CHRISTOPHER CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUSCOLUMBUS

from “Explorers Who Got Lost”from “Explorers Who Got Lost”

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in was born in 1451 in

Genoa, Italy.Genoa, Italy.

Genoa is right on the Genoa is right on the Mediterranean Sea.Mediterranean Sea.

As a child he and his As a child he and his brothers worked with brothers worked with their father, their father,

who made cloth.who made cloth.

Whenever he was not Whenever he was not working, he would working, he would

watch the ships and watch the ships and listen to the sailors talk listen to the sailors talk

about the sea.about the sea.

As a boy he took short As a boy he took short trips along the coast of trips along the coast of Italy to sell his father’s Italy to sell his father’s

cloth.cloth.

Every trip was a new Every trip was a new exciting adventure for exciting adventure for

the young sailor.the young sailor.

He always found his way He always found his way home on these short home on these short trips by following the trips by following the

coastline.coastline.

When he was 15 years When he was 15 years old, he left home to old, he left home to

work on the ships that work on the ships that sailed the sailed the

Mediterranean Sea.Mediterranean Sea.

He learned how to He learned how to navigate by studying navigate by studying the North Star. the North Star. He learned how to use He learned how to use the sun’s position in the sun’s position in

the sky. the sky.

He learned how to use He learned how to use a compass.a compass.

He learned to look at He learned to look at birds, seaweed and the birds, seaweed and the

color of the water.color of the water.

He learned everything He learned everything he could about the sea he could about the sea and sailing. and sailing. He hoped to sail the He hoped to sail the

world and find world and find adventure.adventure.

Many people knew that Many people knew that the world was round. the world was round.

Christopher also Christopher also believed that the world believed that the world

was round. was round.

Christopher wanted to Christopher wanted to become rich. become rich. He wanted to find a He wanted to find a

shortcut to the Indies. shortcut to the Indies. He would sail to the He would sail to the

west.west.

The Indies had spices, The Indies had spices, jewels, gold and jewels, gold and

perfumes.perfumes.

Christopher wanted to Christopher wanted to be rich and famous. be rich and famous.

In 1476, when In 1476, when Christopher was only Christopher was only 25 years old, he was 25 years old, he was sailing with a fleet of sailing with a fleet of

ships from Italy to ships from Italy to England.England.

The ships were attacked The ships were attacked by pirates. Canon balls by pirates. Canon balls

flew back and forth flew back and forth during the battle.during the battle.

Christopher was Christopher was wounded and fell into wounded and fell into

the sea as his ship the sea as his ship exploded.exploded.

He stayed with his He stayed with his brother while he was brother while he was recovering from his recovering from his

wounds. wounds. He took a job as a He took a job as a

mapmaker. mapmaker.

Christopher worked with Christopher worked with his brother for 8 years his brother for 8 years drawing maps of all the drawing maps of all the

places he had been.places he had been.

Christopher always Christopher always thought of the sea. thought of the sea. He decided he He decided he

would be the one to would be the one to find the shortcut to the find the shortcut to the

Indies.Indies.

He decided to sail He decided to sail straight across the straight across the

Atlantic Ocean into the Atlantic Ocean into the “Sea of Darkness.”“Sea of Darkness.”

No sailors wanted to go No sailors wanted to go with him. with him. They thought they They thought they

would run out of food would run out of food and water before they and water before they

saw land again.saw land again.

Many people thought Many people thought Christopher was crazy!Christopher was crazy!

Columbus got married Columbus got married and had a son after he and had a son after he

moved to Portugal.moved to Portugal.

His wife was from a His wife was from a wealthy family.wealthy family.

This meant that This meant that Christopher was not a Christopher was not a

common seaman common seaman anymore.anymore.

He had money and power He had money and power now. now.

Now he needed ships, Now he needed ships, men and supplies for men and supplies for

his voyage.his voyage.

He asked the King of He asked the King of Portugal for help.Portugal for help.

The King thought The King thought Columbus bragged too Columbus bragged too loudly. He refused to loudly. He refused to give him supplies for give him supplies for

the voyage.the voyage.

Columbus went to see Columbus went to see the King and Queen of the King and Queen of Spain. Spain.

The Queen liked The Queen liked Columbus but did not Columbus but did not

give him money for the give him money for the voyage.voyage.

After 6 long years After 6 long years Queen Isabella of Spain Queen Isabella of Spain asked to see Columbus. asked to see Columbus. She was ready to help She was ready to help

him. him.

But Columbus was mad But Columbus was mad that the Queen had that the Queen had

made him wait 6 years. made him wait 6 years. He demanded money He demanded money and royal titles before and royal titles before he would sail for Spain.he would sail for Spain.

Queen Isabella told him Queen Isabella told him he could have he could have

everything he wanted. everything he wanted. Spain would help him Spain would help him

sail to the Indies.sail to the Indies.

Three ships were chosen Three ships were chosen for the voyage: the for the voyage: the

Nina, the Pinta, and the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.Santa Maria.

Now Columbus needed Now Columbus needed sailors, but everyone sailors, but everyone

thought he was crazy. thought he was crazy. They thought that sea They thought that sea

serpents would swallow serpents would swallow the ships. the ships.

Finally, with the help of Finally, with the help of Martin Pinzon, Martin Pinzon,

Columbus had 90 Columbus had 90 sailors. sailors.

Now he needed Now he needed supplies.supplies.

He needed firewood, He needed firewood, compasses, spare sails, compasses, spare sails,

water, biscuits, salt water, biscuits, salt meat, cheese, beans, meat, cheese, beans,

rice, almonds, and rice, almonds, and sardines.sardines.

He also needed weapons He also needed weapons in case the natives in case the natives

weren’t friendly. weren’t friendly. He also needed trinkets He also needed trinkets

to trade with the to trade with the natives. natives.

On August 3, 1492, On August 3, 1492, Columbus stood on the Columbus stood on the deck of the Santa Maria deck of the Santa Maria

and shouted, and shouted, “Hoist Anchor!”“Hoist Anchor!”

Day after day they sailed Day after day they sailed west. The sailors were west. The sailors were

afraid. They feared afraid. They feared they would never return they would never return

home.home.

On October 7, 1492 the On October 7, 1492 the Nina fired a cannon. Nina fired a cannon.

Land had been sighted Land had been sighted at last.at last.

But it was a false alarm.But it was a false alarm.

Every day they thought Every day they thought they spotted land. they spotted land.

Every day they were Every day they were wrong. wrong.

The sailors were The sailors were starting to panic. starting to panic.

The men on the Santa The men on the Santa Maria decided to take Maria decided to take over the ship. over the ship. They raced toward They raced toward

Columbus.Columbus.

He told them that they He told them that they would see land in 3 would see land in 3 days. days. They agreed to give They agreed to give

him 3 days.him 3 days.

On the night of the On the night of the second day they second day they

spotted land. spotted land. Columbus was sure Columbus was sure

they were off the coast they were off the coast of Japan.of Japan.

When the sun came up When the sun came up they saw white sandy they saw white sandy

beaches and palm beaches and palm trees. They spotted trees. They spotted bright flowers and bright flowers and

strangely colored birds.strangely colored birds.

That morning Columbus That morning Columbus carried the flag of Spain carried the flag of Spain up to the beach. up to the beach.

He placed the He placed the flagpole in the sand and flagpole in the sand and

claimed the land for claimed the land for Spain. Spain.

Then he set a large cross Then he set a large cross in the ground and in the ground and

named the land San named the land San Salvador, which means Salvador, which means “Holy Savior” “Holy Savior”

in Spanish.in Spanish.

But the island he found But the island he found was not the Indies or was not the Indies or Japan. Japan. He had landed in the He had landed in the island chain of the island chain of the

Bahamas. Bahamas.

Columbus expected to Columbus expected to see rich Oriental see rich Oriental

people. The people people. The people that were hiding in the that were hiding in the

trees had painted trees had painted bodies of black and red. bodies of black and red.

Columbus thought he Columbus thought he had reached the Indies had reached the Indies so he called the natives so he called the natives “Indians.” “Indians.” He gave them trinkets.He gave them trinkets.

They gave him fruit, They gave him fruit, bread, parrots, spears bread, parrots, spears and cotton. and cotton. But Columbus wanted But Columbus wanted

their gold jewelry.their gold jewelry.

Two days later he set Two days later he set sail again. sail again.

This time he took This time he took Indians as guides. Indians as guides. He was searching for He was searching for

gold. gold.

He did not find gold. He did not find gold. The Santa Maria sank. The Santa Maria sank. Columbus left 40 sailors Columbus left 40 sailors to search for gold and to search for gold and

he headed home on the he headed home on the Nina.Nina.

He presented the King He presented the King and Queen with parrots, and Queen with parrots,

gold, painted Indians gold, painted Indians and stories of the and stories of the

voyage.voyage.

He was treated like He was treated like royalty. royalty.

Columbus was famous.Columbus was famous.

The King and Queen The King and Queen wanted him to go back.wanted him to go back.

On September 25, 1493, On September 25, 1493, Columbus set sail Columbus set sail

again. This time he had again. This time he had 17 ships and 1,500 17 ships and 1,500

men.men.

The ships held cows, The ships held cows, horses, goats, sheep, horses, goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens. pigs, and chickens. They had seeds and They had seeds and

grapevines and garden grapevines and garden tools.tools.

He tried to start a He tried to start a settlement. settlement.

But the men wanted to But the men wanted to find gold. They didn’t find gold. They didn’t want to start a garden.want to start a garden.

Columbus had many Columbus had many problems. problems.

Fighting started Fighting started between the sailors and between the sailors and

the Indians.the Indians.

The King and Queen The King and Queen heard about the trouble heard about the trouble

and sent a man to and sent a man to investigate.investigate.

Columbus was arrested.Columbus was arrested.

He was returned to He was returned to Spain in chains.Spain in chains.

When the Queen saw When the Queen saw him, she ordered the him, she ordered the

chains removed.chains removed.

Columbus was in a rage. Columbus was in a rage. He demanded that the He demanded that the Queen punish the man Queen punish the man that had arrested him.that had arrested him.

Columbus was 50 years Columbus was 50 years old now. old now.

He begged the King and He begged the King and Queen to give him one Queen to give him one

more chance.more chance.

The Queen agreed. The Queen agreed. She gave him 4 ships She gave him 4 ships and 135 men. and 135 men.

She told him to look for She told him to look for gold and stay out of gold and stay out of

trouble. trouble.

Columbus was exploring Columbus was exploring the islands when a the islands when a

hurricane was brewing. hurricane was brewing. He tried to warn the He tried to warn the

settlement but 30 ships settlement but 30 ships were destroyed.were destroyed.

Columbus continued his Columbus continued his search for gold. His search for gold. His

ships were old and had ships were old and had holes in them. The holes in them. The

sailors had to bail them sailors had to bail them out every night.out every night.

Finally the ships could Finally the ships could not float so Columbus not float so Columbus ran them aground and ran them aground and he built thatched roofs he built thatched roofs

over the decks.over the decks.

He spent the next year He spent the next year stranded on the island stranded on the island

of Jamaica.of Jamaica.

He was sick with malaria He was sick with malaria but he never gave up but he never gave up

hope.hope.

Finally, a man was sent Finally, a man was sent in a canoe to bring in a canoe to bring

help. Two years later help. Two years later ships arrived to take ships arrived to take

Columbus and his crew Columbus and his crew to Hispaniola.to Hispaniola.

When he returned to When he returned to Spain he was tired and Spain he was tired and very ill. very ill.

He never knew that the He never knew that the world was 3 times world was 3 times

larger than he thought larger than he thought it was. it was.

He never knew that the He never knew that the continents of North and continents of North and

South America stood South America stood between him and the between him and the

riches he searched for.riches he searched for.

He never knew that we He never knew that we would celebrate his would celebrate his voyage to the voyage to the

New World.New World.

He never knew that he He never knew that he had gotten his wish. had gotten his wish. He did become very He did become very

famous.famous.