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Christopher Columbus

Did you know that Christopher Columbus discovered North and South America? Columbus attempted to try to find the new world. It was a challenage for Christopher Columbus to convince people that he could sail west across the Atlantic Ocean and reach Asia. Reading Marco Polo’s book inspired Columbus. He read the maps that Ptolemy created as well. Then he set sail on August 2, 1492, for his most famous adventure.

Christopher Columbus was born about1451 in Genoa, Italy. He lived in Italy with his brother, mother, and father. Christopher helped his father in the wool business and started to sail when he was 14. Columbus had little schooling. He learned sailing by taking many short voyages with other sailors. While sailing for Portugal he traveled to many places such as England, Ireland, the Mediterranean, and along the west coast of Africa.

Christopher Columbus started his most famous journeys in 1492. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella from Spain funded his adventure. The vessels he took on his journey were called the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador. He never found the gold and jewels he expected to find. Without a doubt Christopher Columbus’s journeys are unforgettable.

Christopher Columbus spent most of his life sailing and exploring many places. He got married in 1479 to Dona Felipa. They had one son called Diego. On his first journey he had a crew of 90 men. He predicted that this journey would take 21 days to reach the Indies but the trip actually took 34 days. He did not land in the Indies. He landed in what is now North America. Christopher Columbus is considered one of the finest navigators of his time.

Christopher Columbus was a fascinating explorer who never gave up. His journeys had a significant effect on our world history. Columbus’s many discoveries and explorations led to many changes in the world. Europeans were now able to begin new lives in the colonies of the new world. One of the settlements was called “La Navidad” which was built on Christmas day on 1492. At the end of his life he was sick, disappointed, and ignored. He died in Spain in 1506.

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Resources:
[| Meltzer, Milton. "Columbus, Christopher." The New Book of Knowledge®. 2008. Grolier Online. 6 Mar. 2008]