In 1451, Cristoforo Colombo was born, in English he is called Christopher Columbus. The birth of this child was taken place in Genoa, Italy. His father was a wool weaver and so was his sister. The family hoped that Christopher would take the family business to a new generation. Unfortunately for them, Christopher Columbus did not want to take over the weaving business. He loved the ocean sea and the salty air. Every day the wind would blow through his hair.
Christopher and his brother, Bartolomeo, always loved going to the docks. There the two brothers would watch ships come and go. Christopher wished to one day work in these ships. As he turned 14 he got his wish. Christopher was finally able to work in the ships cleaning, fetching tools, and carrying supplies. At the age 19 he was finally a young strong man. No one really knows how he looked like, but there have been many suggestions.
When he turned age 25 Christopher Columbus and the ship he was on board was attacked and burned down by French warships. Luckily he survived the destruction and had to find shore. After searching and searching he landed on a village in Portugal. His brother lived there as well.
At the village he and his brother opened a map making business. They ran into nearby ships and asked for the places they have seen. It would greatly make their maps much more useful. While he was there Christoper heard merchants talking about finding a new route to the Indies. There were many spices there for trade. If someone could find the place and make the route then it wouldn't be as costly as it is. Christopher Columbus thought it was Destiny for him to find the route to the Indies.
But as everyone else who wanted to explore he would need someone to support him and give him the things he needed. First he went to the King of Portugal, but he was rejected. Then he headed to Spain where he begged the King and Queen to give him what was needed. While he waited for the war to end which the King and Queen of Spain were fighting he left his son in a monastery at Portugal. His wife, Felipa Perestrello, died. At the age of forty one he got his answer, Yes! It was going to be difficult for someone his age to make through this journey to find spices and gold.
Before the journey he needed a crew of 90 members and he got his way. Some of them were criminals that were granted freedom if joined, others were sailers and doctors who could help as well. The voyage was long, but in the end he found the Canaries and San Salvador. In the canaries they found "some" gold and native Indians. Christopher had no right to take some of the native people as slaves. He thought that since this island would be his (granted permission) he could take a few of them. I mean they were "native".
When Columbus went back to Spain he was rich and famous! Everyone greeted him with excitement and wonder. Especially the Queen. She was shown the trades he had made for the Canary Islands and the Indians. Christopher Columbus got 10% of the riches he would find. That may not seem like a lot to you but it sure did to him. Christopher did make 3 other voyages. One was to return the people they left behind to guard the land. Unfortunately almost all of them did. None of them came back perfectly clean and untouched by disease or other incidents that could've happened. The second and third voyage were both for the same reason. Another try at finding that route to the Indies. In the end he may not have found the route but he did find "A New World".
Christopher and his brother, Bartolomeo, always loved going to the docks. There the two brothers would watch ships come and go. Christopher wished to one day work in these ships. As he turned 14 he got his wish. Christopher was finally able to work in the ships cleaning, fetching tools, and carrying supplies. At the age 19 he was finally a young strong man. No one really knows how he looked like, but there have been many suggestions.
When he turned age 25 Christopher Columbus and the ship he was on board was attacked and burned down by French warships. Luckily he survived the destruction and had to find shore. After searching and searching he landed on a village in Portugal. His brother lived there as well.
At the village he and his brother opened a map making business. They ran into nearby ships and asked for the places they have seen. It would greatly make their maps much more useful. While he was there Christoper heard merchants talking about finding a new route to the Indies. There were many spices there for trade. If someone could find the place and make the route then it wouldn't be as costly as it is. Christopher Columbus thought it was Destiny for him to find the route to the Indies.
But as everyone else who wanted to explore he would need someone to support him and give him the things he needed. First he went to the King of Portugal, but he was rejected. Then he headed to Spain where he begged the King and Queen to give him what was needed. While he waited for the war to end which the King and Queen of Spain were fighting he left his son in a monastery at Portugal. His wife, Felipa Perestrello, died. At the age of forty one he got his answer, Yes! It was going to be difficult for someone his age to make through this journey to find spices and gold.
Before the journey he needed a crew of 90 members and he got his way. Some of them were criminals that were granted freedom if joined, others were sailers and doctors who could help as well. The voyage was long, but in the end he found the Canaries and San Salvador. In the canaries they found "some" gold and native Indians. Christopher had no right to take some of the native people as slaves. He thought that since this island would be his (granted permission) he could take a few of them. I mean they were "native".
When Columbus went back to Spain he was rich and famous! Everyone greeted him with excitement and wonder. Especially the Queen. She was shown the trades he had made for the Canary Islands and the Indians. Christopher Columbus got 10% of the riches he would find. That may not seem like a lot to you but it sure did to him. Christopher did make 3 other voyages. One was to return the people they left behind to guard the land. Unfortunately almost all of them did. None of them came back perfectly clean and untouched by disease or other incidents that could've happened. The second and third voyage were both for the same reason. Another try at finding that route to the Indies. In the end he may not have found the route but he did find "A New World".
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