"Christopher Columbus" (1451 – 1506) Italian explorer

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who is often credited for discovering the New World in 1492. He is also remembered for his incredible courage and determination during his many voyages.

Born in the Republic of Genoa, Italy in 1451, Columbus was the eldest son of a wool weaver. He was raised in a devoutly Catholic family and had a strong interest in seafaring from a young age. He worked as a merchant sailor in his youth, and, during this time, learned to read and write as well as gain knowledge of navigation and seamanship. By the late 1470s, Columbus had become an expert mariner and had sailed to many different ports around the Mediterranean. He began to form a plan to sail west to the Indies and China, and began seeking out sponsorship. After failing to secure financial support from the Portuguese, he moved to Spain in 1485 and spent the next few years trying to persuade the Spanish Monarchy to finance his voyage. In 1492, Columbus finally received the support he needed and set sail with three ships, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. After a long and difficult journey, his ships reached the Caribbean islands, what he believed was the Indies, on October 12th. He named the island San Salvador and encountered the native peoples he called “Indians”. Columbus made three more voyages to the New World, exploring the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America. He was a great navigator and was able to explore and map unknown parts of the world. He also established the first permanent European settlements in the Americas. Though Columbus is remembered for his discoveries, he has also been criticized for his treatment of native peoples. He and his crew enslaved many of the people they encountered and forced them to work for the Spanish. This treatment of the native populations had long-term consequences and led to their eventual decimation. Though his exploration of the world has been criticized, Christopher Columbus remains one of the most important figures in world history. He was a brave and determined explorer who opened up a whole new world to Europeans, and his legacy will live on for centuries to come.