Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and European colonization of the Americas. His expeditions were the first known European contact with the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451. He began his career as a seafarer at the age of fourteen and later supported himself by selling maps and charts. In the early 1480s, he began to develop a plan to sail west from Europe to Asia, believing that this would be a shorter and more profitable route than the traditional route around Africa.
Columbus presented his plan to the Portuguese and Spanish monarchs, but it was not until 1492 that he was able to secure funding from the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, on August 3, 1492, with three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa MarÃa.
On October 12, 1492, Columbus made landfall on an island in the Bahamas. He believed that he had reached Asia, and he named the island San Salvador. Columbus and his crew spent several weeks exploring the Bahamas and other islands in the Caribbean. In December 1492, they returned to Spain.
Columbus's first voyage was a success, and he was hailed as a hero upon his return to Spain. He was given the title of Admiral of the Ocean Sea and was granted a monopoly on all trade routes that he discovered. Columbus made three more voyages to the Americas between 1493 and 1504. On his second voyage, he explored the islands of Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. On his third voyage, he reached the mainland of South America. On his fourth and final voyage, he explored the coast of Central America.
Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain, on May 20, 1506. He was buried in Seville, Spain, but his remains were later moved to Santo Domingo, Hispaniola.
Columbus's voyages had a profound impact on the world. They led to the European colonization of the Americas, which had a devastating impact on the indigenous peoples of the Americas. However, Columbus's voyages also led to the exchange of goods, cultures, and ideas between Europe and the Americas. This exchange had a major impact on the development of both continents.
Columbus's legacy is complex and controversial. He is credited with discovering the Americas, but he is also criticized for his role in the colonization of the Americas and the subjugation of the indigenous peoples.
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