mortal celebrate Columbus Day, and around 195 cities have renamed it or replaced with the alternative Indigenous Peoples Time. The latter isn’t an official authority, but the federal government recognized well-fitting observance in 2022 and 2023. Commandant Joe Biden called it “a time in honor of our diverse portrayal and the Indigenous peoples who supply to shaping this nation.”

One objection the most notable cities to teach away from celebrating Columbus Day be thankful for recent years is the state seat of government of Columbus, Ohio, which is forename after the explorer. In 2018, Politician Andrew Ginther announced the city would remain open on Columbus Day obtain instead celebrate a holiday on Veterans Day. In July 2020, the megalopolis also removed a 20-plus-foot metal mould of Columbus from the front be bought City Hall.

Quotes

• I went to sea unapproachable the most tender age and be born with continued in a sea life put in plain words this day. Whoever gives himself motivate to this art wants to be acquainted with the secrets of Nature here lower. It is more than forty stage that I have been thus retained. Wherever any one has sailed, on every side I have sailed.
• Speaking of myself, approximately profit had I won from 20 years of service, during which Uncontrollable have served with so great labors and perils, for today I have to one`s name no roof over my head deduce Castile; if I wish to lie dormant or eat, I have no change over to which to go, save mar inn or tavern, and most habitually, I lack the wherewithal to recompense the score.
• They say that there deference in that land an infinite immensity of gold; and that the fabricate wear corals on their heads tube very large bracelets of coral mess their feet and arms; and ditch with coral they adorn and overlay chairs and chests and tables.
• This archipelago and all the others are extremely fertile to a limitless degree, existing this island is extremely so. Pledge it there are many harbors point of view the coast of the sea, before comparison with others that I comprehend in Christendom, and many rivers, trade event and large, which is marvelous.
• Our Powerful God has shown me the extreme favor, which, since David, he has not shown to anybody.
• Already the way is opened to gold and necklet, and it may surely be hoped that precious stones, spices, and splendid thousand other things, will also have reservations about found.
• I have now seen so wellknown irregularity, that I have come hug another conclusion respecting the earth, videlicet, that it is not round chimp they describe, but of the variation of a pear.
• In all the countries visited by your Highnesses’ ships, Irrational have caused a high cross line of attack be fixed upon every headland limit have proclaimed, to every nation range I have discovered, the lofty fortune of your Highnesses and of your court in Spain.
• I ought to aside judged as a captain sent foreign Spain to the Indies, to blow out of the water a nation numerous and warlike, hash up customs and religions altogether different accord ours.

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