Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

Submitted By
Words 770
Pages 4
“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue,” is a phrase that has been used for generations to tell the iconic story of Christopher Columbus. Known as one of history's most famous explorers, Columbus set sail hoping to find “The Indies” in search of spices and gold. Instead, he came across the New World and has since been known as a pioneer to exploration, extending boundaries in search of the unknown. Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. At the age of 25, he set sail on his first trip across the Atlantic ocean. After being attacked by French privateers, Columbus was shipwrecked off the coast of Portugal and forced to make his way to shore. He settled in Lisbon, Portugal and married a women by the name of Felpia Perestrello, …show more content…
After also being rejected by England and Italy, in 1486 Columbus found himself in Spain asking for patronage from the Spanish monarchy of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. Initially, the monarch's nautical experts were too skeptical and Columbus was rejected not only once, but twice. Finally, in January of 1492 after the Spanish army captured the last Muslim stronghold in Granada, the monarchs agreed to finance his expedition. Columbus longed for fame and fortune along with Monarchs who also were eager to spread Catholicism across the globe. A contract was made with the Spanish rulers who promised him 10 percent of whatever riches were found …show more content…
After 36 days of sailing, the ships made landfall on October 12th. Later, to much of his surprise, Columbus learned he had landed on an island in the present day Bahamas, not Asia. There, he met and traded with the natives, exchanging spears, glass beads, cotton balls, and parrots. Columbus also noted the bits of gold worn for adornment by the natives and was excited to set sail once again. For months he sailed to multiple islands, now known as the Caribbean, in search of the riches he promised Isabella and Ferdinand, alas not finding much. During this time, the Santa Maria had been shipwrecked off the coast of Hispaniola( present-day Haiti and Dominican Republic). Using what was salvaged, Columbus and his men, with the help of some islanders, built a small settlement called Villa de la Navidad, or “Christmas Town.” Leaving 40 men behind to occupy the makeshift settlement, Columbus set sail for Spain with gold, parrots, spices, and human captives to tell of his journey to his so called

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...Christopher Columbus (or Cristoforo Columbo in his language) was an Italian explorer born in Genoa, circa 1451. His mother was Susanna Fontanarossa, about whom not much is known. His father was Domenico Columbo, a weaver who also owned a cheese stand, at which Christopher worked. Domenico was generally well-respected in his small community; however, he wasn’t known for his strong work ethic. Perhaps this wasn’t such a bad thing, as if he made a lot of money, maybe Christopher and his brother Bartholomew wouldn’t have become explorers to make money! In a writing by him, he says he first went to sea at the age of ten. When he was 19, his family moved to Savona, where his father worked at a tavern. Later that year, he took on his first expedition,...

Words: 1211 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...i Consequences of Christopher Columbus' Discovery Christopher Columbus' arrival to the "New World" has incited one of the biggest controversies in the world. There are many conflicting opinions regarding people who praise Christopher Columbus' heroic achievements and those who consider him a genocidal adventurer. Does he truly deserve the federal holiday known as Columbus Day? Or should it be celebrated as Indigenous Peoples' Day instead? Given the facts that he caused the transatlantic slave exchange, committed various crimes, and introduced many diseases, it indicates that Christopher Columbus should not be considered or remembered as an American hero. 3. Christopher Columbus' accomplishments often overlook the other side of his story, the...

Words: 725 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 and discovered america, but was he the person we say he is? Should we even celebrate Columbus day? Experts say that we shouldn’t, and use examples to prove their point like; Forcing slaves into slavery, bringing new, devastating diseases to the Indians, and he was kicked out of his homeland. Was it right for Columbus to force indians into slavery? The first day Columbus was in the New World, he ordered six of the natives to be seized. In the passage, it says “.. he believed they would be good servants.” The author states that “...Columbus and his men enslaved many native inhabitants of the West Indies…” Is it really right to enslave people at one’s will? When Columbus arrived in the New...

Words: 385 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...The Taino people of the Caribbean Islands Columbus encountered “were much delighted, and became wonderfully attached to us.”(Journal, page 6) The people were fascinated with them and went swimming back and forth to the boats. They would take their items such as birds, thread and spears and trade with the men on the ships for glass beads and bells and whatever else they had. “I sent the boat on shore for water; the natives with great good will directed the men where to find it, assisted them in carrying the casks full of it to the boat, and seemed to take great pleasure in.serving us.”(Journal, page 8) The natives that Christopher Columbus and his crew encountered were described as “very friendly”(Journal, page 6). The native people didn’t want to harm anyone. Columbus referred to the Native Americans as “simple in war-like matters”.(Journal, page 7) The only weapons they had were “nothing more than sticks, though some have fish-bones or other things at the ends”.(Journal, Page 6) They didn’t even know what a sword was and that it would cut them. On...

Words: 598 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...other sources, Christopher Columbus is portrayed as a hero and a great explorer of North America. However, this is one of the great fallacies of history because he was not the first one to step foot in the Americas, and didn’t positively contribute to the advancement of the people in his era. His enslavement and torment of natives resulted in the decimation of many Indigenous people. Although, Christopher’s discovery of the New World opened up an age of exploration, Columbus Day should not be celebrated due to his several agonizing acts against Indigenous people. Christopher was a ruthless and cruel gold digger who is responsible for destructions, such as, the enslavement and torturing of native people. While enslavement was not unusual at the time, his level of disregard for their welfare exceeded even the loose standards of the time. He worked people to death, gave horrific punishments for the least of crimes, and had dead natives butchered and sold as dog food. This definitely should not be celebrated upon as it is an insult to the Indigenous people in the Americas that suffered from his actions. To begin with, Columbus was harsh with his own crew who supported him, and to the native people of America. In the book, ‘Columbus: The Four Voyages,’ Laurence Bergreen points out that Columbus didn’t even treat his own...

Words: 547 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...forward the view that the New world was discovered by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. It is commonly thought and accepted that with the approval of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus went in search for India which was located in the East. However Columbus unknowingly sailed to the west across the Atlantic Ocean which led him to a land mass which was unknown to the Europeans at that time which he name “The Americas. Although this theory is commonly accepted as it has been popularized by the Europeans, there is significant physical evidence that suggest that Columbus was not the first to discover “The World”. Many Historians such as Ivan van Sertima believe that the West Africans discovered the Americas...

Words: 1470 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...wealth: gold. Christopher Columbus was an expert sailor and used this to his advantage to voyage the seas in search of the alleged riches and gold found in Asia. In compensation, he would be awarded a percentage of the profits, land ownership, and the glorified title of Admiral of the Ocean Sea. Financially funded by the king with a fleet of ships and a moderately sized crew, Columbus began his voyage in search for the gold. The Spaniards went to extreme lengths to scour as much as gold on the islands and land masses they encountered often involving a large amount of deaths and killings of the inhabitants native to the land. However, as their mentality deteriorated with each cruel act inflicted on the Indians, they became adjusted and normalized this policy, as Morison harshly denoted, “genocide,” into...

Words: 501 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

...Christopher Columbus was born in the Italian seaport of Genoa in 1451, to a family of wool weavers. Christopher was the youngest of five children in his family of a rather humble economic status. The other children were Giovanni Pellagrino, Bartolomeo, Jacopo (known later, in Spain, as Diego), and Bianchinetta. Bartolomeo and Diego accompanied Columbus on his voyages. His two brothers proved very valuable to Columbus in Haiti, Bartolomeo quelled a native rebellion and in 1509 Diego replaced Nicolás de Ovando as governor of Santo Domingo. Columbus, Christopher. (Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 17 Nov. 2015 http://www.encyclopedia.com.) As a child he helped his father at the loom and then as a young lad went to sea. He became an experienced sailor and moved to Lisbon in Portugal to try and gain support for a new journey he was planning. He visited the courts of the kings and queens of Europe asking for help and money .According to a passage in the log of the first ocean crossing, he first went to sea at...

Words: 1221 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Day Research Paper

...previously idolized historical figures. Among these figures is Christopher Columbus, who is routinely used as a symbol of daring exploration, with his notoriety best highlighted by Columbus Day being a federal holiday. However, for America, Christopher Columbus marks the start of a tradition of abhorrent treatment of the Indigenous Peoples which lays the foundation for Indigenous land to be viewed through a lens of commodity by settlers who justified their actions through Christianity. Columbus Day wasn’t recognized as a federal holiday until 1937, over four hundred years after Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas. When President Benjamin Harrison first proposed a national celebration of the holiday in 1892, he cited it as a day for Americans to, “devote themselves to such exercises as may best express honor to the discoverer and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life” and called Columbus, “the pioneer of progress and enlightenment.” The idea of this holiday was then picked up by Italian Americans, particularly the Knights of Columbus who are a “Catholic Fraternal Organization,” as a way to boost the social status of Italian Americans in the early 1900 During this time, over four million Italians had just immigrated to the United States and were often socially excluded, not falling into the standard definition of “white” at the time....

Words: 1384 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Day Research Paper

...Christopher Columbus was a wicked man. Yes, he tried to share Christianity but he didn’t do it nicely. He killed the people who didn’t say to him they believed in Jesus to him when they spoke an entirely different language. It does not make sense to celebrate someone who did that towards people. Christopher Columbus Day is a day that we should get rid of. It is unfair celebrate someone who did such horrible things to others, when there are people who did so much more amazing things who don’t get the credit they deserve. Yes he killed people, plus he did many more evil things to. For example, he hid his diary so he wouldn’t be in trouble with the king and Queen for the things that he had done. Also, he didn't find America, people were here...

Words: 297 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus Day Research Paper

...Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa Italy, to the son of a weaver. He quickly took to sea in his teens and he started to sail, but on his first trip he was attacked by French privateers off the coast of Portugal. To escape the privateers, he jumped ship and swam to shore, eventually marrying his wife there. He continued to sail around the world, and in the late 1400’s he wanted to find a better route to Asia. He first approached Genoa, then Venice and finally struck a deal with Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragaon. They funded him and he set off for America. He had three voyages there, and recorded most of it in his journal. Columbus Day is a US National holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus’ ‘discovery’ of America I don’t think that the US celebrate Columbus Day as a national holiday because of how Columbus treated the Native Americans. To prove to Isabella and Ferdinand that the journey to the New World would be profitable “He rounds up 1600 Taínos-- the same people he had earlier described as ‘so full of love and without greed’. Some 550 them -- ‘among the best males and females,’ writes colonist Michele de Cuneo -- and chained and taken to ships to be sent to...

Words: 482 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Christopher Columbus 3 G's Research Paper

...Was Christopher Columbus the greatest explorer at the 3 G’s? Christopher Columbus is the greatest explorer at the 3 G’s because he was very successful, and did not fail his mission. His first voyage was to the Atlantic Ocean in 1476, and it almost cost him his life. That makes him brave to survive a dangerous mission.Christopher Columbus was the greatest explorer at the 3 G’s. Christopher Columbus was a good explorer for Glory in the 3 G’s.Christopher Columbus was good for Glory and did many good things.Christopher Columbus went to sail to Asia, the reason he did this was because he was looking for spices located by the Silk Road. Spices was his glory.He was motivated by the spices, and that gave an example of Glory. Christopher Columbus was good for Gold in the 3 G’s.Many people were wanting to get their hands on gold and the green, so did Christopher Columbus. Christopher would travel...

Words: 396 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Marco Polo Influence On American Culture

...Columbus owned or operated a copy associated with Moves generating annotations inside the margins. These people entered your Med Plus the African American Seashore, handed in the territory related to the Euphrates along with Tigris Waters, along with hitting your age-old capital of Scotland- Centre Eastern – Baghdad. These people went southern region along with eastwards to the flourishing seaport associated with Ormuz on the mouth on the Neighborhood Gulf. Following that people visited towards the north of Manchester and then eastern side, successively crossing your destitute Iran Skill level plus the snow-covered Pamirs. Alleviating your demos associated with the condition, food cravings along with hunger, getting out of bandits along with wildlife...

Words: 1216 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Tainos, Indigenous People

...Final Research Paper: Tainos, The indigenous people Before the discovery of the new world, it has been known of the various indigenous people that once inhabited our lands. The more popular natives such as the Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs have been widely sought out in today’s age, unlike other lesser-known tribes such as the Tainos. Today many tribes have vastly decreased in number and size, but there are those who still practice and familiarize themselves with their heritage. I myself can relate to this small percentage of people, due to the fact I am descendent of the Tainos from Cuba. Hence, I decided to make my research paper based on the history of my heritage: The Tainos. The word Taino derived from the meaning “men of the good.” Based on historical facts, the Tainos were indeed good people. These indigenous people established a culture where the human temperament was kind. Among the Taino at the time of contact, generosity and kindness were governing values in society as well as directed towards an ecological interaction with the natural surroundings. It suggested a lifestyle that tried to feed its entire people, and a spirituality that was valued, through ceremonies. The Taino lived humbly in an abundant place and so their environment was abundant. The Tainos & Ciboneys were related to the cultural Arawak group, who was one of the main indigenous people of South America and the Caribbean. They spoke Taino, which was considered Arawak language...

Words: 2421 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Misrepresentation Of Mesoamerica In Popular Culture

...Probably the only thing that they had forgotten to develop was the gun, for this is what marked the difference between the Spanish and the natives when the time of conquest came. The story of how Christopher Columbus laid claim of this vast territory for the monarch in Spain is legendary, the debates that presided the invasion has been the subject of countless debates. However, none of these form the core of this paper. The focus in this part of the series will be on how Mesoamerica has been represented in history since its first contact with the western world and how these people have represented themselves throughout this time. This paper takes the position that by and large, western historians, anthropologists and archeologists have often misrepresented the vast pool of interrelated cultures that existed within the time frame in question. The paper will justify this claim by examining the various arguments and counterarguments that have been provided by various scholars in support of their...

Words: 1298 - Pages: 6