The most famous explorer Christopher Columbus, was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451 to a
weaver, Columbus first went to sea at the age of fourteen. He settled in
Portugal and married a very noble woman. After his wife died in 1485, Columbus and
his son, Diego , moved to Spain. Like all intelligent men of his time, Columbus knew the world
was round. He thought that since the earth was a sphere, a ship could reach the
Far East from the opposite direction. He thought he could establish trade routes to Asia in this
way. The fifteenth-century Europeans did not know about South and North America
Mapmakers could not make an accurate picture so no one knew
there was a Pacific Ocean. For 10 years, Columbus asked the Portuguese king and the
Spanish monarchs enough money to explore possible trade routes to the west. At first
they turned him down, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella changed teir minds. Columbus promised to bring gold, spices, and
silks from the Far East, to spread Christianity there, and to lead an journey to China. In return,
Columbus asked for and got the title "admiral of the ocean seas" and became governor
of all discovered lands.
The most famous explorer Christopher Columbus, was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451 to a
weaver, Columbus first went to sea at the age of fourteen. He settled in
Portugal and married a very noble woman. After his wife died in 1485, Columbus and
his son, Diego , moved to Spain. Like all intelligent men of his time, Columbus knew the world
was round. He thought that since the earth was a sphere, a ship could reach the
Far East from the opposite direction. He thought he could establish trade routes to Asia in this
way. The fifteenth-century Europeans did not know about South and North America
Mapmakers could not make an accurate picture so no one knew
there was a Pacific Ocean. For 10 years, Columbus asked the Portuguese king and the
Spanish monarchs enough money to explore possible trade routes to the west. At first
they turned him down, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella changed teir minds. Columbus promised to bring gold, spices, and
silks from the Far East, to spread Christianity there, and to lead an journey to China. In return,
Columbus asked for and got the title "admiral of the ocean seas" and became governor
of all discovered lands.