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May 27, 1451
Facts about him & his family
His wife, Dona Felipa, died after his son was born.
Christopher Columbus had two brothers. His dad was a weaver. When Columbus was older he helped his dad on the loom. He had little education and only when he was an adult, learned to read and write. He believed that the world was round, not flat, and tried for seven years to prove his point. Columbus always wanted to go to sea. Columbus believed that he could find India by sailing westward. -
Period: Aug 25, 1451 to May 20, 1506
Birth and death of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was born between August 25 and October 31. He died in May 20. He was Italian. Nobody is quite sure where he was born. -
May 26, 1486
Columbus asks the Spain rulers for funding for his exploration.
In 1486, (We dont know the date or month) Columbus asked Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand for funding and permission to go on his westward voyage to Asia. They said no because they were currently in war with the North African Muslims and didnt have much money. Christopher understood what they meant but said that he would be back to ask again sometime. -
May 26, 1492
Christopher Columbus asks again after the Spanish won the war for funding for his trip.
When Columbus asked the King and Queen of Spain again, they said yes. Spain had won the Reconquista and needed money. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand hoped to make money from the gold and spices they belived Columbus would bring back to Spain. The Queen and King also wanted to teach others about Roman Catholicism.
P.S.- Ms. C we dont know the exact date when Columbus asked the King and Queen for funding for his trip. -
Aug 3, 1492
Columbus set off on his first journey with 3 ships.
Columbus sets off with 90 men , and 3 ships (the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria). The sailors did not know where they were going and where they would land. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand gave Columbus the 3 ships, 90 sailors, and some food. -
Oct 12, 1492
A sailor on the Pinta saw land, and the 3 ships landed.
Shortly after midnight, on Oct. 12, a sailor on the Pinta saw land. The ships had arrived at a island that Columbus named San Salvador. This island is part of the present-day islands of the Bahamas, east of Mexico. Columbus thought this was India, and named the people indians. The Taino people traded with Columbus. After going there, Columbus sailed to Cuba and Hispaniola before returning to Spain. -
Nov 3, 1493
After Columbus' first voyage, he went again to explore on his second voyage.
Columbus made three more voyages to the Caribbean and the coasts of central and South America. The King and Queen wanted him to start settlements and to search for gold. Columbus sailed 17 ships to the island of Hispaniola. Columbus also claimed more lands for Spain. Columbus gave the Native Americans Cattle, pigs, sheep, Horses, Bananas, and Coffee beans. The Indians traded Corn, tomato, potato, squash, peanuts, and cacao. But many Taino people got sick and died from European disease. -
May 30, 1498
The Third voyage of Christopher Columbus from Seville, Spain, with six ships.
The ships arrived at Gomera in the Canary Islands on June 19. At this point, the crew split into two squadrons: three ships sailed directly for Hispaniola with supplies for the colonists there; but the other three, commanded by Columbus , were on a mission of exploration, trying to find any lands south of the known islands in the Indies. -
May 11, 1502
Fourth and final voyage of Christopher Columbus leaves from Cadiz, Spain, with four ships. This is his fourth voyage.
The purpose of the trip was to find a strait linking the Indies with the Indian Ocean. Columbus was looking for the Strait of Malacca in Central America. When they arrived at present-day Panama, they found two important things. First, they learned from the natives that there was another ocean just a few days walk to the south. Now,Columbus knew that he was near enough the strait that he had proved his point. But more importantly, the natives had many gold objects that the Spaniards traded for. -
May 20, 1506
Christopher Columbus dies at the Spanish court at Valladolid.
He had suffered through a long terminal illness that first showed symptoms on his third voyage eight years before. Upon his death, Columbus was initially buried in a small cemetary in Valladolid. Shortly thereafter, his body was moved to Seville. When Columbus' eldest son and heir Diego died in 1526, he was buried beside his father.