Free Essays on Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) Christopher Columbus was an outstanding navigator and organizer of expeditions. He achieved fame by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a sea route to Asia. He did not accomplish this goal. Instead, he encountered islands in the Caribbean Sea. At that time, the people of Europe and the Americas did not know of each other's existence. During his four voyages westward-between 1492 and 1504-Columbus explored what are now the West Indies and the coasts of Central and South America. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Western Hemisphere. The Norse(also called the Vikings) had settled for a time on the coast of North America about A.D. 1000. That contact did not last, and most Europeans of the 1400's did not know it had taken place. Columbus' voyages led to enduring links between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The World of Columbus When Columbus was born in 1451, Europe was struggling against the growing power of the Ottoman Turks, who had conquered much of southeastern Europe. In 1453, the Ottomans took control of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), a major center of trade between Europe and Asia. The ottomans made Constantinople the capital of their empire, cutting off easy European access to Asian goods. The only alternative to a difficult, dangerous land journey was a sea route-either around Africa or westward across the Atlantic. The desire for a sea route to Asia started a remarkable wave of European exploration, even though Europe had limited resources. European explorers combined the seafaring skill of the Italians with the resources of the Portuguese and the Spanish. Europe constantly improved its ships and navigational aids, as well as its arms for trading and a desire to preach Christianity worldwide. Early Years Boyhood. The exact date of Christopher Columbus' birth is not known. He was born sometime between August... Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus is often described as â€Å"one of the greatest mariners in history, a visionary genius, a mystic, a national hero, a failed administrator, a naà ¯ve entrepreneur, and a ruthless and greedy imperialist†. Throughout history, his story has been referred to in all situations, some were good and some were bad. But all who teach and hear the story agree that without him, the world would be different. There were many different ways Christopher Columbus’ voyages were viewed. His voyages expressed the general political, social, and scientific outlook of the fifteenth century in many ways. Through every thing he had the determination and strength to get through even when he had no support. From the political outlook, not many â€Å"high up† people believed in what Christopher Columbus was setting out to accomplish. He had tried unsuccessfully to enlist support for his project. He presented his intentions to many different people to ask for support. Through a combination of good luck and persuasiveness, he finally was offered help from Catholic monarchs, Queen Isabel and King Fernando, who agreed to back him up. They agreed to Columbus’s demands on the condition that he would be successful on his first voyage. He was to be rewarded with â€Å"being knighted, appointed Admiral of the Ocean Sea, made the viceroy of any new lands, and awarded ten percent of any new wealth. He took his three ships, the Santa Maria, the Nina, and the Pinta. After the voyage of 1492, the widely published reports made Columbus famous. Political support was no longer hard to come by, and he earned the title of â€Å"Admiral of the Ocean Sea† and further royal patro nage. Not only did the political outlook change, so did the social outlook. Before Christopher Columbus set sail, his fellow mariners thought he was wasting his time with mere dreams and idealistic fantasies. After receiving support from Queen Isabel and King Fernando, he se... Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) Christopher Columbus was an outstanding navigator and organizer of expeditions. He achieved fame by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a sea route to Asia. He did not accomplish this goal. Instead, he encountered islands in the Caribbean Sea. At that time, the people of Europe and the Americas did not know of each other's existence. During his four voyages westward-between 1492 and 1504-Columbus explored what are now the West Indies and the coasts of Central and South America. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Western Hemisphere. The Norse(also called the Vikings) had settled for a time on the coast of North America about A.D. 1000. That contact did not last, and most Europeans of the 1400's did not know it had taken place. Columbus' voyages led to enduring links between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The World of Columbus When Columbus was born in 1451, Europe was struggling against the growing power of the Ottoman Turks, who had conquered much of southeastern Europe. In 1453, the Ottomans took control of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), a major center of trade between Europe and Asia. The ottomans made Constantinople the capital of their empire, cutting off easy European access to Asian goods. The only alternative to a difficult, dangerous land journey was a sea route-either around Africa or westward across the Atlantic. The desire for a sea route to Asia started a remarkable wave of European exploration, even though Europe had limited resources. European explorers combined the seafaring skill of the Italians with the resources of the Portuguese and the Spanish. Europe constantly improved its ships and navigational aids, as well as its arms for trading and a desire to preach Christianity worldwide. Early Years Boyhood. The exact date of Christopher Columbus' birth is not known. He was born sometime between August...