Christopher Columbus Essay examples - 1074 Words

Touted as the founder of America, Christopher Columbus has been heralded in the US and Spain for over five hundred years. As children, we were taught that Columbus was a dreamer. He had far-fetched ideas about the world being round, instead of flat as it was once thought to be. And when someone finally gave him the opportunity to prove his theory, he discovered America and named its inhabitants â€Å"Indians†. Just as shocking as finding out that the Tooth Fairy is one of your parents, this version of Columbus couldn’t be further from the truth. The real truth about Columbus is far different and less magical than what we have come to accept as the truth. Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon in Spanish, Cristoforo Columbo in†¦show more content†¦Columbus’ ship was burned and he survived only be swimming six miles to shore. After regaining his strength, without money or position, Columbus made his way to Lisbon where he arrived in 1477. Soon after he arri ved, he began sailing for Italian merchants to Northern Atlantic ports. His travels kept him busy with trips as far away as Iceland. However, Columbus did find the time to meet and marry Felipa Perestrello of Portugal. In their brief marriage, Columbus fathered a son before his wife died, only two years after they first met. Later, he would have another son out of wedlock. The next four years up until 1484, Columbus spent his time devising a way to sail to the Indies. He studied maps and text provided to him by the king of Portugal. While Felipa’s family had not had much money, they were still nobility, which gave Columbus access to the Portuguese court and the King. It was during this time that Columbus came up with his plan to find a westward route to Asia. Contrary to modern day textbooks, by the end of the 15th century, most everyone knew that the Earth was a sphere. The question that remaining was the size of the Earth. Columbus wanted the opportunity to explore and hope fully discover a new route to Asia and to the mythical land that Marco Polo had referred to—Cipango (Japan). In 1484, the King of Portugal denied his request saying that it was too expensive, that Columbus was aShow MoreRelatedEssay on Christopher Columbus? Or Not Christopher Columbus?1329 Words   |  6 Pages On Columbus Day students across the nation will learn how Columbus discovered the New World and about his fantastic travels to the New World. Children will learn poems, stories, songs and rhymes about his travels and about himself as well on this day. When introduced to Columbus as a young student he is portrayed as a respectful gentleman and as a hero, when in reality he is a selfish man who takes advantage of lesser people and schools should be teaching their students about who Columbus reallyRead MoreThe Christopher Columbus741 Words   |  3 Pages Little may one know about Christopher Columbus, other than the fact that â€Å"Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492†. Even though he was claimed to have discovered the Americas, he was never the first to arrive there because (according to historians) the Vikings were there first. But, his discovery led other people in Europe know about the Americas therefore changing the world. Columbus shaped the world as we know it today. Columbus was born around 1451 in the republic of Genoa (what today wouldRead MoreChristopher Columbus And The Columbus1365 Words   |  6 PagesChristopher Columbus Most people think of Christopher Columbus as the person who discovered the Americas. However, Leif Ericson, a Viking, was the first European to see the Americas. â€Å"Christopher Columbus - born Cristoforo Colombo but was called in Spain Cristobal Colon†(Heat-Moon 4) was born to Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa sometime between August 25 and October 31, 1451 in Italy near Genoa (Heat-Moon 4). â€Å"Christopher Columbus had four other siblings; Bartholomew Columbus, BianchinettaRead MoreChristopher Columbus And The Columbus898 Words   |  4 Pages Christopher Columbus â€Å"In fourteen hundred ninety-two / Columbus sailed the ocean blue.† In grade school, I was taught this rhyme to learn about Christopher Columbus. Most of what I learned about Christopher Columbus then, was that he thought the world was round (and others didn’t); and that he wanted to sail to India, but messed up, and landed in America, calling the natives â€Å"Indians.† As I grew older, I learned a little bit more about Columbus’s trips to the Americas. I was told that ChristopherRead MoreThe Journey Columbus By Christopher Columbus1628 Words   |  7 PagesDeveloped Through the Uncovering of San Salvador in 1492 Christopher Columbus’s adventitious finding of San Salvador led to the initial European â€Å"discovery† of the New World. Columbus, an Italian explorer, attempted to sail west from Spain to India, funded by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile (Christopher Columbus’s Exploration). He sailed west using three boats: the Nià ±a, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria (Christopher Columbus the Italian Explorer). They reached the island of GuanahaniRead MoreThe Voyage of Christopher Columbus1541 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican History I 07/08/05 Christopher Columbus Voyage to North America Spanish exploration first began with a series of revolutions. First, the Commercial Revolution generated economic stability. Second, the Intellectual Revolution generated interest in the Earths composition and the pursuit of exploration. Europe then called for a political revolution to end the disorganized and disorderly rule of its government. This revolution returned order and stability to the government and renewed interestRead MoreChristopher Columbus Essay1097 Words   |  5 PagesChristopher Columbus was born in 1451 at Genoa. Genoa was a seaport that was on the Ligurian sea. His name was Cristoforo Colombo and that was translated into English as Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus had two brothers, which he was older than both. Christopher Columbus had little schooling just like most of the people during that age. Genoa was a busy seaport and Christopher Columbus learned much from the sailors. Christopher Columbus’s father was a poor weaver. Christopher Columbu s workedRead MoreChristopher Columbus Is Not A Hero Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesChristopher Columbus is commonly known as the â€Å"discoverer† of the Americas. From a young age students are taught all the wonderful things he did for our land and how well he interacted with the Natives. Although the truth is disregarded and as students grow, they come to learn that Columbus was not a hero in fact. Columbus came close to causing a genocide of the Native Americans, and basically began the â€Å"white power† movement that America is forced to deal with today. The truth of what ChristopherRead More Christopher Columbus Essay474 Words   |  2 Pagesin search of a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, Christopher Columbus accidentally discovered the Americas. However, in four separate voyages to the Caribbean from 1492 to 1504, he remained convinced that he had found the lands that Marco Polo reached in his overland travels to China at the end of the 13th century. To C olumbus it was only a matter of time before a passage was found through the Caribbean islands to the cities of Asia. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas VikingsRead MoreEssay on Christopher Columbus1931 Words   |  8 Pagesdeeply held, yet imperfectly understood, beliefs. The role of history in the iconography of the United States is pervasive, yet the facts behind the fiction are somehow lost in an amorphous haze of patriotism and perceived national identity. Christopher Columbus, as a hero and symbol of the first order in America, is an important figure in this pantheon of American myth. His status, not unlike most American icons, is representative not of his own accomplishments, but the self-perception of the society