In 1492 . . .• Italian sailor• Trying to find a faster route to China and

India• Hard time getting funded• Spices, gold, precious stones• 3 ships (Niña, Pinta, Santa Maria)• Queen Isabella (Spain)• The voyage took longer than first thought• People thought the Earth was flat and he

would sail off the edge of the world…

LESSON 18 – CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, ENTREPRENEUR? QUEEN ISABELLA, VENTURE CAPITALIST?

FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY

Map #1

Fra Mauo map (1459)

FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY

LESSON 18 – CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, ENTREPRENEUR? QUEEN ISABELLA, VENTURE CAPITALIST?

Map #2

Genoese map (1457)

FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY

LESSON 18 – CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, ENTREPRENEUR? QUEEN ISABELLA, VENTURE CAPITALIST?

Map #3

Pietro Vesconte's world map (1321)

FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY

LESSON 18 – CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, ENTREPRENEUR? QUEEN ISABELLA, VENTURE CAPITALIST?

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Venture Capitalists?

Characteristics of Venture Capitalists

Example from Columbus’ Voyage?

Invest in new technologies

Sailing west to reach India or China was an untested idea. Even though most people did not think the Earth was flat, this journey presented new challenges.

Invest in risky ventures Many things could go wrong that would prevent Columbus from returning to Spain: getting lost, starving, shipwreck, illness and injury, etc. And Columbus—for all his passion—might have been wrong.

Own a portion of the company

Even after granting all Columbus’ demands, Spain still retained seven-eighths of any returns from the first voyage, and seven-eighths of the returns from subsequent voyages.

FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY

LESSON 18 – CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, ENTREPRENEUR? QUEEN ISABELLA, VENTURE CAPITALIST?

Columbus as Entrepreneur?

Characteristics of Entrepreneurs

Example from Columbus’ Voyage?

Start new businesses/enterprises

Sailing west to reach India or China was an untested idea. Even though most people did not think the Earth was flat, this journey presented new challenges, mainly because the distances involved were much longer than Columbus estimated.

Bear all the risks of starting the business

All Queen Isabella and Spain risked was investment capital. Columbus was risking his life. Many things could go wrong that would prevent Columbus from returning to Spain: getting lost, starving, shipwreck, injury and illness, etc. If the venture had failed, Columbus and his crew might be dead.

Invest some of own resources in the business

Columbus invested his time and resources. He also asked that he be allowed to invest an amount equal to one-eighth the cost of additional journeys in return for one-eighth of the profits.

FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY

LESSON 18 – CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, ENTREPRENEUR? QUEEN ISABELLA, VENTURE CAPITALIST?