Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus

The Man, The Myth, The LegendThe Man, The Myth, The Legend

What do you already know about Columbus?

What stories have you been taught or heard?

What do you already know about Columbus?

What stories have you been taught or heard?

The Facts - BackgroundThe Facts - Background

• From Genoa, Italy• Believed he could find a western route to India

– 1484 - Proposed idea to Portugal, who rejected Columbus

• Over the next four years, he was also rejected by France and England

• Continued proposing his idea to Spain for up to six years– Finally accepted by King Ferdinand and Queen

Isabella in 1492

• From Genoa, Italy• Believed he could find a western route to India

– 1484 - Proposed idea to Portugal, who rejected Columbus

• Over the next four years, he was also rejected by France and England

• Continued proposing his idea to Spain for up to six years– Finally accepted by King Ferdinand and Queen

Isabella in 1492

The First VoyageThe First Voyage

• Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria

• Landed in Bahamas (San Salvador)

• Sailed on to Cuba and Hispaniola (modern day Haiti and Dominican Rep.)

• Returned in March 1493– Brought spices, parrots, gold, and Native

Americans

• Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria

• Landed in Bahamas (San Salvador)

• Sailed on to Cuba and Hispaniola (modern day Haiti and Dominican Rep.)

• Returned in March 1493– Brought spices, parrots, gold, and Native

Americans

Return VoyagesReturn Voyages

• November 1493– Brought 17 ships, 1,200 Spanish colonists,

military equipment (guns and weaponry)– Enslaved many Native Americans to work in

gold mines

• September 1498– Realizes that it is not, in fact, India

• 1502 - final voyage

• November 1493– Brought 17 ships, 1,200 Spanish colonists,

military equipment (guns and weaponry)– Enslaved many Native Americans to work in

gold mines

• September 1498– Realizes that it is not, in fact, India

• 1502 - final voyage

So why is Columbus famous?So why is Columbus famous?

• Started large-scale European settlement in the Americas

• Successfully mapped and navigated the Central/South American coastline

• His settlements led to Spain’s American empire, which spanned across all of South and Central America

• Started large-scale European settlement in the Americas

• Successfully mapped and navigated the Central/South American coastline

• His settlements led to Spain’s American empire, which spanned across all of South and Central America

Some mythsSome myths• Columbus discovered America• Columbus was a revolutionary thinker who argued that

the world was round• Columbus was motivated by pure exploratory curiosity• Columbus did not know he discovered a new continent• Columbus had a long, difficult journey and overcame a

near mutiny• Columbus sought to ease the minds of his crew by

changing navigation directions in the ships log so they thought they weren’t too far from home

• Columbus discovered America• Columbus was a revolutionary thinker who argued that

the world was round• Columbus was motivated by pure exploratory curiosity• Columbus did not know he discovered a new continent• Columbus had a long, difficult journey and overcame a

near mutiny• Columbus sought to ease the minds of his crew by

changing navigation directions in the ships log so they thought they weren’t too far from home

The ConquerorThe Conqueror

• Columbus sought to exploit the Native Americans to get more gold

• Massacred many natives when they did not do as he wished

• Used conversion of natives to Catholicism as support for his exploits

• Brought natives back as slaves

• Columbus sought to exploit the Native Americans to get more gold

• Massacred many natives when they did not do as he wished

• Used conversion of natives to Catholicism as support for his exploits

• Brought natives back as slaves

Imagine you are a Native American. You have lived in the same place for years, interacting with neighboring tribes and keeping within a local area. Suddenly, three ships full of strange-seeming, foreign, white Europeans arrive on your shores. How might you react to this?

Imagine you are a Native American. You have lived in the same place for years, interacting with neighboring tribes and keeping within a local area. Suddenly, three ships full of strange-seeming, foreign, white Europeans arrive on your shores. How might you react to this?

Imagine you are one of Columbus’ crew members. You left home for a trip across the unknown, expecting to land in India. Hitting the shore, you look out across the land to find a group of completely different looking Native Americans coming out to meet you. They are dressed in nothing but animal hides and cloth, wear feathers in their hair, and speak languages you have never heard before. How might you react to this scene?

Imagine you are one of Columbus’ crew members. You left home for a trip across the unknown, expecting to land in India. Hitting the shore, you look out across the land to find a group of completely different looking Native Americans coming out to meet you. They are dressed in nothing but animal hides and cloth, wear feathers in their hair, and speak languages you have never heard before. How might you react to this scene?

Portugal vs. SpainPortugal vs. Spain

• Competing for colonies, land, and trade

• Treaty of Tordesillas– Line of Demarcation – imaginary North/South

line drawn through the Atlantic Ocean– Portugal got all land east of the line, Spain got

all land west of the line

• Competing for colonies, land, and trade

• Treaty of Tordesillas– Line of Demarcation – imaginary North/South

line drawn through the Atlantic Ocean– Portugal got all land east of the line, Spain got

all land west of the line

Columbian ExchangeColumbian Exchange

• America Europe• Beans, avocados, cocoa, corn, peanuts,

pineapples, peppers, potatoes, tobacco, disease, and much more!

• Europe America• Livestock, onions, grains, sugar cane, coffee,

olives, grapes, disease, and still more!

• America Europe• Beans, avocados, cocoa, corn, peanuts,

pineapples, peppers, potatoes, tobacco, disease, and much more!

• Europe America• Livestock, onions, grains, sugar cane, coffee,

olives, grapes, disease, and still more!