Christopher Columbus

By: Desiree Soper

Columbus sailed the

In fourteen hundredHe had three ships

and left from He sailed through

sunshine, wind, and

ocean blueninety-two.

Spain

rain.

Cristoforo ColomboCristoforo Colombo

• Born in Genoa, Italyin 1451

• Genoa is a very busyport city, ships are always coming and going

• This is where Columbus fell in love with the sea.

Columbus Learns to Sail!

• 1470- at only 19 years old, Columbus sailed on his first long voyage where he learned to navigate and steer a ship in open water

• At 14 years old, he began an apprenticeship with a merchant on a trading ship

SHIPWRECKED!!• In 1476, Columbus set out on a journey that

would change his life• He was on a ship near

the southern coast of Portugal, when the ship was attacked!

• Columbus was among only a few survivors

A NewNew Life in a NewNew City• He swam ashore and eventually made his way to the

capital of Portugal, another busy port, called Lisbon• There was a high demand for those who were willing

to explore the sea• “New technologies were making ships sleeker, faster,

and capable of carrying more” (Berne, 2008).• Ships were also able to stay out to

sea longer

This was Columbus’ Chance!

• They needed explorers and he was willing to explore!

• During this time, everyonebelieved that the world looked much like this:

Marco Polo• 1200’s --travelled east

across land to get to India and China

• Marco Polo described the RICHES of the far East-silks, jewels, spices and GOLD!

• Columbus just KNEW there was an easier way!

• What if he sailed WEST to get to the Indies?

• He would be RICH AND FAMOUS!

•BUT…..BUT…..

He needed money, ships, and a crew….AND ANOTHER LAND STOOD IN THE

WAY!

What would YOU do?

• After being turned down by the King of Portugal, he went to Spain to ask King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella

• They didn’t accept his proposal right away, but they were very interested---Reaching the riches of the Indies would help Spain jump ahead of Europe

Finally….• After 8 years of waiting…Columbus finally got

his wish

The CONTRACTSpain gets…

• The bragging rights of finding a new route to the Indies

• Gold, silver, gems, and spices

Columbus gets…• One-tenth of any riches

found-gold, silver, spices, gems, gums, pearls

• He will be the “governor of any islands and mainland he might find” (Berne, 2008).

• Title of “Admiral of the Ocean Sea”

• Also, that this title will be passed down to his descendants

AND THEY’RE OFF!AND THEY’RE OFF!With 90 men aboard the

Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria

They spent 43 days on the ship

Land! Land!Land! Land!• Many of the crew members were worried that

they would never reach land.• Lived in horrible conditions• Finally, on October

12, 1942, someone shouted “Tierra, tierra!”

The Next Day…• They rowed on shore• They brought swords and knives for protection;

and red caps and glass beads as gifts• They were so happy

to arrive on land, they kissed the ground and offered prayers to God, claiming the land for Spain.

San Salvador• Claims the land for Queen Isabella and King

Ferdinand and names it San Salvador• As he is doing this, people came out of the

trees• Convinced that they

landed in the Indies, Columbus named these people “Indians”

San Salvador? Indians?

• The name of the island was “Guanahaní” for iguana

• Arawaks or Tainos• Kind people• Greeted Columbus and

his men and invited them into their villages

Search for GOLD!• Columbus and his men moved on to try to find

the land that Marco Polo had written about• They found Colba and Hispaniola (today’s

Cuba, Haiti, and Dominican Republic)• Knew there was gold there, but needed to

return to Spain—forced the Tainos to search for gold while he was gone.

• Some men stayed behind

A Hero Returns Home• Brings with him:– Parrots– Avocado– Corn– Some gold– 6 captive Taino “Indians”

Second Voyage-Invasive Species

• Columbus returns to “the Indies” bringing with him:– Sugarcane– Lemons– Wheat– Horses– Chickens– Cattle– Sheep– And many, many more

Soon, they take over. They reproduce rapidly, ruin other crops, and have no natural predators.

Who is going to tend to the fields?

• Tainos are forced into slavery• Rebellions begin and many natives, as well as

Spaniards are killed• Columbus leaves to go back to Spain with 500

slaves because he had no gold to send back.

Third Voyage

• King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella are not happy with Columbus

• Returns again to “the Indies” with fewer ships• Finds today’s South America and begins to

realize that this might not be the Indies

• News of rebelliontravels to Spain

Ut oh!• In 1500, Columbus is arrested and returns to

Spain in chains.

Fourth and FINAL Voyage

• The King and Queen know that Columbus is a great sailor, so they allow one more voyage, but he is not to go to Hispaniola.

• He leaves in 1502 and arrives in Jamaica• Sick, he goes to back

to Spain in 1504, never to return

• Columbus dies in 1506

Columbus’ Legacy

• He didn’t “discover” America, because it was already occupied.

• But, he “opened the way to the New World and changed life forever on both sides of the Atlantic” (Hills, 1991).

• Unfortunately, his fame and glory for finding the New World was restored to him after his death—he never knew it was a new continent!

The End!

RecapRecap

What do you see?

NOW what do you see?

References

• Berne, E. C. (2008). Christopher Columbus: The voyage that changed the world. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Co.

• Hills, K. (1991). The voyages of Columbus. New York, NY: Grisewood & Dempsey, Ltd.