Background Information

Christopher Columbus
I was born in Republic of Genoa, Italy in 1451. My first travel to the
Atlantic Ocean in 1476 nearly cost me my life. I also participated in
many expeditions to Africa Africa gaining knowledge of the Atlantic
currents flowing east and west from the Canary Islands. In 1492, I left
Spain in the Santa Maria, with the Pinta and the Nia along side. I has
been discovered a new land which is Americas to European
colonization.
When I was a teenager, I participated in several trading voyage in
the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. One of the voyage to the island
of Khios or in modern day Greece, brought me the ideas of going to
Asia. One voyage in the Atlantic Ocean, my ship was attacked and
burned by French privateers of the coast of Portugal. So, I had to
swim to the Portuguese shore and find a way to Lisbon, Portugal. But
it was not a bad luck at all. After I went to Lisbon, I settled and
married with Felipa Perestrello. We had one son, Diego around 1480.
My wife died soon after and I moved to Spain. I had a second son,
Fernando who was born out of wedlock in 1488 with Beatriz Enriquez
de Arana.
My first voyage to the new world was rejected by the Portuguese
king for a three-ship voyage of discovery. I took my plan first to Genoa
and then to Venice but was rejected there, too. After that, I went to
the Spanish monarchy of Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon,
in 1486. Their nautical experts were not trust me so, I was rejected.
However, the idea must have intrigued the monarchs. But their focus
was on a war with the Muslims. I would have to wait.

Im a famous Italian explorer who known as the person who

discovered the "New World" of the Americas on an expedition
sponsored by King Ferdinand of Spain in 1492. My name is Christopher
Columbus. It was my voyage that started the exploration and
colonization of the Americas.
 Impact of Exploration

I continued to convince the royal

court after the the last Muslim
stronghold in Granada was captured by
Spanish army in January of 1492. In
August of 1492, Columbus left Spain in
the Santa Maria, with the two more,
Pinta and Nina. After 36 days of sailing,
we stopped and set foot on an island
which is the Bahamas in the present
day, claiming it for Spain
 Subsequent Voyage
In 1493, I took to the seas on my second expedition and explored
more islands in the Caribbean Ocean. I arrived in Hispaniola, me and
my crew discovered the Navidad settlement had been destroyed with
all the sailors massacred. The wishes of the queen, who found slavery
ofensive, I established a forced labor policy over the native population
to rebuild the settlement and explore for gold, believing it would prove
to be profitable. My eforts produced small amounts of gold and great
hatred among the native population. Before returning to Spain, I left
my brothers Bartholomew and Diego to govern the settlement in
Hispaniola and sailed briefly around the larger Caribbean islands
further convincing myself he had discovered the outer islands of China.
My third voyage, I actually reached the mainland exploring the
Orinoco River in present-day Venezuela. Unluckily, our settlement,
Hispaniola had retrograded to the rebel. The settlers claimed that I was
a misunderstanding. Also, they complain about poor management of
my brothers. After that, I was arrested and stripped of my power by a
royal official who sent by the Spanish Crown. I returned to Spain to
face the royal court. I lost my position as a governor of the indies.
I convincing King Ferdinand that one more voyage would bring an
abundant riches promised, I went on my last voyage in 1502. I went
along the eastern coast of Central America to search for a route to the
Indian Ocean. One of my ships was destroyed by a storm so, the
captain and his sailors have to stay on the island of Cuba. During this
time, local islanders did not like the way that Spaniards' treat and
obsession with gold. Also, refused to give them food. My inspiration
made me considered a plan to punish the islanders by taking away the
moon. On February 29, 1504, a lunar eclipse alarmed the natives
enough to re-establish trade with the Spaniards. Finally, a rescue party
arrived, sent by the royal governor of Hispaniola in July. We were taken
There, I met a friendly group of natives who were open to trade with the
back to Spain in November of 1504.
sailors. They exchanging glass beads, cotton balls, parrots, and spears. The
In the last two years of my life, I struggled to recover my lost titles.
Europeans also noticed the gold that natives wore for adornment. After that, we
Although I regain some of my riches in May 1505, however, my titles
continued our journey to islands of Cuba and Hispaniola which are Haiti and the
were never returned. I died May 20, 1506, still believing I had
Dominican Republic now. Also, we met the leaders of the native population.
discovered a shorter route to Asia
During this time, the Santa Maria was wrecked on a reef of the coast of
Hispaniola. Fortunately, some of the islander's help, we borrow what they could
and built the settlement Villa de la Navidad which means "Chrismas Town" with
lumber from the ship. There were 39 men stayed behind to built the settlement. I
set sail for home with the two remaining ships.
 Map - My Journal

In Thursday 11th October, there was more sea than there had been
during the whole of the voyage. They saw sand-pipers, and a green
reed near the ship. Those of the caravel Pinta saw a cane and a pole,
and they took up another small pole which appeared to have been
worked with iron; also another bit of cane, a land-plant, and a small
board. The crew of the caravel Nia also saw signs of land, and a small
branch covered with berries. Everyone breathed afresh and rejoiced at
these signs. The run until sunset was 27 leagues.

After sunset the Admiral returned to his original west course, and
they went along at the rate of 12 miles an hour. Up to two hours after
midnight they had gone 90 miles, equal to 22 1/2 leagues. As the
caravel Pinta was a better sailer, and went ahead of the Admiral, she
found the land, and made the signals ordered by the Admiral. The land
was first seen by a sailor named Rodrigo de Triana. But the Admiral, at
ten o'clock, being on the castle of the poop, saw a light, though it was
so uncertain that he could not affirm it was land. He called Pero
Gutierrez, a gentleman of the King's bedchamber, and said that there
seemed to be a light, and that he should look at it. He did so, and saw
it. The Admiral said the same to Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, whom the
King and Queen had sent with the fleet as inspector, but he could see
nothing, because he was not in a place whence anything could be
seen.
 After the Admiral had spoken he saw the light once or twice, and it
was like a wax candle rising and failing. It seemed to few to be an
indication of land; but the Admiral made certain that land was close.
When they said the Salve, (Salve Regina) which all the sailors were
accustomed to sing in their way, the Admiral asked and admonished
the men to keep a good look-out on the forecastle, and to watch well
for land; and to him who should first cry out that he saw land, he would
give a silk doublet, besides the other rewards promised by the
Sovereigns, which were 10,000 maravedis to him who should first saw
it. At two hours after midnight the land was sighted at a distance of
two leagues."

In the next day, Friday October 12, The vessels were hove to,
waiting for daylight; and on Friday they arrived at a small island of the
Lucayos, called, in the language of the Indians, Guanahani. Presently
they saw naked people. The Admiral went on shore in the armed boat,
and Martin Alonso Pinzon, and Vicente Yanez, his brother, who was
captain of the Nia. The Admiral took the royal standard, and the
captains went with two banners of the green cross, which the Admiral
took in all the ships as a sign, with an F and a Y and a crown over each
letter, one on one side of the cross and the other on the other.
 Having landed, they saw trees very green, and much water, and
fruits of diverse kinds. The Admiral called to the two captains, and to
the others who leaped on shore, and to Rodrigo Escovedo, secretary of
the whole fleet, and to Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, and said that they
should bear faithful testimony that he, in presence of all, had taken, as
he now took, possession of the said island for the King and for the
Queen his Lords, making the declarations that are required, as is now
largely set forth in the testimonies which were then made in writing.

Shortly after landing, many of the island's inhabitants assembled on

the beach and Columbus gave them gifts of red hats and beads. The
natives reciprocated with gifts of parrots, cotton and other goods. In
describing the natives, Columbus wrote: "They go as naked as when
their mothers bore them, and so do the women, although I did not see
more than one girl. They are very well made, with very handsome
bodies, and very good countenances.

This is my journal appears in Olson, Julius, The Northmen, Columbus

and Cabot, 985-1503 (1926); Dyson, John, Columbus: for Gold, God,
and Glory (1991); Morrison, Samuel Eliot, Admiral of the Ocean Sea
(1942);
 My Ships

Santa Maria, It was a nao, which simply means "ship" in old Spanish.
She was fat and slow, designed for carrying cargo. It was a merchant
ship, between 200-600 tons.The length of Santa Maria was about 18
meters, keel length 12 meters, beam 6 meters, and a draft about 2
meters.
The Santa Maria was a rented vessel owned by Juan de la Cosa, who
sailed with me as the first officer. Formerly, known as the La Gallega
since its owner was from Galicia, I renamed the vessel Santa Maria.
The Santa Maria had three masts (fore, main, and mizzen), each of
which carried one large sail. The foresail and mainsail were square; the
sail on the mizzen, or rear, mast was a triangular sail known as a
lateen. In addition, the ship carried a small square sail on the bowsprit,
and small topsail on the mainmast above the mainsail. Most of the
driving force of the craft was from the largest mainsail with the
remaining sails used for trimming. The Santa Maria also had a crows
nest on the mainmast. It had a raised stern. There was a forecastle in
the bow of the ship. The ship ran aground of Hispaniola and had to be
abandoned.
The Pinta was captained by Martn Alonso Pinzn, an experienced
mariner from the town of Moguer in Andalucia. Pinta was a caravel.
People don't know much about Pinta, but it probably was about 70
tons, with a length of 17 meters, keel length 13 meters, beam 5
meters, and depth 2 meters. She probably had three masts, and most
likely carried sails like those of Santa Maria, except for the topsail, and
perhaps the spritsail.
The Nia, mallest of the fleet, captained by Vicente Aes Pinzn,
brother of Martn. The Nia was another caravel of probably 50 or 60
tons. When she left Spain she had lateen sails on all masts; but she
was refitted in the Canary Islands with square sails on the fore and
main masts. Unlike most ships of the period, Nia may have had four
masts, including a small counter-mizzen at the stern with another
lateen sail. This would have made Nia the best of the three ships at
sailing upwind. Length about 15 meters, keel length 12 meters, beam
5 meters, and depth 2 meters.
 My Trading Goods
I reached the Bahamian Islands on October 12, 1492 and
discovered a thriving indigenous people, the Taino (a tribe of the native
Arawaks), who drew sustenance from colorful native crops, fish, and
game. Maize, beans, squash, and seafood were central components of
the native diet. In one of my logs, I described a native meal, which was
comprised of fish and bread which tasted exactly as if it were made of
chestnuts. Fish and wild fowl (turkey) were the main sources of meat.
Other regional crops included cacao (chocolate), maize, potato,
tomato, capsicum, peppers, cassava, pumpkins, and groundnuts
(peanuts). Tropical fruits enhanced the native diet, such as pineapple,
avocado, guava, and papaya. Most of these foods were new and
unfamiliar to me and my crew. In Hispaniola, the first settlement in the
New World, the native foods of the Taino tribe became an important
source of sustenance to the European colonizers.

On my second voyage I brought wheat bread, as well as radishes,

chickpeas, and melons. Livestock came from Europe, including horses,
cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. Over time, new crops were
introduced to the Americas, including wheat, rice, barley, oats, cofee,
sugar cane, citrus fruits, melons and Kentucky bluegrass. The
introduction of wheat was of particular significance. For thousands of
years, bread had been a central part of the European diet. Wheat was
not indigenous to the Americas, where maize was the native grain. In
the first few decades of colonization, European settlers imported goods
like bread, wine, olive oil and certain meats. Over time, wheat and
other European foodstufs were cultivated and grown in the Americas.