Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - History Other Christopher Columbus1 Christopher Columbus1 Christopher Columbus was born in the port city of Genoa, Italy in 1451. His father was a wool weaver named Domenico Columbo. As a boy, Christopher had no schooling. He and his younger brother Bartholomew helped their father by carding raw wool. Christopher grew up to be a tall, red-haired, quiet and deeply religious man. He worked for his father until he was 22. He went out with the sardine fishing fleets, as other Genoese boys did and he sailed along the coast to Corsica on business for his father. Genoese traders had their own schooners as did Christopher Columbus’ father. He made at least one trip to the North African coast. On long trips such as these, Christopher learned the elements of seamanship. In 1476, Columbus sailed as a common seaman aboard a Genoese merchant ship that was headed for Lisbon, England and Flanders. Since the Mediterranean nations were at war at the time, the ship Columbus was on was attacked and went down. Luckily, Columbus was able to swim to shore and make his way to Lisbon where he settled. At this time Portugal was the world’s greatest seafaring nation. Many Genoese had become rich and had prospered in Lisbon and Columbus saw his chance to do the same by becoming sea captain under the Portuguese flag. First, however, he had to educate himself. He learned to speak Portuguese and Castilian which was the official language of Spain at the time. He also mastered Latin so that he may be able to read scholarly books on geography. To earn his living, Columbus became a chart maker. He also made voyages as an agent for a Genoese merchant in Lisbon. In 1479 he married Dona Felipa Perestrello, whose father had been one of Prince Henry’s captains. They had one son, Diego. Felipa’s high social rank enabled Columbus to meet important officials. She also gave him her father’s collection of charts and documents. From these Columbus gained more knowledge of Portuguese discoveries and plans. In 1481, he entered the service of King John II of Portugal and voyaged to the gold During that time the wealth of Asia was being discovered and Europeans were eager for more of it. Asian goods had to be brought over to Europe through a perilous overland route which made them scarce and expensive. Ships could carry the good more cheaply and with greater quantity. To reach India, China, Japan and the East Indies the Portuguese were trying to make a route that stretched all around the coast of Africa for trading. Another possibility was across the Atlantic Ocean. At the time all educated men knew that the world was round and that Asia was west of Europe. But, no one knew how far it was. Columbus’ studies lead him to believe that the Earth was much smaller than it really was so Asia was a lot farther than he thought. He made his calculations based on evidence from sources such as the Bible, the writing of Marco Polo, and Pierre d’Ailly’s ‘Imago Mundi’ (picture of the world). He only accepted the information that supported his beliefs and he Columbus was determined to cross the Atlantic over to the ‘Indies’ but he could not accomplish this without ships and men. He asked King John II of Portugal for support but his committee decided that his plan was too unsound and he was refused. Meanwhile, his wife had died. Columbus took his son Diego and went back to Spain to seek supporters. He left his son in the care of Friars in the monastery of La Rabida. In Spain, Columbus made a number of influential friends who helped him present his plan to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Even thought they were busy conducting a war against the Moors in Grenada, they appointed a commission to examine Columbus’ proposal. The commission postponed making the decision and Columbus was left waiting. In Cordoba, Columbus took Beatriz Enriquez as his mistress and they had a son, Ferdinand. King John invited Columbus back to Portugal. During the second review of Columbus’ expedition plan, Bartholomew Diaz returned from discovering the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. This meant that the eastern sea route to India was open and the Portuguese were no longer interested in a western route. Columbus returned to Spain. Finally, after the fall of Grenada in January of 1942, the Spanish Sovereigns agreed to finance the expedition. They promised to make Columbus admiral of the Ocean Sea and viceroy of all islands and continents if he should succeed. Now preparations had to be made. The Spanish rulers ordered the harbor town of Palos to furnish two ships for the expedition as a penalty for offending them. These two ships were the Nina and the Pinta. A third ship, The Santa Maria (flagship), was chartered. Columbus commanded this ship and he selected two Palos captains to command the other ships. The crew was recruited from Palos. On August 3, 1492, the three ships hoisted anchor and left Palos harbor. Columbus had planned to stop at the Canary Islands for only fresh provisions and water but it turned out the Nina needed a new lateen rig and the Pinta needed a new rudder. On September 9, the three ships spread their sails and headed west. For the most part, the passage was smooth and the winds were steady. As the day passed, however, the men could not see how they could sail home against winds that had blown them steadily west. The compass was also not working properly and the men started worrying. A falling meteor and thick growing plants in the sea increased their fears. On October 8, the men were ready to rebel but Columbus agreed to turn back if land was not sighted within a few On October 12 at 2 AM, Rodrigo de Triana, a seaman aboard the Pinta, cried loudly the first sight of the new world. The voyage from the Canaries had taken 33 days. The three ships sailed among the Bahama islands. Columbus named the first land sighted San Salvador. The ships’ boats were put over the side and Columbus, accompanied by officers and crewmen landed. They were carrying with them the royal banner of Ferdinand and Isabella. They were met by a band of curious and peaceful natives. The Spaniards gave thanks to god for the safe and successful voyage. Then while the natives watched, Columbus took possession of the island in the name of the rulers of Spain. The crewmen, delighted with the unexpected discovery of this land, begged Columbus’ forgiveness for their disobedience. The natives were friendly and helpful. Columbus, believing San Salvador to be an island of the Indies, called them Indians. Sailing on, Columbus stopped at island he named Santa Maria de la Conception, Fernandina, and Isabella. He then sailed south to the northern coast of Cuba. He named this Everywhere he asked the Indians where gold could be found. On December 6, 1942, he reached the north coast of Hispaniola. The natives had told him of a gold mine in the center of the island. On Christmas morning the Santa Maria bottomed out at Cap Haitien. The ship was so badly damaged and torn that it had to be abandoned. From the Santa Maria’s wood, Columbus built a small fort, La Navidad. Columbus selected 39 sailors to stay as colonists. On January 16, 1493, the Nina and the Pinta began the return voyage. With them they carried gold, bright feathers, colored parrots, other strange animals and plants, Indian cloth and ornaments and several Indians as proof of his discovery. The two ships cam across heavy storms which separated them and did considerable amounts of damage. Columbus, on the Nina, docked at Lisbon for refitting. The Pinta docked at the Spanish town of Bayona. In Lisbon King John welcomed Columbus and made all the necessary repairs on the Nina. With repairs completed Columbus sailed. On March 15, 1493, the Nina dropped anchor at Palos harbor. The Pinta also arrived later that same day. Columbus went before Ferdinand and Isabella along with all the wonderous things he had found on his voyage. The King and Queen rose to greet him at seated him at their right. Everything that was promised to him was given. This was the most glorious time in Columbus’ Columbus made three more trips to the New World. The second was from 1493 - 1496, the third from 1498 - 1500 and the final voyage (High Voyage) was made on !502 - 1504. On the first return voyage he had 17 ships and about 1,200 men. At Hispaniola, Columbus found that La Navidad had been burned and the 39 seamen had been killed. A new colony was started. Columbus explored the coasts of Jamaica, Cuba, and Hispaniola. On the next voyage he first sighted Trinidad. He also explored some of the northeastern shores of South America and the Leeward Islands. Meanwhile, many colonists returned to Spain and complained about Columbus’ performance so a new governor was sent to replace him. Columbus was arrested and shipped back to Spain in chains. The monarchs released him and restored all his titles. On the final voyage, Columbus’ main purpose was to find a passage to Asia behind Cuba (which he believed it to be a part of China). He explored the east coast of Central America and lost two ships. The two remaining ships became ship wrecked in Jamaica in June of 1503. Messengers sent by canoes to Hispaniola finally brought back Columbus Returned to Spain broken hearted and not in good physical condition (arthritis). He was not received by the monarchs to tell them what had happened on his voyage and the king refused to restore his privileges and honors. But, Columbus was far from poor because of all the gold he had brought back with him from the New World. Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain, on May 20,1506. EVALUATION After reading this book, I have learned so much more about Christopher Columbus. To most people, Columbus is the guy who discovered America. To many others, he is a day off from school (Columbus Day). But there is so much more to Christopher Columbus than just him hopping aboard three ships and sailing across the second largest body of water in the world to discover The New World. How did he obtain the ships? Why did he sail for Spain when he was from Genoa? Was he as famous before he died than after? All of these questions were answered in this detailed book about Christopher Columbus’ life. Even though I tried making my report as detailed as possible without making it unbearably long, there are still many things that I did not include. For instance, Queen Isabella’s interest in Columbus and his expedition was, for the most part, why Spain funded the trip. I also did not mention Columbus’ reunion with his brother in The New World or how the Spaniards mistreated and tried to exploit the natives and raped their women. As for the book itself, I believe that Samuel Eliot Morison did a pretty good job putting it together. It is very easy to read and after the first few chapters one can not help but wonder what happens next (even thought we all know the outcome). The maps and diagrams of Columbus’ voyages was a great addition. Without then one would lose track of all the island In conclusion Christopher Columbus, Mariner is a good book written about a great man. It takes an extraordinary and courageous man to travel thousands of miles into an unexplored ocean. Even though everyone was against him he was being persistent and was determined to travel westward. There were so many sailors and explorers at that time. Many of them contemplated on doing what Columbus did but most thought it impossible. Many thought it foolish. The only man who pulled off the impossible and discovered the other half of the Bibliography: Morison, Samuel Eliot. Christopher Columbus, Mariner. New York: Meridian, 1983. Encyclopedia Britannica. Fifteenth Edition. Chicago, 1993 Word Count: 2705
Copyright © 2005 College Term Papers, INC All Rights Reserved.